In our experience in grazing Lucerne is generally grown on sites that will not support good stands of permanent pasture year round due to lack of summer moisture and or poor soil moisture holding profile. High yielding lucerne provides 3 to 4 and sometimes even 5 cuts per year and it will persist for at least 4 years and in some cases has been known to continue good high quality production for up-to 5 or 6 years. It is extremely robust with exceptional drought resistance due to its deep roots which often reach deep throughout the soil profile, which is ideal for farms that dry out significantly over summer. Why is drought tolerant? Lucerne relies on stored energy (carbohydrates) in its root […]
Tag: Forage Crop
Using summer forages – agronomy with Andrew Allsop
Read the latest on the use of summer forages with thoughts from Andrew Allsop, a member of our Western Victorian pasture team Spring and early summer paddock renovation provides an opportunity to establish home grown feed for summer, autumn and if intended winter forage. Spring and summer sown forage can be used for a variety of reasons, but the main reasons are to form part of your annual pasture renovation program and the other to produce valuable feed at key times when permanent pastures are of low quality and quantity. At Notman Pasture Seeds, both our Gippsland & Western Vic teams have access to a wide range of cultivars – it’s just a matter to constructing a plan that suits […]
Top Crop Millet & Rape agronomy with Jonathan Town
Read the latest on the use of ‘Top Crop Millet & Rape’ forage blend with thoughts from Jonathan Town, Notman Pasture Seeds Western District Agronomist. Summer forage crops play a critical role in delivering quality feed during a traditionally dryer time of year through the November – April period in southern Victoria, during a pasture feed-gap due to low average rainfall and higher temperatures. This is why it is important to get feed budgeting right, whether that is for the milking herd, breeder stock or prime lambs. While conserved feed is the goal, as that preserves perennial pastures allowing them to come away again each autumn, where paddock renovations are occurring, maximising feed grown and utilised during the cropping stage […]