Collaboration by Notman Pasture Seeds lead by Andrew Allsop, with inputs from Peter Notman and Jason Hibbs.
Pasture optimisation and profitability after a dry summer comes from getting the basics right in our pastures — ensuring quick winter feed, and setting up for a much need silage and hay in spring.
Dairy farmers make strategic decisions to maximize production, and selecting the right ryegrass is no exception.
Start with the Fundamentals
A well-planned approach to renovation and over-sowing ryegrasses ensures that the hectares you focus on contribute to milk production efficiency through the upcoming winter and spring.
Soil Testing & Fertility – Know what’s beneath your feet. Soil fertility drives pasture performance including establishment, so invest in soil testing early to determine pH levels and nutrient requirements. Address any deficiencies early with targeted applications of lime, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Without this foundation, you’re working uphill when to keep the plants healthy when under stress.
Weed and Pest Control – Nothing competes with newly sown pasture like winter grasses, broadleaf weeds and insect pests. Controlling weeds in the first 4-6 weeks after sowing is crucial. We often see farmers overlook this step, only to struggle with large weeds later in winter which take more chemical to kill and create more holes in newly sown pasture.
Timing – After a dry summer in 2024/2025, are you confident in your autumn break? A false break can lead to early germination without follow-up rain, putting your investment at risk with young plants under too much stress and vulnerable to pests like crickets. Do you wait for reliable moisture or take the gamble? The answer is down to your appetite for risk and budget.
Early Soil Fertility – Nitrogen boosts early growth, but balanced nutrition is key. A good start includes a combination of phosphorus for root development and sulphur for plant health. The aim is to not only establish quickly but ensure strong regrowth post-grazing.
Grazing Management – Newly established pastures need time. Preventing overgrazing, especially at the first grazing, go’s an long way to ensuring strong regrowth through winter. This is where you set up your pastures to push quality growth into spring and beyond.
Species selection – Annual vs Italian Ryegrasses
While annual ryegrasses are commonly chosen for their price and rapid early growth, opting for an Italian ryegrass can extend production into late spring and early summer where soil moisture is available.
What sets the higher quality Italian ryegrass such as Vibe Italian Ryegrass apart, is their genetic breeding for late season quality and growth they can provide after an annual ryegrass has gone stalky, finished and put up a seed head. This added regrowth from these more persistent Italian ryegrasses can enhance profitability across various farming systems, whether it be dairy, beef or sheep production.
Given the comparable seed costs, Italians frequently prove to be the more cost-effective choice over time if you have moisture available in spring to deliver the benefits. Based on a $2/kg difference in seed, at 25kg/ha sowing rate, the investment in an additional $50 per hectare could pay off for your farm in spring.
If your main goal is rapid establishment and early winter feed, annual ryegrass is the ideal choice, delivering quick growth and allowing for faster grazing rotations to maximize feed availability through the June-August. Learn more about our Annual Ryegrass available here.
Final thoughts
Dairy businesses thrive when feed costs are controlled, and nothing beats well-managed pastures for cost-effective production. Investing time in getting the basics right this autumn means setting your pastures up for strong winter performance provided reasonable Autumn moisture arrives.
Ryegrass selection plays a key role, with an Italian ryegrass giving flexibility to cut high-quality silage or hay when conditions allow, securing your feed reserves for next summer and beyond.
