Kiwi Seed Co (Marlborough) Ltd
527 Old Renwick Road
Blenheim 7272
Marlborough, New Zealand
Phone +64 3 578 0468
Fax +64 3 578 0806
e-mail info@KiwiSeed.co.nz
Marlborough owned and Marlborough operated
Non-Ryegrass Pastures
The Future of Pastoral Farming in New Zealand
David Musgrave, agronomist, practical farmer from Geraldine is our inspiration and adviser for the establishment and maintenance of Non-Ryegrass pastures. David comments: .
As with ryegrass the success or otherwise of Non-Ryegrass species hinges on selecting the correct variety to match your requirements and when you need it most.
Selection of any grass and legume pasture should be based on your calving or lambing date and summer rainfall expectations. For example, Marlborough can quite often be in a moisture deficit by mid October, tradionally farmers lamb early June/July, start drafting in October and finish the tail end lambs on rape, with all lambs drafted prior to Christmas.
In this situation, early flowering grasses and clovers would be the key to increased productivity, better lamb weights and better returns.
Don’t be landed with any old pasture seed mix, buy one that works for you.
Non-Ryegrass flowering vs Lamb production study Magnify 
Non-Ryegrass Pasture at 3 month
Sown 12th April 2008 - Photo 22nd July 2008 Magnify
Sown 12th April 2008 - Photo 22nd July 2008 Magnify
Kiwi Seed Co (Marlborough) Limited specialise in Non-Ryegrass pasture mixes to suit most situations with emphasis on early growth species.
Our seed mixes typically contain 10 species of grass, legumes and herbs, all to complement each other and provide quality grazing over a longer period than simply ryegrass/white clover pastures. Grasses included are tall fescues, cocksfoot, brome grass, phalaris and timothy, all deep rooting true perennial species.
Legumes include white clover, gland clover, red clover, sub clover and lucerne, and herbs are chicory and plantain.
Non-Ryegrass pastures
- are less prone to insect attack, grass staggers and animal health problems than ryegrass based pastures.
- contain a greater level of minerals than shallow rooted ryegrass/white clover mixes
- are true perennial pastures
- early flowering species must be planted in the autumn(1st March - 30th April),experience has proved this time and again.
 Non-Ryegrass Pasture Sown 15th March 2007 - Photo Spring 2008 Magnify | Note the level of Legume in the pasture. Legumes co-exist with Non-Ryegrass species far better than ryegrass |
David Musgrave has prepared a paper on his assessment of the performance of Non-Ryegrass pasture mixtures (Copies available on request from Kiwi Seed). He concluded in his report "We have used mixed species extensively on farms on the summer dry East Coast areas, with useful increases in productivity and profitability. Similar reports have been published from many areas of New Zealand. By addressing many of the inherent limitations of ryegrass based pastures, Non-Ryegrass mixed pastures are able to have considerable impact on the health and productivity of a wide diversity of farming systems throughout the entire country, thus contributing to the overall sustainability of these pastoral systems".
 Non-Ryegrass Pasture - Photo Winter 2006 Magnify | Non rye-grass pasture Mt Adde Marlborough Winter 2006 This pasture was sown Autumn 2003 |
 Non-Ryegrass Pasture - Photo Summer 2006 Magnify | Non Rye-Grass pasture looking into the sward December 2006 |
Non-Ryegrass pasture profile December 2007 Note Tonic Plantain and Runner II Lucerne activity. |
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For friendly advice and service call the grain and seed specialists Kiwi Seed Co (Marlborough) Ltd.