ITALIAN RYEGRASS GUIDE. barenbrug.co.uk BARFORAGE FOCUS GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

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1 ITALIAN GUIDE barenbrug.co.uk

2 ITALIAN USING ITALIAN ON FARM In prolonged periods of difficult growing conditions, many livestock farmers turn to Italian ryegrass in spring to produce large quantities of forage to replenish silage stocks and offer quickly available grazing has seen an increased consumption of Italian ryegrass swards both in response to flood damage, a cold spring and a need for short term grasses within arable rotations due to CAP demands and also poorly performing soils. Italian ryegrass, first introduced to the UK in the 1830s, grows down to 3ºC soil temperatures so has the ability to extend the growing season quite dramatically and making it useful particularly to those on light land who can turn out or cut early or those with early lambing flocks. Italian ryegrass is an extremely productive species, and will yield up to 20% more forage than perennial ryegrasses over the 24 month period. When sown in the spring, grass produced is dense and leafy with virtually no seed heads which makes silage making easy, but after a winter, as it will have gone through vernalization, or the acquisition of a plant s ability to flower in the spring by exposure to a prolonged period of cold (4ºC), Italians will attempt to produce seed heads at every opportunity. Utilising Italians To make the most of the extended growing season, farmers should ensure the sward is grazed early before being shut up for silage or take a very early (late April) silage cut to remove the winter growth. This is particularly crucial after a mild winter. Early grazing or an April cut can then be followed by a first main cut five to six weeks later as the crop starts to head in late May, which will provide the best combination of yield and quality. A second cut can potentially be taken five weeks after the first. This often tends to be a week earlier than perennial ryegrass swards so to have all the grass ready at the same time, graze the Italian ryegrass aftermath for a week after cutting to hold back the regrowth. Further cuts can be taken at five weekly intervals, or the sward can be grazed it responds well to hard, tight grazing, otherwise it will go stemmy very quickly. Managing Italians Careful management is criticial to ensuring optimum yield and quality from the Italian ryegrass sward. Monitoring soil fertility is crucial for the maintenance of high yields and good quality. Frequent cutting has the potential to remove a lot of nutrients of the soil that will need to be replaced. Every tonne of DM harvested will remove 7kg of P and 27kg of K that needs to be replaced to maintain optimum production. Italian ryegrass will respond very positively to frequent nitrogen applications. Lax management or late cutting will result in reduced quality and rejection by the grazing animal, so farmers need to judge cutting times by looking at the crop, not the calendar. This is particularly crucial postwinter. Choosing your Italian mixture After deciding Italian ryegrass is a feasible option, make sure mixtures contain varieties which are on local recommended grass and clover lists to ensure the yield, quality and agronomic characteristics such a disease resistance are up to scratch. DAIRY BEEF SHEEP SILAGE

3 ITALIAN ITALIAN VS & WHOLE CROP CEREALS Dry Matter (DM) per hectare in tonnes WHOLE CROP Yield (t DM/ha) ITALIAN Percentage of protein content WHOLE CROP Protein Content ITALIAN Is Italian Ryegrass a safer bet? A comparison of the pros and cons of the three main spring sowing options. ITALIAN For farmers looking to grow large quantities of forage fast, this spring Italian ryegrass offers the best alternative. By growing a grass crop, rather than maize or wholecrop spring cereal you have a fully flexible crop that can be either cut or grazed or a combination of both. Italian ryegrass brings many advantages: Spring It s sown Italian Ryegrass will produce greater yields than maize or wholecrop a very aggressive grass and from sowing to first grazing can be as little as six weeks, with a first cut 12 weeks from sowing Biggest yielding grass available and will outyield conventional perennial leys by more than 20% Germinates and grows at lower soil temperatures than conventional grass seed and can be sown two weeks earlier and will grow at least two weeks later in the autumn Cutting and grazing can be mixed throughout the summer, allowing the crop to be managed to meet needs Established in the same way as other long term leys; there is no specialist equipment required Twoyear, flexible crop which can be cut or grazed and provides excellent winter grazing Lowest cost outlay

4 ITALIAN Good Can be high yielding energy, starch content of 24% but protein content of 8% High reliance on contractors This tropical crop is very weather dependent, with the crop s performance varying dramaticallty year on year Land often out of use for half the year Ground cannot be used for multiple slurry applications Annual crop with one harvest window late in year Highest WHOLE CROPS cost outlay Good energy, starch content of 20% but protein content of 11% Lower yielding than Italian ryegrass and Maize Whole crop seed is in very short supply and expensive Annual, needs to be sown each year High reliance on contractors High agrochemical requirement, weedkillers and fungicides One harvest window High cost outlay Why should I try Italian Ryegrass? Parts of the UK are some of the best areas in Europe for growing grass; there is plenty of moisture and warmth to grow massive crops of grass so why fight the weather? Work with it!

5 OUR TEAM HEAD OF AGRICULTURE James Ingles SCOTLAND Mhairi Dawson NORTHERN IRELAND David Linton NORTH OF ENGLAND Roger Bacon SOUTH & SOUTHWEST ENGLAND Latham Gibbins Barenbrug UK Ltd, 33 Perkins Road, Rougham Industrial Estate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP30 9ND Phone: 44 (0) Barenbrug UK Ltd, Units 57 Abbots Road, Bankside Industrial Estate Falkirk, Scotland FK2 7XP Phone: 44 (0)