Will’s property is predominantly on light sandy loam soils and only receives 350mm annually. In 2015, Will was looking for a pasture which would improve their pasture biomass in paddocks and persist in the harsh Hillston environment. With the assistance of Frank McRae, our AusWest Seeds Product Development manager, Will decided Uplands cocksfoot mixed with medics, clovers and lucerne would be a good fit. Will was happy to discover the pasture mix “works really well in providing year-round, high quality feed for our livestock”. The clovers and medics feed the Uplands cocksfoot in the winter providing bulk winter feed while the lucerne carries the stock over summer. This is a perfect example of how summer dormant perennial grasses can be used in a low rainfall pasture system, as up until cocksfoot was included in his pasture mix, he could not find a perennial grass which could persist and perform in his region and soil type.
References:
Norton, M. (2011). Summer dormancy in temperate forage plants .
Norton, M., Volaire, F., & Lelievre, F. (2006). Summer dormancy in Festuca arundinacea Schreb.; the influence of season of sowing and a simulated mid-summer storm on two contrasting cultivars. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 57, 1267-1277.