Recent rainfalls in many parts of the country and some moisture in the soil has opened the opportunity for livestock farmers to sow a forage crop that could help ease the pressure on feed supplies this autumn.
Limagrain UK has designed a grass seed mixture – Emergency Forage – that can provide a forage crop, for cutting or grazing, within eight weeks. It will then provide a full season of quality grass growth, starting with an early first cut silage crop, subsequent silage cuts and grazing aftermath.
“Livestock producers have already started feeding forage stocks and grass growth is still limited,” says Limagrain’s grass seed manager Ian Misselbrook. “It’s worth taking advantage of an additional forage opportunity now to ease the pressure later on.”
Emergency Forage has a high proportion of the fast-growing Westerwolds ryegrass that can provide a crop this autumn and use the flush of grass later in the season.
“We’ve also included two Italian Ryegrasses; both of which are winter hardy and are capable of getting off to an early start in the spring. Producers will get a first cut of silage ahead of many other grass leys. We’ve also used tetraploid varieties in the new mixtrure – Udine Italian Ryegrass and Peleton Westerwolds – to boost overall yields and feed value.”
The new Emergency Forage grass seed mixture is available in 25kg bags from seed merchants. Contact Limagrain for your nearest stockist: 01472 370197.
