This guide provides recommended sowing rates in kg/ha for various rainfall regions around Australia. In most cases these will be a part
of a pasture mix and will include companion clovers. The best suited clover will be determined by soil type and length of season and
sowing rates will vary with seed size and species used. For further information contact CRT Kyneton you local seed specialist.
Time and Rate of sowing trials - (Sow more, not less, not late!)
Trials undertaken by Wrightson at Ballarat and Gundagai have
looked at the effects of time and rate of sowing short term
ryegrass on yield and cost of feed.
At Wrightson’s Gundagai Research and Extension Centre, five
replicates of Winter Star sown on the 23rd April 2002 at 25 and
50kg/ha, showed an extra 1.78 tonnes of winter dry matter at an
extra cost of $70/ha for the higher seeding rate.
That represents 11MJ winter feed at a cost of only $40 per tonne.
A more detailed trial was set up at Wrightson’s Ballarat Research
and Extension Centre during 2003.
Winter Star was sown at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kg/ha at 4 timings
each 2 weeks apart during April and May. The data has
undergone statistical analysis, with some key messages clearly
evident.
- There was a reduction of about 1300 kg DM feed for every 2
weeks that sowing was delayed, irrespective of sowing rate. If
that lost feed had to be replaced by grain at $200 per tonne
on farm, this would result in additional feed costs of $130 per
hectare per week that sowing is delayed.
- Increasing sowing rate up to 30 or 40 kg/ha (depending on
sowing time) increased winter feed, but there was a slight
reduction from sowing at 50kg/ha.
- For every 10kg increase in the sowing rate of Winter Star from
10 kg/ha up to 40kg/ha, you could expect an extra 500kg of
additional winter feed at a cost of about $30.
That represented extra winter feed at about $60 per tonne.
- There was no benefit after winter grazing as plants were able
to compensate with extra tiller density.
So the messages are clear for all livestock producers looking to
sow short term pastures:
- Sow more, not less, not late
- Sow Winter Star short term ryegrass as early in the season
as possible at between 30 and 40kg/ha to provide the most
cost efficient winter feed.
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