Effective Early Management for Thriving Grass Pastures
Published on 18 November 2024
Effective management of your new grass paddock during the first year is key to enhancing its performance and longevity. The establishment phase is particularly critical. Early management includes key tasks such as timing your first grazing, controlling weeds, and providing necessary nutrients.
The following recommendations are based on ryegrass. However, they apply to all grass-based pastures, including Tall Fescue and Cocksfoot. The only difference is that these species take longer to establish and will be ready for the first grazing a bit later.
- Note: The timing of your first grazing isn’t primarily about feeding animals, but rather about encouraging plant development and ensuring the proper composition of the sward.
- For ryegrass, the first grazing typically occurs around 6–8 weeks after establishment. For species like Tall Fescue and Cocksfoot (if they are the primary species), this may be delayed to 10–12 weeks.
- Before grazing, conduct a “pluck test” by pinching the plants between your thumb and forefinger, simulating animal grazing. If the plants remain rooted and aren’t pulled out, the pasture is ready for grazing.
- For the first grazing, leave a residual height of around 5 cm. This encourages tillering and helps light reach the clover, supporting stolon development. Ideally, graze with lighter animals to prevent damage to the new plants.
- Avoid carrying high pasture covers into the first grazing or deferring grazing for feed conservation (such as hay or silage). This can reduce clover content and hinder ryegrass tillering, as plants need light at their base to tiller. It also reduces sward density and may allow weeds to set seed, potentially proliferating.
- Weed control is critical to the success of new pastures. Weeds compete for light, nutrients, water, and space, and they tend to have lower feed value and productivity. Control weeds early, especially annual weeds, which are more palatable in their young stages, to prevent them from setting seed.
- Timing is crucial when spraying for weed control. Ensure you apply the appropriate herbicide at the right time and target the weed effectively. For optimal coverage, low pasture covers are necessary. Be mindful of grazing residuals and potential damage to companion species like clovers and herbs.
- Keep in mind that during the first 12 months, clover in the new pasture won’t fix enough nitrogen to meet the plant’s needs. Strategic nitrogen applications are often necessary to compensate for this shortfall, promoting grass tillering and overall growth.
Share this post by:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
you might also be interested in
On-farm solutions, Perennial grasses
A smart alternative
Are your ryegrass paddocks struggling to persist due to environmental conditions? If so, alternative pasture species could provide the solution. One such option is Tall Fescue, particularly RGT Nouga, which is gaining widespread recognition as a high performing alternative to traditional ryegrass-based pastoral systems.
Endophyte, On-farm solutions, Perennial grasses
Proven in Trials, Thriving in Fields – RGT Hustle RGT18
Few ryegrass-endophyte combinations have undergone as much rigorous testing as RGT Hustle RGT18. From extensive internal trials to independent national evaluations, it has consistently delivered exceptional performance across a range of environments. These include agronomic trials, insect protection assessments, and animal safety testing.
On-farm solutions, Short-term grasses
Maximise Pasture Productivity with Smart Sowing
Under-sowing involves drilling seed into existing pasture, typically in autumn. Maintaining pasture density through winter is essential for several reasons. Most importantly, higher density leads to increased yield. If plant numbers decline, your pasture is compromised in two ways: reduced immediate yield and diminished ability to recover after subsequent grazing’s.
On-farm solutions, Short-term grasses
A strategic investment this autumn
Looking for an annual ryegrass that’s more resilient to winter grazing, reduces the risk of soil damage and is cost effective? RGT Sultan diploid annual ryegrass is the solution you need.
People
Bringing Expertise to Support Waikato Farmers
We’re delighted to announce that Steve Thomas has joined our team as the Central North Island Field Solutions Specialist.
On-farm solutions
Bringing Our Cultivars to You
The commercial team has been working to establish more demonstration paddocks across the country, providing the opportunity to showcase RAGT’s fantastic cultivars on a much larger scale than ever before, beyond the nationwide trial network.
Perennial grasses
Effective Early Management for Thriving Grass Pastures
Effective management of your new grass paddock during the first year is key to enhancing its performance and longevity. The establishment phase is particularly critical. Early management includes key tasks such as timing your first grazing, controlling weeds, and providing necessary nutrients.
Fodder beet, On-farm solutions
Key agronomic practices to maximise beet yields
To fully harness the benefits of fodder beet in farming operations, effective planning and adherence to best agronomic practices are essential.
Endophyte, On-farm solutions, Perennial grasses
Growing great lambs with RGT Hustle RGT18
Because our seed growers produce various varieties of ryegrass, they understand which cultivars perform best for their animals. For the past four years, RGT Hustle RGT18 has stood out in terms of forage quantity and quality, particularly for finishing lambs.
People
The newest face at RAGT
RAGT New Zealand is excited to announce that Shane Brownlie has joined their team as the Lower North Island Field Solutions Specialist and is thrilled to have secured such a highly skilled individual to manage this region.
