Introduction

This guide has been produced to help in the selection of suitable pasture varieties when a pasture improvement project is being planned. Each pasture species in the list provides a link to an Agnote, which has information on the following:

• Pasture type and use
• Area of adaptation
• Minimum average annual rainfall
• Advantages
• Disadvantages
• Soil requirements
• Varieties
• Sowing rates
• Sowing time
• Companion species
• Inoculation
• Major nutrient deficiencies
• Main insect pests
• Main diseases
• Management
• Livestock disorders of particular note
• Additional tips
• Further information

Rainfall and weather districts

Selection of pasture species appropriate to a particular area is determined by the minimum average annual rainfall for that area and the weather district surrounding the area. As each district spans many different environments, the suggested varieties are only a guide. Contact your NSW Agriculture agronomist or adviser for advice about the suitability of the listed pasture varieties for your area.

Important: Growing conditions are extremely varied throughout the State-the weather district and average annual rainfall are used only as a guide. Other factors which are often more important include:

• the soil’s capacity to hold moisture
• elevation
• stock management.

Area of adaptation

• A district that includes only a small suitable area for a given variety is not listed in the Agnote as an ‘Area of adaptation’ for that variety.
• ‘Coastal’ refers to the following districts: North Coast (NC), Manning (MAN), Metropolitan (MET), Illawarra (ILL) and South Coast (SC).

Minimum average annual rainfall

The isohyets suitable for a particular pasture variety in the north and south of the State are distinguished as ‘northern NSW’ and ‘southern NSW’ respectively.

Seeds and sowing rates

• Wherever possible, use certified seed. It is guaranteed true to type, and meets strict standards including those for purity and germination rate.
• The sowing rates given are for dryland areas unless otherwise stated.
• The sowing rates cover a wide range of circumstances. Use the lower rates in lower-rainfall situations, and the higher rates for high-rainfall areas or areas under irrigation.
• When sowing mixtures, take care with the high seeding rates. The varieties can be competitive, especially when more than one grass is being sown.

Species and mixtures

• Temperate pasture species produce most feed during winter and spring. They tolerate cold and frost, and are widely adapted.
• Tropical species are most productive during the warmer months. In New South Wales, their profitable use is limited by low effective rainfall in summer, low temperatures, and frost. Tropical pastures are therefore confined to the coastal districts, the northern and central inland areas of the lower slopes and plains, and (with irrigation) the plains of the southern districts.
• A mixture of temperate and tropical varieties suited to the area may improve the overall quality of the mixture, and give a better spread of feed across seasons. For example, tropical grasses on the north-west plains (NWP) are usually grown with barrel medics (temperate); in southern inland irrigated districts, a common mixture is white clover (temperate) and paspalum (tropical).
• If species in a mixture have different optimum sowing times, they are often sown separately. For example, a legume may be sown with a crop one season, and a tropical grass sown the following season. Temperate grasses tend to produce higher quality feed than do tropical grasses, especially where pastures are not well managed.

Other species

For information on pasture herbs, forage and fodder crops, including forage sorghums, millets, chicory, plantain, cowpeas, lablab, chou moellier, rape, and winter cereals, contact your NSW Agriculture agronomist, consultant or commercial representative.

Varieties

The pasture varieties listed are only those that have been approved by the NSW Pasture Variety Committee. Information on varieties that are not listed (e.g. new to the market, undergoing evaluation) can be found in Agnote DPI/204 New pasture grass and legume varieties. This Agnote is updated prior to autumn sowing each year.

Animal health aspects

An increase in the incidence of certain livestock health disorders may be associated with pasture improvement. Livestock and production losses can result from some of these disorders. Management may need to be modified to minimise risk to livestock health. Consult your veterinarian or adviser when planning pasture improvement.

A number of livestock disorders are associated with pasture improvement, and their occurrence is common across many pasture species. These disorders are as follows:

• Enterotoxaemia (pulpy kidney) is a constant risk when ‘improved’ or ‘exotic’ pasture species are grazed, particularly with rotational or cell grazing management systems.
• Sporadic cases of polioencephalomalacia (PE) may occur when livestock are grazed under a rotational or cell grazing management system.
• Hypomagnesaemia (grass tetany) can be a seasonal risk for stock on many grass pastures.
• Significant oxalate, nitrate or cyanogenetic glycoside accumulations may occur in many pasture species in some seasons. Grazing ruminants usually adapt successfully to such feed, provided they are not suddenly placed upon such pastures while in a feed-deprived state.
• Bloat is a constant risk in cattle that are grazing lush pastures consisting of medic (Medicago spp.) or clover (Trifolium spp.).

Livestock health disorders that are of importance in relation to a particular pasture species are listed in the Agnote for that species. Fortunately, appropriate management can reduce the risk associated with most of these problems. Consult your veterinarian or consultant for further advice, especially when planning pasture improvement projects.

Native vegetation

The Native Vegetation Act 2003 may restrict some pasture improvement practices where existing pasture contains native species. Inquire through your office of the Department of Lands (www.lands.nsw.gov.au) for further details.

‘Further information’ sources

All references listed in the Agnotes under ‘Further information’ are NSW DPI publications unless stated otherwise.