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
Omaka Forage Barley
Omaka Forage Barley Magnify 
Omaka is a versatile high yielding, high quality grazing /silage barley.
Bred by Crop & Food Research and selected by Kiwi Seed Co., Omaka barley is the first true forage barley cultivar commercialised in New Zealand since cape barley faded from the market some 40 years ago.
Omaka barley is very palatable to all classes of livestock either grazed, baled or from the pit. Marlborough lamb producers have achieved growth rates of 400gm per lamb per day on Omaka barley.
Omaka barley will produce over 100kg DM per ha per day, twice the yield of ryegrass over a similar growth period.
Omaka barley’s nutritive value and digestibility will give the best animal performance among the common cereals, with a relative feed value of 98% that of maize.
Relative Feed Values of Maize, Wheat and Oat Silage
| Crop | Maturity | Relative Value* | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maize | 50% milk line | 100 | |
| Barley | Dough stage | 98 | 92-110 |
| Wheat | Dough stage | 81 | 64-96 |
| Oats | Dough stage | 48 | 46-50 |
| *Values of all silages can vary due to variety or hybrid grown, maturity at harvest and management decisions that influence fermentation, storage and method of feeding. | |||
Omaka Forage Barley Magnify
Omaka barley is best suited to the dryer regions of NZ i.e.: The east coast of both the North and South Islands.
Omaka barley may be autumn sown for winter grazing it will tolerate temperatures of -4 degrees C and provide multi grazing over this period, used this way a total DM return of 25,000 kg per ha may be achieved.
Spring sown Omaka barley will provide DM yields of 10000-14000kg per ha in 85-95 days or up to 130kg DM per ha per day, a light grazing will be beneficial to assist tillering of the crop then taken for balage or silage.
Kiwi Seed can supply Omaka Barley mixed with either Frosty Barley (USA Winter Barley) or an annual ryegrass. This will extend the economic life of the stand and provide more bulk in the spring.
Management Tips
Soil Selection
Forage barley will grow well in most soils, provided it has reasonable fertility and the timing of sowing is suitable for your district and soil type.Soil Preparation
Spray the old pasture with Gly phosphate or surface work the soil before ploughing, cultivate the field to a medium tilth. Ensure all turf is buried and not worked back to the surface as this will retard growth by locking up nitrogen and may encourage root rots.Direct Drilling
Forage barley will establish easily by modern direct seeding systems provided the established procedures are followed.Fertiliser
Use a good NPK fertiliser at 250kg/ha broadcast prior to seeding or apply down the spout when planting. Additional N may be useful when applied at early tillering.Disease and Weed Control for Silage Production
Omaka Forage barley has very good disease resistance to most barley plant diseases but in some instances a fungicide spray will improve the results expected of your silage.
As far as weed infestation is concerned we recommend a pre emergence non hormone herbicide will help improve the quality and yield of your crop.Cutting for Hay, Balage or Silage
Omaka Barley can be cut for hay, balage or silage. a.At the boot stage i.e. when the awes are just emerging from the sheaf, the crop at this stage will be high in protein and low in carbohydrates! From this cut Omaka Barley will grow again for a second cut, subject to ground moisture. b.At the milky dough stage, is the more common time of cutting where the grain has filled and is cheesy. The crop at this stage will be low in protein (10%) and high in carbohydrates. The maximum yield will be achieved with this cut, but the crop will not recover from this cut to be economic again.Moisture Levels for Silage Production
For silage it is essential the material be in a 64-72% moisture range. If the forage is drier than this, it will be difficult to pack tightly and excessive heating and nutrient loss will occur. Check moisture levels carefully. Allowing cereal grain silage to get too dry is the most common and most costly management mistake.
Barley growing near Murchison 2004 Magnify
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For friendly advice and service call the grain and seed specialists Kiwi Seed Co (Marlborough) Ltd.