Tonic Plantain

We recommend Tonic Plantain. It is a deep-rooted perennial herb known to have higher levels of calcium, magnesium, zinc, sodium, cobalt, copper and phosphorus. It is highly digestible, nutritious and high in protein, and it suits sheep, beef and dairy.

We recommend Six Point Chicory if worm burdens are a concern, as it has parasite-inhibiting properties and is safe for animals. Tonic Plantain is a good companion: it is mineral rich, highly digestible and high in protein, and suits sheep. Sow them together with grasses and clovers in a mixed pasture.

We recommend Tonic Plantain. It gives high levels of winter, spring and early summer production and suits both dryland and irrigated pastures in south-western WA. It has an upright growth habit and high palatability, and it is well accepted by all classes of grazing stock.

For Tonic Plantain, we recommend 6 to 10 kg/ha as a monoculture, or 3 to 4 kg/ha in a mix. It is best sown with ryegrasses and legumes. It suits loam to heavy soils with a pH of 5 or above, where good soil nutrition is maintained.

Avoid relying on Tonic Plantain on waterlogged paddocks, because it is not tolerant of waterlogged soils. For wet areas, Six Point Chicory tolerates waterlogging better. Plantain performs best on well-drained loam to heavy soils with good nutrition and a pH of 5 or above.

Yes, plantain species can cause milk taint in dairy cows if they are sown as the only species or become dominant in a pasture that is grazed for long periods. For Tonic Plantain, we recommend sowing it with ryegrasses and legumes, and grazing rotationally, to avoid this.

We recommend Tonic Plantain: it is deep-rooted, so it is relatively drought tolerant, and it tolerates frequent grazing. It establishes quickly on loam to heavy soils with a pH of 5.0 (CaCl2) or above, in areas with 600mm+ rainfall. Rotational grazing gives the best production.

Tonic Plantain is not Australian bred; please contact us if you need breeder details. It was selected for high dry matter production across a range of soil types, has shown persistence in New Zealand beef, sheep and dairy systems, and is reported to yield similarly to ryegrass-based pastures.

We recommend sowing Tonic Plantain with ryegrasses and legumes, at 3 to 4 kg/ha in the mix. Good partners include our Italian or perennial ryegrasses, Haifa White Clover, Red Clover and Six Point Chicory. This gives a wider range of feed than traditional pastures.

It depends on your paddock, and many farmers sow both together. Tonic Plantain gives strong winter, spring and early summer growth, is mineral rich and suits well-drained loam to heavy soils with 600mm+ rainfall. Six Point Chicory is a summer forage with a very deep tap root, tolerates waterlogging and drought, and needs 550mm+ rainfall.