Silahay Pasture Mix

Lower cost ryegrass and clover mix for silage and hay

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High production mix of ryegrass and clovers for silage, hay & can also be grazed: Abundant; Dargo; Balansa clover; Persian clover: Early establishment vigour that produces high quality bulk for silage and hay in the spring.

Key attributes

  • Uncoated clovers lift seed numbers per bag
  • Early establishment vigour
  • High quality bulk for silage and hay
  • Around 25% more seeds per bag than coated mixes
  • Blends diploid and tetraploid ryegrasses
  • More plants sown at the same rate per hectare

Mix components

Formulation 2021

ComponentRate
Highest yielding Tetraploid tested in WA, constant proven performer
15%
Proven performer from Esperance to Geraldton in 400mm+ growing season rainfall areas
8%
Paradana Balansa provides excellent bulk to Hay crops Produces a high-quality forage that will add value to your
1%
Persian Clover
Persian Clover | Produces a high-quality forage that will add value to your Silage and Hay crops. Silahay™ Mix Silahay™ Mix will provide an extremely competitive product that will make the farmer money. Silahay™ Mix - for all your Silage and Hay production. Silahay™ Mix is perfect for those farmers whom are looking for a lower cost Ryegrass and Clover mix that will provide early establishment vigour with high quality bulk for silage and hay in the spring. For early production dry seed prior to the break where paddocks are clean and you’re comfortable with the risk.
1%

*Occasionally some varieties in our mix will be replaced with a like-for-like variety where the original is not available or not easily accessible. Varieties in the mix will be specified on the bag label.

About this variety

Silahay is built for growers who want bulk feed for the pit or the bale without paying top dollar for it, and it is an Irwin Hunter formulation refined over many seasons of supplying silage and hay producers across the state.

It pairs two proven Western Australian annual ryegrasses with balansa and Persian clovers, and deliberately runs near equal proportions of diploid and tetraploid ryegrass rather than leaning on tetraploids alone.

That formulation choice is the whole point of the mix. Diploid ryegrass seed is smaller and lighter than tetraploid, and the clovers go in uncoated rather than coated, so a bag holds roughly a quarter more actual seeds than a comparable tetraploid-and-coated-clover blend of the same weight. Sown at the same rate per hectare that puts more plants in the ground, and more plants is more dry matter for the same money. The clover component then lifts the quality of what eventually goes into the pit.

The mix establishes with real early vigour and builds bulk quickly through winter into spring, which is what a silage or hay programme needs. It responds strongly to spring fertiliser, and is cut mid spring for silage or left later for hay.

On clean paddocks it can be dry sown ahead of the break where the grower is comfortable with that risk.

Planting & grazing notes

Graze at 6-8cm to increase clover component; rotational grazing through winter/spring; cut mid spring for silage, late spring for hay. To encourage increased tillering, ensure plants are not prone to pulling, then graze at 6 to 8cm high. Increased sowing rates will increase interplant competition during establishment, offering earlier grazing and higher pasture production where supported with increased fertiliser.

How it's sold

FormPackStatus
Bare25 kgIn stock
Silahay Pasture MixSilahay Pasture Mix

FAQs

What pasture should I sow if my main goal is big silage and hay cuts in spring?

We recommend our Silahay Mix, built for silage and hay. It combines Abundant tetraploid and Dargo diploid ryegrasses with Paradana Balansa and Persian clovers for early vigour and high-quality spring bulk. It suits sandy to heavy soils with pH 5.0+ in 450mm+ rainfall areas. Cut mid spring for silage and late spring for hay.

When should I cut a ryegrass and clover paddock for silage versus hay?

For our Silahay Mix we recommend cutting in mid spring for silage and late spring for hay. Applying spring fertiliser beforehand promotes bulk growth. The mix flowers at roughly August to October, so time your cuts for good quality before plants get too mature.

How do I get more clover in my ryegrass hay paddock to lift the quality?

Graze early and low, which is what we recommend for our Silahay Mix. Once plants won't pull out, graze at 6 to 8cm to encourage tillering and open the canopy so the balansa and Persian clover component increases. That extra clover adds quality to the later silage or hay cut.

Can I dry sow a pasture mix before the break in the Great Southern?

Yes, for early production you can dry sow our Silahay Mix before the break where paddocks are clean and you are comfortable with the risk. Dry sowing carries a false-break risk, so it suits growers with good weed control and reliable seasons. The mix needs 450mm+ rainfall and pH 5.0+.

What seed rate for a ryegrass and clover hay mix on good dairy country?

For our Silahay Mix we recommend 15 to 25 kg/ha. Because it has near-equal diploid and tetraploid ryegrass plus uncoated clover seed, you sow more seeds per hectare than a tetraploid mix with coated clovers at the same rate. It suits 450mm+ rainfall on sandy to heavy soils with pH 5.0+.

Is there a ryegrass clover mix that responds well to fertiliser for high production on the South West?

Our Silahay Mix responds well to fertiliser and produces high yields where nutrition is right. It combines Abundant and Dargo ryegrasses with Paradana Balansa and Persian clovers. We recommend applying spring fertiliser to drive bulk for silage or hay. It suits 450mm+ rainfall on a wide range of soils.

Can I graze a paddock I'm planning to lock up for hay later?

Yes. Our Silahay Mix can be grazed early before it is locked up for silage or hay. Graze at 6 to 8cm once plants are anchored, then use rotational grazing through winter. Removing stock in time for spring growth, plus spring fertiliser, lets the paddock bulk up for cutting.

What's in Silahay Mix?

Silahay Mix contains Abundant tetraploid ryegrass, Dargo diploid ryegrass, Paradana Balansa clover and Persian clover. The ryegrasses provide bulk and early vigour, while the clovers add winter and spring growth and quality to silage and hay. The clover seed is uncoated, which increases seed numbers sown per hectare.

Silahay Mix vs IH Dairy Select Mix, which suits a dairy farm better?

Silahay Mix suits 450mm+ rainfall and is aimed at silage, hay and grazing. IH Dairy Select Mix is formulated specifically for dairy, uses Abundant, Evoke, Amass and Achieve ryegrasses with 20% late maturing aerial clovers, and suits 550mm+ rainfall with potential for two cuts. Higher-rainfall dairies often lean to Dairy Select.

Will Silahay Mix regenerate next year?

Silahay Mix is mainly a one-season production mix for silage, hay and grazing. The Persian clover can set some hard seed that may help regeneration, but cutting for silage or hay removes much of the seed set. If regeneration is a priority, we recommend our Self Regeneration Mix or SouWest Pasture Mix.