What legume can I sow in autumn to boost protein for sheep and add nitrogen?
We recommend a vetch such as our Benatas Vetch. Vetches are palatable annual legumes that fix nitrogen, improve soil fertility and provide high-protein feed for sheep and cattle. They suit a range of soils in southern Australia and are usually sown in autumn after the break.
Which inoculant do I need for vetch?
Vetches, including our Benatas Vetch, use Group E rhizobia, the same group as field peas. Inoculate seed shortly before sowing and keep it out of direct sun and away from fertiliser for good nodulation. Well-nodulated vetch fixes nitrogen for itself and for the crop that follows.
What should I sow with vetch for a hay crop?
Vetch is commonly sown with a cereal such as our Saia Oats, Joey Triticale or Cereal Ryecorn. The cereal provides a frame for the vetch to climb, and the mix gives a bulky, higher-protein hay. Benatas Vetch can be used this way, and our Silahay Mix and Custom Mix options can include vetch.
Is Benatas Vetch safe to graze?
Vetch is generally palatable, nutritious feed for sheep and cattle. With any vetch, avoid grazing crops infected with rust, which has been linked to abortion in pregnant stock, and introduce animals gradually. Talk to us about how Benatas Vetch fits your grazing plan.
I want a break crop to clean up grass weeds and disease before canola or wheat. Any ideas?
A vetch crop is a good legume break. It interrupts cereal disease cycles, fixes nitrogen and can be grazed, cut for hay or spray-topped to control weeds. We stock Benatas, Common and Popany Vetch. Talk to us about which suits your rainfall and rotation.
Can vetch grow on a waterlogged paddock?
Vetches generally don't like prolonged waterlogging, so we recommend well-drained paddocks. On wetter ground, consider our Joey Triticale, which our guide lists as waterlogging tolerant, or talk to us about a clover better suited to wet conditions, such as Paradana Balansa.
Can I use vetch as a green manure on my lifestyle block?
Yes. Vetch is a popular green manure because it grows vigorous biomass and fixes nitrogen. Incorporate or terminate it around flowering for the best nitrogen return. Benatas Vetch is one option, and our Green Manure Mix and Nitro Mix combine legumes and other species for soil improvement.
When should I sow vetch in the wheatbelt?
Vetch is usually sown in autumn after a reliable opening rain, typically mid-autumn to early winter. Sow into moist soil at a depth similar to cereals, and control weeds and pests such as redlegged earth mite early. Talk to us about the right sowing rate of Benatas Vetch for your rainfall.
How do I stop red-legged earth mite wiping out a young legume crop?
Legumes such as vetch are vulnerable to redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea in early growth. Monitor from emergence, control mites before sowing where history warrants, and use approved insecticides if numbers build. Healthy early establishment is key for Benatas Vetch and other legumes we stock.
Benatas Vetch vs Common Vetch: which should I choose?
Both are annual vetches for grazing, hay and soil improvement. Our Common Vetch is well documented for drier areas with 300mm+ rainfall and early grazing or grain. Varieties differ in maturity, rust resistance and hard-seededness, so talk to us about whether Benatas suits your rainfall and system better.
