Which Rhodes grass is best if I want to cut summer hay or silage in WA?
We recommend Finecut Rhodes Grass for hay and silage. It was bred from Katambora for more dry matter, with trials showing a 23% increase over Katambora. It has an upright growth habit, uniform flowering and finer stems than older varieties, which all help when making hay. It is proven in WA across a wide range of soils.
What perennial grass will give me more feed than the old Katambora stands on my farm?
Finecut Rhodes Grass is our pick. It is a fine-leaved selection from Katambora with better establishment vigour, higher palatability and more production, including a 23% dry matter lift over Katambora in trials. It suits loamy sands to loams with pH 5 or higher and is summer active wherever soil moisture is available.
How do I sow Finecut Rhodes grass?
Sow Finecut Rhodes Grass onto or just below the soil surface, no deeper than 2cm, at 4 to 8 kg/ha. A fine, firm seedbed gives the best results, and early spring with rising soil temperatures is the ideal timing. Our seed is coated and treated with Gaucho, which makes it easier to sow and improves seed placement.
Is there a summer grass that handles a bit of salt on the lower slopes?
Finecut Rhodes Grass has some tolerance to mild salinity and adapts to a wide range of soils, so it suits paddocks with a slight salt problem. For more saline areas we recommend Reclaimer Rhodes Grass, which was selected from Finecut for higher salt tolerance. Both need at least pH 5 and do best on loamy sands to loams.
What's the right grazing height for Rhodes grass pastures?
For our Finecut Rhodes Grass we recommend grazing when plants reach 25 to 30cm and taking them down to a residue of 12 to 15cm. Use rotational grazing so plants can recover, and do not overgraze over summer. New stands should be left 8 to 10 months, or until they go reproductive, before the first grazing.
Can I grow a summer perennial pasture in the 300mm rainfall zone?
Yes, Finecut Rhodes Grass is suited to areas with 300mm or more of rain and is summer active wherever soil moisture is available. It performs on loamy sands through to loams with pH 5 or higher. We suggest sowing in early spring as soils warm, at 4 to 8 kg/ha, so plants can establish before the dry.
Should I sow Rhodes grass on its own or mix it with something?
Finecut Rhodes Grass can be sown as a monoculture, but we recommend mixing it with other sub-tropical grasses for better production through the season. Gatton Panic and our other Rhodes grasses are common partners, and Finecut is part of our Northern and Southern Perennial Pasture Mixes. Pure stands make the most sense when your main aim is hay.
How can I add clover to an established tropical grass paddock?
We suggest broadcasting or sowing legumes into your Finecut Rhodes Grass in the first autumn after its first grazing. Then put livestock back in to trample the seed and get good seed-to-soil contact. Keep a rotational grazing system going, grazing from 25 to 30cm down to 12 to 15cm, so the legume has room to establish.
Finecut vs Reclaimer Rhodes grass, what's the difference?
Reclaimer was selected from within Finecut for salt tolerance, so choose Reclaimer for saline country and Finecut for general grazing, hay and silage on non-saline soils. Reclaimer has more stolons and growing points, so it covers ground faster. Finecut has an upright habit and uniform flowering, which suits hay making, and it produced 23% more dry matter than Katambora in trials.
What long term grass can I sow on a lifestyle block for summer grazing and a few bales?
Finecut Rhodes Grass is a good all-rounder for grazing, hay and silage on small blocks. It is palatable and productive, and it is proven across a wide range of WA soils. It needs pH 5 or higher and 300mm or more of rain. Give it 8 to 10 months to establish before grazing, then rotate stock to keep it persistent.
