What lucerne can I sow on a paddock with a bit of salt coming up in the wheatbelt?
We recommend L97 Lucerne, which was bred in saline conditions and produces in both saline and non-saline soils. It tolerates mild salinity and suits 400mm+ rainfall on sands through to heavy soils, but it is not rated for waterlogging. For badly scalded or waterlogged ground, Puccinellia or Tyrrell Tall Wheatgrass are better choices.
Which lucerne gives heaps of winter feed for dairy cows?
L97 Lucerne is one of our top picks, with outstanding winter growth and consistent high-quality feed year round. It's highly winter active and suitable for dairy, beef and sheep, giving extra cutting and grazing opportunities in autumn and winter. Its increased leaf-to-stem ratio also lifts feed quality.
When is the best time of year to sow lucerne in WA?
We generally recommend sowing L97 Lucerne in autumn, which is the preferred planting window once there's reliable soil moisture. Sow at 4 to 10 kg/ha dryland or 18 to 25 kg/ha irrigated, into a well-prepared, weed-free seedbed. Use Group AL inoculant and sow shallow for good establishment.
Can I put lucerne into a cropping rotation for just a few years to build nitrogen?
Yes, L97 Lucerne suits short-term cropping rotations. As a legume it fixes nitrogen that benefits following crops, and it provides grazing, hay or silage while it's in. It suits a range of soil types in 400mm+ rainfall areas. Make sure it's nodulated with Group AL inoculant to get the full nitrogen benefit.
What pH does lucerne need? My soil test came back around 5.
Our L97 Lucerne is listed for soils down to pH 5.0 (CaCl2), so a result near 5 is workable, although lucerne generally prefers less acidic soils and liming very acid paddocks helps. Check whether your test was done in CaCl2 or water. L97 also needs 400mm+ rainfall, suits sands to heavy soils and needs Group AL inoculant.
I want to cut hay and silage but also graze sheep, is there one lucerne that does it all?
L97 Lucerne is a dual-purpose variety suited to hay, silage and grazing, and it's suitable for sheep, beef and dairy. Its increased leaf-to-stem ratio lifts forage quality, and its winter growth extends cutting and grazing into autumn and winter. It's Australian bred and supplied Goldstrike coated.
How do I stop bloat when grazing cattle on lucerne?
We recommend managing bloat with a grass companion and a plan agreed with your vet or adviser, as L97 Lucerne is a leafy, high-quality feed for beef and dairy cattle. Sowing Wimmera Annual Ryegrass or New Tetila Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass with it dilutes the legume in the diet, and rotationally grazing lucerne helps protect the stand.
Will lucerne handle a paddock that gets waterlogged after heavy winter rain?
L97 Lucerne is not rated for waterlogging, so we don't recommend it for paddocks that stay wet after heavy winter rain. It suits sands through to heavy soils and tolerates mild salinity, producing in both saline and non-saline conditions, but it performs best on soils that drain. Talk to us about better-suited species for wet ground.
L97 vs L91 lucerne, what's the difference?
Both L97 Lucerne and L91 Lucerne are highly winter active (rating 9). L97 was bred in saline conditions, tolerates mild salinity, produces in saline and non-saline soils and has outstanding winter growth. L91 is rated for salinity and has good pest and disease resistance, but is intolerant of waterlogging and high aluminium. Both suit 400mm+ rainfall on sands to heavy soils; talk to us about your salt levels.
How winter active is L97 Lucerne?
L97 Lucerne is a highly winter active variety with outstanding winter growth, giving extended grazing and cutting opportunities in autumn and winter. That makes it well suited to systems chasing cool-season feed. It suits sheep, beef and dairy, and produces well in both saline and non-saline conditions.
