As seen in Farm Weekly, 23/01/2025

The summer of 2023-2024 marked the driest season on record in Western Australia.

Poor rainfall in the preceding winter compounded the challenges, leaving many livestock farmers struggling with insufficient feed and, in some cases, limited water supply on their farms.

The soaring prices of hay and straw placed additional financial strain on farmers, while others faced the high cost of bringing in water.

In extreme circumstances, some were forced to destock.

Although the 2024-2025 season started late in some areas, most regions in WA experienced reasonable rains during the winter and spring, offering farmers some much-needed reprieve.

This summer, rainfall in most areas has been average to above average.

Long-term forecasts through April suggest that above-average rainfall is likely, giving farmers in the South Western regions an optimistic outlook for the season.

These conditions provide an excellent opportunity for farmers to invest in their pastures and maximise production during the winter and spring months.

Restocking and pasture investments

Last season, many farmers delayed restocking their livestock, either to allow their pastures to recover or due to financial constraints.

Farmers planning to restock or grow their herds/flocks should consider seeding new and improved pasture varieties to achieve maximum production and support livestock growth.

As the saying goes, "Good seed doesn't cost but pays."

However, high-quality seed is only the first step in the process.

Farmers must also focus on soil health, particularly soil pH, which plays a critical role in plant growth.

Low pH levels can inhibit the uptake of essential nutrients, and legumes in particular are highly sensitive to acidic conditions and may fail to perform.

Farmers are encouraged to conduct soil analyses before the season begins to determine necessary corrective actions and fertiliser requirements, both at planting and during the growing season.

With good initial weed control, effective fertilisation, and proper grazing management, the benefits of improved pastures will soon pay dividends.

Regenerative farming practices

Farmers pursuing regenerative farming practices or transitioning away from chemical fertilisers should pay extra attention to soil pH.

A balanced pH level ensures a conducive environment for both plant growth and microbial activity.

Irwin Hunter & Co. has recently introduced BioNPK Powder S, a broad-spectrum biological product that can be applied as a seed coating or sprayed onto bare soil.

This innovative product contains beneficial microorganisms that convert nutrients (N, P, K) into plant-accessible forms and enhance nutrient uptake.

Additionally, mycorrhizal fungi colonise plant roots to improve nutrient absorption, particularly phosphorus and provide protection against pathogenic microorganisms.

Trichoderma viride fungi further promote plant growth and resilience to stress factors by secreting bioactive compounds.

BioNPK Powder S, which is ECOCERT approved, will be offered as a seed coating on various mixes: Interow, Cover Crop Plus mixes and Nitro Mix, as well as Mix & Match custom mixes.

Irwin Hunter & Co. pasture mixes

Although last season was better for most farmers, the impact of the 2023-2024 drought will have had far-reaching consequences, especially on the diversity of species composition in the pastures.

To restore balance, farmers should consider seeding or over-sowing a portion of their farms with mixes tailored to their environmental conditions and livestock needs.

A diverse mix of grasses and legumes not only balances feed production and quality but also supports soil health and restores pasture diversity.

With the success of the SouWest pasture mix in Western Australia, many offshoot products have entered the market; however, with the unique combination of varieties and species in this mix, SouWest continues to be the leading pasture mix available in WA.

The balanced blend of ryegrasses and clovers, including aerial and Sub clover varieties, delivers high production levels and superior-quality feed.

It is versatile and can be used for silage, hay, grazing, or regenerative purposes if allowed to come to seed.

Maximix is gaining popularity as a cost-effective option that delivers exceptional results.

This mix includes a wide range of tetraploid and diploid ryegrass varieties, along with aerial clovers.

With short and long-season maturities, it ensures high production throughout the growing season.

Farmers seeking pastures for hay or silage production often turn to Silahay or our Western Annual mix.

Both include Abundant and Dargo, two of WA's most productive ryegrasses.

Silahay's inclusion of Balansa and Persian clovers enhances hay quality.

The Self Regeneration mix is ideal for farmers in lower rainfall areas or those seeking easily managed and regenerative pastures.

Featuring Safeguard, early maturing diploid ryegrass resistant to Annual Ryegrass Toxicity (ARGT), this mix also includes sub and aerial clovers.

The range of varieties in this mix ensures protection against false breaks in the season and early finishes to the season.

The Interow mix is designed for farmers who prioritise soil health.

It creates an ideal environment for a balanced ecosystem, encouraging beneficial insects and improving soil conditions.

For the equine industry, Equi1st is WA's top choice.

Horses have unique feed requirements compared to sheep and cattle, needing lower sugars and starches, moderate protein, and high palatability.

This mix of perennials, grasses, and legumes caters to these needs and moisture-dependent, it will provide a year-round pasture.

In addition to our standard mixes, Irwin Hunter & Co. offers the Mix & Match option, where custom mixes can be tailored to the farmers' requirements to suit their farms or individual paddocks.

Winter and Summer Cover Crop Plus Mixes target farmers who aim to improve soil health and meet carbon farming requirements.

Cover crops are critical for farmers pursuing Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) through soil carbon sequestration.

Launched last season, Nitro Mix combines white-seeded Sub clovers, aerial clovers, and serradella, offering adaptability and versatility and can rebuild grass pastures, improve soil health, or serve as a high-protein forage pasture with managed grazing.

All seeds in this mix are bare, non-GMO, and chemical-free, making them suitable for organic farming.

Ryegrasses and other grasses

Annual ryegrasses

Popular annual varieties include Abundant (tetraploid) and Dargo (diploid), both of which consistently perform well in the Forage Value Index in the Pasture Trials Network produced by Dairy Australia.

This year, Irwin Hunter & Co. will release a new tetraploid variety, Evoke.

Evoke has performed exceptionally well in the Forage Value Index.

Being a late-season variety, it has been selected for improved later-season growth.

Evoke combines annual and Italian ryegrass genetics, which gives this variety the ability to establish quickly, produce high-quality winter feed and hold onto quality later in the season.

Other notable tetraploids like Amazon T and Astound offer excellent rust resistance, maintaining productivity into spring.

Diploid options like Safeguard provide ARGT resistance, while Finefeed's high tiller density supports quick recovery after grazing.

Biennial and perennial ryegrasses

For Italian ryegrasses, Irwin Hunter & Co.'s range includes a tetraploid and diploid variety, Amass and Achieve.

These varieties are increasingly popular in WA.

Both varieties are late-season and produce well into the spring, maintaining good quality throughout the season.

Both varieties recover well after heavy grazing.

Perennial ryegrasses such as Dunstan and AusVic are ideal for long-term pastures, providing durability and consistent performance.

As a perfect choice for pastures under irrigation, Irwin Hunter & Co. has a new hybrid ryegrass called Hypa.

Hypa tetraploid hybrid ryegrass, bred out of 25 per cent Italian and 75pc Perennial, has been selected for high dry matter yields over late winter to mid-spring.

Its mid-late maturity makes it a suitable choice for most environments.

Its breeding background makes it more persistent than other hybrid ryegrasses in drier conditions.

Hypa displays excellent rust resistance.

Our Irrigation Mix combines Amass, Achieve, Hypa and white clover, offering farmers excellent production over an extended period.

Other grasses

Grasses like Tall Fescue, Yarck Cocksfoot, and Amplify Phalaris are highly adaptable, tolerating adverse conditions such as drought, waterlogging, and acidic soils.

Mission Veldt is well-suited to sandy soils, while Puccinellia and Tall wheatgrass are excellent for saline soils.

For tropical perennial grasses, Rhodes varieties offer a reliable option for establishing long-term pastures.

Legumes

Aerial clovers and serradellas

In waterlogged areas, varieties like Riverina, Shaftal, Kyambro Persian clovers, and Paradana Balansa perform well.

Strawberry clover offers persistence and mild salinity tolerance.

Casbah Biserrula and Cavalier medic are highly adaptable, withstanding heavy grazing and lower rainfall conditions.

Crimson clover can withstand drought periods, while Berseem, often referred to as an annual lucerne, is suited to heavier soils and reliable rainfall areas and, with its erect growth habit, is ideally suited for hay production.

Aerial clovers like Arrowleaf, Hykon Rose, and the serradellas generally thrive in deep sands and lower pH soils.

Serradella options like Santorini, Serramax, Margurita and Fran2o are productive and resilient, even in harsh growing conditions.

Arrowleaf performs well on higher-quality soils, while Hykon Rose offers broad soil adaptability and moderate hard seeds.

Subterranean clovers

Due to their persistence, subterranean clovers are a valuable self-regenerating annual clover with varieties such as Dalkeith commonly seen in most paddocks.

White Seeded clovers such as Riverina are highly productive and can withstand some degree of waterlogging.

Sub clover varieties such as Izmir and Nungarin are suited to lower rainfall areas, while Seaton Park and Leura thrive in higher rainfall regions.

Alternative forage and cover crops

During cooler months, crops like common vetch, forage peas, cereal rye, and Saia oats establish quickly, offering dense root systems and high biomass.

These are often combined for the benefits of legume and cereal components, as seen in Irwin Hunter & Co's Green Manure Mix.

Other options, such as Tillage Forage Radish and sunflowers, help address soil compaction and nutrient recovery.

Buckwheat, Freyrs Sunn Hemp, and Hobson Forage Brassica are excellent cover crops, providing additional forage benefits when rotationally grazed.

Irwin Hunter & Co. offers WA's most extensive range of pasture seeds and can customise mixes to meet specific requirements.

Contact your local farm supplier or Irwin Hunter & Co for more information regarding the extensive range of pasture seed and mixes.