Reseeding has many advantages and should be considered as a long-term investment, according to Maeve Regan, head of Ruminant Nutrition with Agritech Ireland.
“Farmers should aim to reseed approximately 10% of their grazing platform annually, resulting in a completely renewed platform every 10 years,” she said.
Current grassland management figures highlight that every extra tonne of grass utilised is worth an additional €173 to the farm.
“Grass utilisation hinges around grassland management practices and soil fertility,” Maeve added.
“At the root of this needs to be a pasture that is palatable, has the ability to grow sufficient levels of grass, especially in the vital periods of the year, and is accommodating to the establishment of clover.”
Selecting a grass seed mixture
Grass seed costs typically account for 20% of the total reseeding spend. Nevertheless, it is vitally important to assess what mixture will suit the desired system best, as these grasses will be in situ for the next 8-10 years.
“First things first, the least performing paddocks need to be identified,” Maeve said.
“Take into consideration poor total annual yields, poor response to applied fertiliser, slow recovery post-grazing, high weed burden, low perennial ryegrass % and low or no clover establishment.
“Once poor-performing paddocks are identified, the next step is to choose a grass seed mixture which will best suit the desired system. Whether that is for grazing, silage, zero-grazing, one-cut and graze.
“When it comes to selecting the correct grass seed mixture, only varieties on the Irish Grass and Clover Recommended List should be considered,” advised Maeve.
“Choosing a mixture with varieties from the Irish Grass and Clover Recommended List gives farmers the confidence that they are selecting a mixture that has been tried and tested, with proven performance in Irish growing conditions,” she added.
Diploids vs. tetraploids
Questions regarding diploids versus tetraploids, and what the best ratio of inclusion is for grazing are often asked.
In the past, it was thought that diploids were a requirement for heavy ground as they were more tolerant against poaching.
However, research shows that persistency on wet farms between diploids and tetraploids is insignificant, with grazing management carrying much more weight in this area.
“Tetraploid-dominant mixtures should be considered in all systems, as tetraploids typically perform better for grazing utilisation and offer faster recovery post-grazing or cutting,” said Maeve.
“Ground cover is often also thought to be poorer in tetraploid dominant mixes, however with the inclusion of new varieties such as Nashota, this allows for high percentages of tetraploids to be used without having to compromise on ground cover.”
“The number of varieties sown in a mixture should be limited to three to four perennials. Sowing a mixture with more varieties than this can dilute certain desired performance characteristics,” she added.
Desired characteristics
When it comes to desired characteristics, a grass seed mixture should contain varieties that offer a blend of key traits, according to Maeve.
“Key traits that all farms require should centre around spring growth, grazing utilisation and total yield,” she said.
“Grass availability during the shoulder seasons of the year (spring and autumn) is vitally important, with spring carrying the highest weight.”
According to Teagasc, spring grass has a value of €0.17c/kg dry matter (DM), relative to summer grass valued at €0.04 and autumn grass valued at €0.11/kg DM.
Maeve explains that grazing utilisation is vitally important, and is a key factor to consider when choosing a grass seed mixture.
“As part of the Pasture Profit Index (PPI), grazing utilisation is given in a star-rating scale 1-5 and should be part of every farmer’s decision making when choosing a grass seed mixture,” added Maeve.
“The winning and losing of every reseed will be how satisfied the herd are when grazing it.”
Agritech’s grass mixtures 2023
Agritech’s grass seed mixtures for 2023 include leading varieties Nashota, Aberplentiful, AberClyde and Callan.
AberClyde is the number-one listed variety on the PPI for a consecutive fourth year. An intermediate tetraploid that is suitable for both silage and grazing mixtures.
Nashota is a unique and exciting variety that has ground cover scores on par with top diploids, while also having the desired characteristics of a tetraploid – this year a five-star variety for grazing utilisation.
Aberplentfiul is a highly rated variety, ranking as the number-one late tetraploid for spring growth and total overall annual yield.
Callan is the number-one diploid for grazing utilisation and is very highly rated for spring growth.
All of Agritech’s grass seed mixtures are treated with a unique biological seed stimulant, GroQuik.
GroQuik has been proven to enhance seedling establishment and accelerate germination and root development in both grasses and clover.
In recent commerical field trials, GroQuik dressed grass seed mixtures was proven to increase plant emergence by 14.8%, leading to 8.3% more grass availability in the first grazing and 5.4% more available grass in the first season of ley establishment.
For more information on Agritech’s grass seed mixtures or for reseeding advice, contact your local sales advisor, or click here.
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