- Very high productivity
- Excellent cool season growth and summer activity
- Palatable to stock
- Easy drilling and establishment
Perennial pasture grass option for warm climate regions of
Australia where perennial ryegrass will not persist.
Grasslands MATUA Prairie Grass is a high producing perennial
brome grass with excellent cool season production. It is also
suited to the summer rainfall or irrigation dairy zones of
Australia.
MATUA is an erect, broadleaf perennial which was selected for
establishment, vigour and winter productivity. MATUA is more
tolerant of drought than perennial ryegrass and gives superior
growth during late summer, autumn and winter.
What the producers say...
Terry Toohey, dairy producer, Casino NSW
Terry sowed just 4 ha to a mix of Matua prairie grass, Puna chicory,
Renegade red clover and Osceola white clover to see how it would effect
production for his autumn calving herd of Holstein Friesians. “When the cows went onto the pasture, milk production lifted by 2 litres
per cow. Production increased like a tap being turned on - it’s definitely
good stuff.”
Peter Brown, dairy and beef producer, Christmas Ck QLD
Disappointing results from perennial ryegrass led Peter to try Matua
prairie grass, a perennial which gives superior growth during late
summer, autumn and winter. “I have just taken out a stand of Matua that was five years old. It just kept
on regenerating itself and I was very pleased with that.”
In recent times Peter has been incorporating Matua into new pasture
mixes which also contain lucerne, clovers, chicory, ryegrasses and
fescues. These mixes are usually sown in April.
MANAGEMENT TIPS
- Grazing should be at the 4 - 5 leaf stage, with rotation length
varying from 35 days in the winter to 21 days in the spring. This
may reduce spring utilisation, but provides the opportunity to
reduce summer soil temperature and prevents summer weed
establishment.
- Autumn regeneration is possible from natural seed production.
Grazing should be monitored to promote this.
|
