What can I sow to fill the winter feed gap on a mixed sheep and cattle farm?
We recommend Astound tetraploid annual ryegrass, which was developed specifically to fill the winter feed gap. It has excellent seedling vigour, establishes rapidly and is fast to first grazing, with high winter yields and quality. It suits all livestock types and areas with 450mm+ rainfall, on sandy to heavy soils.
How deep should ryegrass seed go and do I need to roll it?
For our Astound ryegrass, sow shallow at 10-15mm and roll afterwards to press the seed into good contact with the soil. Sowing deeper delays emergence and weakens seedlings. You can direct drill, sow into a cultivated seedbed or oversow an existing pasture, but control weeds before sowing in every case.
How long should I leave a ryegrass paddock to recover between grazings?
With Astound, we recommend rotational grazing and letting plants regrow to the 2-3 leaf stage before grazing again. This lets plants rebuild energy reserves and gives the best balance of yield and quality. Astound also recovers well from heavy grazing, which helps it produce more total dry matter across the season.
Can I oversow ryegrass into my existing pasture to thicken it up for winter?
Yes, Astound can be oversown into an existing pasture as well as direct drilled or sown into a cultivated seedbed. Graze the old pasture hard first and control weeds so new seedlings aren't smothered. Sow at 25-35 kg/ha, keep drilled seed shallow at 10-15mm, and apply fertiliser at sowing.
Which ryegrass works for grazing but can also be shut up for silage or hay?
Astound is a dual-purpose tetraploid annual ryegrass that performs consistently across the whole season, making it highly suitable for grazing, silage and hay. Its mid-late maturity gives reliable quality production into spring. Replace the nutrients removed by cutting with fertiliser so regrowth stays strong afterwards.
What ryegrass will handle wet winters on heavier soils in the Great Southern?
We suggest Astound, which is tolerant of waterlogging and suits soil types from sandy to heavy. It needs 450mm+ rainfall and a soil pH of around 5.0 or higher. Its fast emergence vigour also helps where the autumn break is unreliable, getting plants established before the wettest part of winter.
What clover goes well with a tetraploid ryegrass for mixed grazing?
We often pair Astound with a sub clover suited to your rainfall, such as Seaton Park, or with Paradana Balansa on waterlogged ground. The clover adds nitrogen and protein, while Astound supplies the winter bulk. Apply fertiliser at sowing to support both species, and graze lightly at first so the clover seedlings can establish.
Are there animal health issues I should know about when grazing annual ryegrass?
Astound is suitable for all livestock types, but any annual ryegrass in WA can carry annual ryegrass toxicity (ARGT) risk once seed heads form in affected districts. Where ARGT is a known problem, consider our Safeguard ryegrass. Also watch nitrate levels on lush, heavily fertilised growth, and introduce hungry stock gradually.
Is Astound ryegrass an annual or a perennial?
Astound is a tetraploid annual ryegrass, so it grows for one season and should be resown each autumn. It offers excellent winter and early spring production, high winter yields and mid-late heading. If you need a pasture that persists, talk to us about our perennial ryegrasses, such as Dunstan or Hypa, in suitable rainfall zones.
Astound vs Tetila ryegrass for winter feed, which is better?
Both are tetraploid annual ryegrasses with strong winter growth. Astound heads mid-late, so it holds production and quality further into spring and is well suited to silage and hay. Tetila heads early and is a reliable specialist winter crop, best on medium to heavy soils. The length of your season usually decides between them.
