SouWest Pasture Mix

For grazing, silage and hay production

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Adaptable & diverse mix across a wide range of soil types. A blend of Annual ryegrass & Perennial ryegrasses; Black and White seeded sub clovers; Balansa; Persian; Crimson and Arrowleaf clovers. Ideal mix for dryland sowing. Can be manipulated for seed set therefore providing pasture over subsequent years. Good option for farmers wishing to pursue Regenerative Agriculture Practices with its diversity in the mix. Suited for grazing, silage or hay.

Key attributes

  • Proven varieties selected for WA conditions
  • Specialty blend for the SouWest region
  • Broad adaptation across soil types
  • Continues to produce into following years
  • Reliable establishment

Mix components

Formulation 2025

Component
Roper Perennial Ryegrass
Roper Perennial Ryegrass, deep rooted perennial ryegrass that can work as an annual or a perennial where there is adequate summer moisture.
Dunstan Perennial Ryegrass
Dunstan Diploid Perennial Ryegrass is a mid-maturing, deep rooted perennial ryegrass which makes it a suitable option for medium rainfall zones with strong rust resistance and persistence. Dunstan produces high quality feed during winter and spring. A great backbone to a pasture plan with a good chance of finishing strong in a variable season.
Abundant Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass
Abundant Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass, high quality, high yielding and long growing season. Excellent vigour with high stress and disease tolerance.
Dargo Diploid Annual Ryegrass
Dargo Diploid Annual Ryegrass, the diploid addition provides for greater adaptability with high winter and early spring production and being a shorter season variety compliments the Abundant for earlier productivity.
Black & White Seeded Subterranean Clovers
Black and White Seeded Subterranean Clovers will produce across a wide range of soils and farming systems.
Aerial Seeded Clovers (Arrowleaf, Balansa, Crimson, Persian)
Aerial Seeded Clovers: Arrowleaf, Balansa Clover, Crimson Clover and Persian Clovers provide a continuity of early and late feed. For early production dry seed prior to the break where paddocks are clean, and you are comfortable with the risk. Ensure plants are not prone to pulling then graze at 6 to 8cm high to increase tiller density. Then implement a rotational grazing program through winter and spring.Cut mid spring for silage, late spring for hay or lock up for seed set. Where managed appropriately the Souwest Pasture Mix should continue to provide high quality pasture into the following years.

*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

SouWest Pasture Mix is an Irwin Hunter blend formulated for the south west of the state, containing proven varieties selected and developed to perform in Western Australia's particular conditions rather than lines brought in from elsewhere.

That local focus is the point. Sixty years of supplying growers across the south west means the blend reflects what has actually persisted and produced in that country, and it is reviewed as better varieties become available.

The mix is suited to a wide range of farming systems and soil types across the higher rainfall parts of the region, and it produces for grazing, silage and hay from the same sowing, which gives growers flexibility in how they use the paddock as the season develops.

It responds well to fertiliser and achieves excellent pasture production where nutrition supports it, and managed appropriately it will continue to provide high quality pasture into the following years rather than finishing after a single season.

Planting & grazing notes

Optimal sowing time Autumn/Winter; cultivate or spray out existing pasture/persistent weeds before sowing (apply lime/gypsum if required); plant as shallow as possible for good seed-to-soil contact; graze at 6-8cm (2023/24 tech sheets) or 8-10cm (2025/26 tech sheets) to increase tiller density (do not overgraze); rotational grazing through winter/spring; cut mid spring for silage, late spring for hay, or lock up and allow to run to seed in spring for following-year regeneration. (Increased sowing rates will increase interplant competition during establishment offering earlier grazing and higher dry matter production where supported with increased fertiliser).

Disease & pest resistance

Dunstan Diploid Perennial Ryegrass is a mid-maturing, deep rooted perennial ryegrass which makes it a suitable option for medium rainfall zones with strong rust resistance and persistence. Excellent vigour with high stress and disease tolerance.

Stand life

Where managed appropriately, should continue to provide high quality pasture into following years; can be locked up annually to run to seed for regeneration

How it's sold

FormPackStatus
BioNPK-S coated25 kgIn stock
SouWest Pasture MixSouWest Pasture Mix

FAQs

What's a good all-round pasture mix for dryland grazing in the South West?

We recommend our SouWest Pasture Mix, a diverse blend of annual and perennial ryegrasses, black and white seeded sub clovers, and Balansa, Persian, Crimson and Arrowleaf clovers. It is ideal for dryland sowing on sandy to heavy soils with pH 5.0+, and suits grazing, silage or hay.

I want a pasture that keeps coming back year after year without resowing. What should I use?

Our SouWest Pasture Mix can be managed for seed set, so it keeps providing pasture in following years. Lock it up in spring and let it run to seed. The perennial ryegrass component, Dunstan, is deep rooted with strong persistence, and the sub clovers regenerate from seed.

How much rainfall do I need for a ryegrass and sub clover pasture mix?

Our SouWest Pasture Mix is recommended for 500mm+ rainfall areas. It suits sandy to heavy soils with pH 5.0+, and is sown in autumn or winter. Older tech sheets gave a higher figure, so talk to us if you're in a marginal zone.

How deep and how heavy should I sow a ryegrass and clover pasture?

For our SouWest Pasture Mix we recommend 15 to 25 kg/ha, sown as shallow as possible for good seed-to-soil contact. Cultivate or spray out existing pasture and weeds first, and apply lime or gypsum if required. Clover seed is small, so deep sowing reduces establishment.

When should I first graze a new ryegrass and clover pasture?

For our SouWest Pasture Mix, graze lightly once plants are anchored, at about 8 to 10cm, to increase tiller density without overgrazing. Then use rotational grazing through winter and spring. Lock up in spring if you want seed set for the following year.

I want a diverse pasture for regenerative agriculture. What seed mix should I look at?

We recommend our SouWest Pasture Mix. It combines annual and perennial ryegrasses with several sub and aerial clovers, providing diversity for regenerative practices. It is coated with biological BioNPK Powder S and is Ecocert approved, and can be grazed, cut for silage or made into hay.

Which clovers give early and late feed in the same paddock?

Combining sub clovers with aerial clovers like Balansa, Persian, Crimson and Arrowleaf spreads production across the season. Our SouWest Pasture Mix includes all of these, with black and white seeded sub clovers for a wide range of soils. It flowers at roughly August to November.

What ryegrasses are in SouWest Pasture Mix?

SouWest Pasture Mix currently contains Dunstan perennial ryegrass, which is mid-maturing, deep rooted and rust resistant, plus Abundant tetraploid and Dargo diploid annual ryegrasses. Abundant gives high quality and a long growing season, while Dargo adds earlier productivity. Together they give a spread of growth from winter into late spring.

SouWest Pasture Mix vs Self Regeneration Mix?

SouWest Pasture Mix suits higher rainfall areas of around 500mm+ and combines annual and perennial ryegrasses with many clovers. Self Regeneration Mix suits lower rainfall of around 350mm+ and is built on Safeguard ARGT-resistant ryegrass to reduce the risk of ARGT poisoning. Choose based on rainfall and ARGT risk.

Can I make silage from SouWest Pasture Mix?

Yes. SouWest Pasture Mix suits grazing, silage or hay. We recommend cutting in mid spring for silage and late spring for hay. If you want the pasture to regenerate the following year, leave some areas locked up to run to seed instead of cutting everything. Applying spring fertiliser before cutting helps build bulk.

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