LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics

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LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
LUCERNE Advisor
         2018
–   LU C E R N E fo r t h e Au s t ral i an far m er   –

                 pasturegenetics.com
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
rob says

                                                                            Our lucerne range is not only
                                                                            having great success in Australia
                                                                            but is also in high demand
                                                                            throughout our international
                                                                            markets. We are proud that
                                                                            our Australian bred material is
                                                                            recognised around the world.
                                                                            Australia has a lucrative lucerne
                                                                            seed production industry, with
                                                                            many internationally bred and
                                                                            imported varieties being produced
                                                                            for seed in Australia for export
                                                                            back to those markets.

                                                                            Some of these internationally
                                                                            developed varieties are beginning
                                                                            to be sold here in Australia.
                                                                            These varieties have not been
                                                                            bred for our adverse local
                                                                            conditions, and farmers are being
                                                                            disappointed with the inferior

                                       rob
                                                                            performance of these varieties.

                                                                            When you purchase a Pasture
                                                                            Genetics variety, you can be
                                                                            assured that the variety is bred in

                                      says
                                                                            Australia, to handle our specific
                                                                            farming systems, within our local
                                                                            environmental conditions. Please
                                                                            be mindful when looking into
                                                                            purchasing a new lucerne variety,
                                                                            that you enquire as to the origin
                                                                            of the variety, and don’t settle for
If you are serious                                                          imported “look-alikes”.
about achieving                       These impressive attributes
                                                                            Our entire range of premium
                                       are driving the increase
high levels of animal                    of lucerne plantings
                                                                            proprietary lucerne comes
                                                                            standard with the Goldstrike
production, lucerne                         Australia-wide.                 LongLife® XLR8™ seed treatment,
is one of the most                                                          read more about the benefits of
                                                                            this on page 2.
potent options to                     Pasture Genetics Lucerne
power your pastures.                  Advisor 2018 guides you, step-
                                                                            We are also so confident in the
                                                                            ability of our lucerne to establish,
                                      by-step, through establishment
                                                                            that we offer our Establishment
                                      and management practices. From
                                                                            Guarantee™ programme*, which
                                      preparation, to varietal selection,
                                                                            guarantees that we will replace
                                      and successful establishment,         seed at half the original purchase
      Lucerne, the “King of
                                      this is your “go-to” reference.       price if it fails to establish
    Fodder”, is a deep-rooted,
      temperate, perennial            We maintain a wide selection          satisfactorily*.
     pasture legume which is          of cultivars ensuring producers
      well adapted to mixed           select the right variety for
        farming systems.                                                     On a final note, Pasture
                                      their requirement, without
                                                                             Genetics is a 100 percent
                                      compromise.
                                                                             Australian OWNED family
                                      Our lucerne breeding programme          business, committed to
Ideal as a pasture, or cutting        is the only in Australia that           research, select, breed,
for silage, hay or chaff, an          covers lucerne dormancy from             market and distribute
established lucerne stand             winter dormant varieties rating           the most innovative
provides an alternative source        3, through to highly winter active       and exciting lucerne
of forage for animal production,      varieties rating 10.                       seed technology.
especially outside the growing
season of annual crops and            The release of a new variety
pastures.                             does not happen overnight.            Planting Pasture Genetics lucerne
                                      Our latest release, GTL®60            is a direct investment in the
It is extremely versatile and         Lucerne is the result of 12 years     continuation of Australia’s largest
can be sown alone, in mixed           selection, breeding and trialling,    and most successful lucerne
pastures or sown with crops, and      to ensure that we only release        breeding programme, focused
once established is often more        the very best, well-adapted           specifically on breeding lucerne
productive than many annuals.         lucerne to the Australian market.     for Australian farmers.

With its deep root system, it         The uptake and success of             Your specific choice of cultivar
has an uncanny ability to deal        GTL®60 Lucerne has been               is determined by your climate
with most types of plant stress       rapid and widespread, from            and soil type. Please consult
including drought conditions          Tasmania in the south, to Central     your local agronomist or Pasture
yet has a large capacity for          Queensland in the north. It’s by      Genetics Territory Manager to
production under irrigation           far our most grazing tolerant         identify the most suitable variety
and in favourable seasons.            lucerne variety, able to take a       for your requirements.
                                      pounding in the paddock, while
These features mean lucerne is        still being versatile enough to
relatively independent of the         fill a high quality bale. GTL®60                                             ON THE COVER:
main rainfall season and that it      Lucerne retains leaf through                                                 RESEARCH & TECHNICAL
will thrive in the northern as well   the drying and baling process,                                               SERVICES MANAGER,
                                                                            Robert Damin
                                                                                                                   TOM DAMIN WITH TERRITORY
as southern regions of Australia if   offering greater flexibility to hay   Managing Director                      MANAGER, REHN FREEBAIRN
other conditions are satisfactory.    producers and graziers alike.         Pasture Genetics                       IN GTL®60 LUCERNE.
                                                                                                                                       8
                                                                                                                                    XLR

1    |                                                                                                                                8
                                                                                                                           8       XLR
                                                                                                          TM

                                                                                                       LIFE
                                                                                                LONG                    XLR

                                                                                                                          8
                                                                                                                       XLR
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
glossary

                                            At Pasture Genetics we are so confident in our seed genetics and the quality of our proprietary products, we will
                                            replace seed at half the original purchase price if it fails to establish satisfactorily*.
                                            Unfortunately establishment failures can occur, Pasture Genetics’ Establishment Guarantee™ programme* is available
                      ESTABLISHMENT         for the vital 30 day period after planting, and provides growers with substantial savings should they need to replant
E=                                          their paddocks. Pasture Genetics is the only forage company in Australia to offer Establishment Guarantee™.
                      GUARANTEE™
                                            Plant with peace of mind and the support of Pasture Genetics.
                                            Register at www.pasturegenetics.com within 30 days of planting to be participate in the programme.
                                            *Terms & Conditions apply.

                                            XtraLeaf® forage cereals are purpose bred, premium species for forage production and optimum forage quality.
L=                    xtraLeaf®
                                            XtraLeaf® assists you in filling the winter feed gap.

                                            AR1 is a novel endophyte producing Peramine. AR1 is safe for livestock, whilst offering some protection against
AR1 =                 AR1                   insect attack. AR1 does not produce Ergovaline or Lolitrem B, found in standard endophyte options, which can be
                                            harmful to livestock.

                                            Protek™ is a novel endophyte that produces lolines for above and below the ground insect protection, in particular,
                                            against African Black Beetle. Protek™ improves pasture performance by increasing resistance to insect damage,
P=                    Protek™
                                            therefore reducing stand thinning, as well as assisting tall fescue to persist through environmental stresses. Protek™
                                            is only available for tall fescue. Protek™ is safe for use with cattle and sheep, but is not suitable for horses.

                                            Edge is a novel endophyte producing Peramine, it is safe for livestock and offers protection against insects such as
                                            Argentine Stem Weevil, African Black Beetle, Root Aphid and Pasture Mealybug.
D=                    Edge                  Edge does not cause ryegrass staggers or heat stress. Edge is easy to use, request Edge when ordering your seed
                                            and let it do the work. You will enjoy the improved persistence of the pasture, and your animals will enjoy the
                                            palatability. Edge is safe for use with cattle and sheep, but is not suitable for horses.

                                            Happe is the benchmark pasture endophyte. Happe was originally discovered in meadow fescue and has since
                                            been naturally transferred into a range of other grass species. Happe produces protection against insects above
                                            and below the ground, lolines that offer completely safe grazing for livestock, improved livestock acceptance, and
H=                    Happe
                                            increased grass performance. Happe is easy to use, request Happe when ordering your seed and let it do the work.
                                            You will enjoy the improved persistence of the pasture, and your animals will enjoy the palatability. Happe is safe for
                                            use with cattle and sheep, but is not suitable for horses.

                                            Goldstrike® includes rhizobia inoculation, micronutrient package and Apron® XL fungicide (where available on label).
G=                    Goldstrike            Goldstrike® is comprised of the highest quality seed and coating technology, and is the best establishment package
                                            for pasture legumes.

                                            Goldstrike LongLife® includes rhizobia inoculation, micronutrient package and Apron® XL fungicide (where available
                                            on label). Goldstrike LongLife® is comprised of the highest quality seed and coating technology, and is the best
                      GolDstrike
GL =                                        establishment package for pasture legumes. Goldstrike LongLife® offers extended rhizobia storage life on a range of
                      LongLife®
                                            species. Goldstrike LongLife® can provide up to six months storage life on medic and sub clover, and up to 12 months
                                            storage life on lucerne.

                                            Goldstrike LongLife® XLR8™ includes rhizobia inoculation, micronutrient package and Apron® XL fungicide (where
                                            available on label). Goldstrike LongLife® XLR8™ is comprised of the highest quality seed and coating technology, and
                                            is the best establishment package for pasture legumes. Goldstrike LongLife® XLR8™ offers extended rhizobia storage
                                            life on a range of species. Goldstrike LongLife® XLR8™ can provide up to six months storage life on medic and sub
                      Goldstrike
                                            clover, and up to 12 months storage life on lucerne. Goldstrike LongLife® XLR8™ is also treated with Poncho® Plus
GLX =                 LongLife®
                                            insecticide. Poncho® Plus is an innovative insecticidal seed treatment that has registration across a range of pasture
                      XLR8™
                                            species and forage crops. Poncho® Plus combines two robust compounds, imidacloprid and clothiandin, which
                                            increase the insect control spectrum above other seed treatment options. Poncho® Plus provides protection during
                                            establishment against a range of pests including Redlegged Earth Mite, Cutworm and Lucerne Flea. Poncho® Plus
                                            also offers added establishment vigour in the early growth stage of the plant.

                                            Goldstrike XLR8™ includes rhizobia inoculation, micronutrient package and Apron® XL fungicide (where available
                                            on label). Goldstrike XLR8™ is comprised of the highest quality seed and coating technology, and is the best
                                            establishment package for pasture legumes. Goldstrike XLR8™ is also treated with Poncho® Plus insecticide. Poncho®
                      Goldstrike            Plus is an innovative insecticidal seed treatment that has registration across a range of pasture species and forage
GX =
                      XLR8®                 crops. Poncho® Plus combines two robust compounds, imidacloprid and clothiandin, which increase the insect
                                            control spectrum above other seed treatment options. Poncho® Plus provides protection during establishment
                                            against a range of pests including Redlegged Earth Mite, Cutworm and Lucerne Flea. Poncho® Plus also offers added
                                            establishment vigour in the early growth stage of the plant.

                                            XLR8™ treatment is a film coat application of Poncho® Plus insecticide. Poncho® Plus is an innovative insecticidal
                                            seed treatment that has registration across a range of pasture species and forage crops. Poncho® Plus combines
                8                           two robust compounds, imidacloprid and clothiandin, which increase the insect control spectrum above other
X=           XLR      XLR8™
                                            seed treatment options. Poncho® Plus provides protection during establishment against a range of pests including
                                            Redlegged Earth Mite, Cutworm and Lucerne Flea. Poncho® Plus also offers added establishment vigour in the early
                                            growth stage of the plant.

                                            A film coat of Gaucho® insecticide. Gaucho® provides protection during establishment against a range of pests
GA =                  Gaucho®               including Redlegged Earth Mite and Aphid, which can reduce the transmission of diseases such as Barley Yellow
                                            Dwarf in oats. Gaucho® also offers added establishment vigour in the early growth stage of the plant.

                                            SOWsmart® blends are Pasture Genetics’ ready-to-sow proven pasture blends. They are the product of our ongoing
                                            research and development, specifically our Forage Crop Programme.
                                            SOWsmart® aims to fulfil the requirements of farming, providing agronomically accurate blends for high production
                      sowsmart®
                                            pastures based within environmental and managerial constraints. The SOWsmart® range of blends offer weed
                                            control, high dry matter production, nitrogen fixation, and good seed regeneration. It is important to select the most
                                            suitable blend for your operation.

                                            Low Bloat™ species or blends have properties that aid the reduction of bloat issues in livestock.
                                            It is recommended that you plant Low Bloat™ species or blends alongside the pasture legumes that are commonly
                      low bloat™
                                            known to have a higher risk of causing stock health issues. Choosing a Low Bloat™ option offers you better
                                            management options for maintaining high levels of stock health and productivity as a producer.

                                            Super N Fixer™ species or blends are high performance pasture legumes, that offer elevated levels of nitrogen
                                            fixation. Increased nitrogen fixation can be highly beneficial to the following crop or pasture rotation.
                      super n
                                            Increased planting rates of blends creates very dense coverage and allows for higher dry matter production,
                      fixer™
                                            equating to a potential increase in nitrogen fixation. Super N Fixer™ is one of the most economical options to get
                                            more productivity out of your paddock in successive years after the legume crop has been utilised.

*Observe withholding periods when utilising Poncho® Plus or Gaucho® products.

                                                                                                   • pasturegenetics.com          LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 2
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
best management practices

                                          –       B E ST M A N AG E M E N T P R AC TI C E S                                                    –

1. Paddock                             pink cutworm. Look for adequate
                                                                                                                     Seed Depth & Lucerne Emergence
                                        soil moisture to 20 centimetres at
    selection &                         time of sowing.                                         Depth (cm)                                               Percentage Emergence
    preparation
                                           Pre-irrigation (where possible)                                                                     Sand                      Loam                        Clay
    Lucerne can be grown on a range     and sowing into moisture is best                        1.25cm (0.5 inches)                                71                        59                       53
of soils from deep sands to heavy       practice for lucerne establishment.
clays. For best yield and persistence                                                           2.50cm (1.0 inches)                              73                          55                       48
select paddocks with:                   3. Fertiliser                                           3.75cm (1.5 inches)                              55                          31                       28
• Optimal range soil                                                                            5.0cm (2.0 inches)                              40                           16                        13
    pH(CaCl2) 5.0 - 7.5                    Phosphorus is vital for early
                                        seedling growth and strong
• Good natural slopes (for good                                                                                       Seeding rates (kg/ha) & TIMING
                                        root development for better
    drainage within the paddock)
                                        plant survival. Sow lucerne with                                                                           Good
• Adequate fertility (nutrient                                                                                           Marginal                                      Irrigation
                                        a minimum of 15 - 20 units per                          Variety
                                                                                                                         dryland
                                                                                                                                                 dryland &
                                                                                                                                                                         & coast
                                                                                                                                                                                                 Seeding Time
    levels)                                                                                                                                     Tablelands
                                        hectare (dryland) and 20 - 40 units
    A surface and subsoil soil test     per hectare (irrigation). Banding                       ML99 MultiLeaf , ®
                                                                                                                                                                                                   Autumn,
is recommended to determine             fertiliser two to three centimetres                     L92, L91, Q75, L71,                   2-4               4-8                  10 - 20
                                                                                                                                                                                                 winter, spring
the suitability for lucerne. Soil                                                               L70, GTL®60
                                        below the seed is best. Molybdenum
acidity affects every stage of          added to the fertiliser ensures good                                                                                                                       Autumn,
                                                                                                L56                                   1-3               4-6                  10 - 20
lucerne production from seedling                                                                                                                                                                    spring
                                        nodulation for greater nitrogen
establishment to stand survival.        fixation by the lucerne. Lookout                                                                                                                         Early autumn,
                                                                                                Q31                                   1-3               4-6                  10 - 20
Incorporate lime three to six                                                                                                                                                                        spring
                                        for adequate levels of sulphur,
months before sowing where topsoil      potassium, boron and zinc.
pH(CaCl2) is below 5.0. Avoid soils                                                              Guide to Seeding Rates of Cover Crops & Companion Species
                                                                  pH
with acid subsoils or high levels of    4.0     5.0       6.0          7.0         8.0    9.0                Cover Crops                                              Companion Species
subsoil exchangeable aluminium                                         NITROGEN
(above five percent). Apply gypsum                                  PHOSPHORUS                  Barley                                20 - 30kg/ha       Sub clover & medics                      2 - 3kg/ha
                                                                       POTASSIUM
to sodic soils (exchangeable                                            SULPHUR                 Lupins                                40 - 50kg/ha       Phalaris                                   1kg/ha
sodium levels above six percent)                                        CALCIUM
                                                                       MAGNESIUM                Oats                                  25 - 35kg/ha       Cocksfoot                                1 - 3kg/ha
to overcome surface crusting                            IRON
problems.                                             MANGANESE
                                                                                                Wheat                                 30 - 45kg/ha       Fescue                                   2 - 3kg/ha
                                                       BORON
    Gypsum needs to be applied                    COPPER AND ZINC
several months before sowing. Use                                            MOLYBDENUM                          Optimum plant populations per m2
deep ripping to break hard layers in    Available nutrients in relation to pH.                   Established plants per square metre (minimum density highlighted)
the subsoil and to increase gypsum
penetration to depth. Plan for weed     Topdress with P & K                                                                                                          Cover crops or                    Sown
                                                                                                                     Situation
                                                                                                                                                                     pasture mixes                     alone
control prior to and during the            After the seeding year, annual
cropping phase to reduce the density                                                            Marginal dryland (
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
best management practices

                                                –     B E ST M A N AG E M E N T P R AC TI C E S                        –

   Plant lucerne paddocks first            lambing gives better utilisation of       Sub-Surface drip irrigation              10. Haymaking
in your cropping programme. If             lucerne in pastures.
                                                                                        Low volume emitters, moulded             Before adopting a haymaking
stand density is patchy and below             Maintain flexibility with stocking     onto the internal wall of a              enterprise, organise a market in
10 plants (dryland) or 40 plants           rates and grazing management.             polyethylene tube and buried 200         advance and consistently meet
(irrigation), consider stand removal       Conserve excess feed as hay or            millimetres to 300 millimetres           market requirements. Generally,
and re-seeding.                            silage to fill feed gaps or provide       below the soil surface, is recognised    aim for high quality as well as
   Lucerne is suited to under-             additional income. Rotational             as the most efficient means of           high yields to optimise animal
sowing with winter crops or direct         grazing with all varieties during         irrigating lucerne (95 percent           performance and long-term
drilling into crop stubble after the       summer and autumn will maintain           WUE) and is becoming increasingly        profitability.
grain harvest. Seeding rate of the         production and persistence at             popular as water availability               Mechanical field losses during
cover crop should be reduced by 50         a high level.                             declines and the cost of water           haymaking can be large (20 - 40
percent and sown in skip (alternate)          Avoid grazing waterlogged              increases.                               percent). Aim to mow early in the
rows. A cover crop can help                paddocks because soil compaction             These sub-surface drip irrigation     day and minimise handling during
defray the costs of establishment          and trampling will reduce yield           laterals are spaced across the           the curing process.
and reduce soil erosion or wind            and lead to poor persistence. Set         paddock at distances from 0.3 to 0.8
sandblasting of lucerne seedlings          stocking during spring in good years      metres apart, depending on soil and      11. C
                                                                                                                                   haff varietal
on sand hills and sandy flats.             will not harm the stand and may           crop requirements. As the water              selection
                                           reduce the risk of bloat in cattle.       (and fertiliser) is delivered right to
6. E
    arly                                  To optimise stand longevity, allow                                                     The traditional chaff market
                                                                                     the root-zone (where it is needed)
                                           lucerne to reach mid-flowering                                                     has been based around the horse
   Management                                                                        in measurable and adjustable
                                                                                                                              feed industry. Lucerne has been
                                           once during the year.                     quantities it not only saves water
   Seed treatment or bare earth                                                                                               a sought after product to meet
                                              Too frequent cutting or set            but has a positive effect on plant
emergence spray for Redlegged                                                                                                 the market requirements. When
                                           stocking for extended periods             productivity, longevity and health.
Earth Mites will pay dividends in                                                                                             selecting a lucerne variety to target
                                           reduces overall yields, reduces vigour,      As opposed to flood and spray
the long run. Monitor seedlings                                                                                               chaff quality we look for material
                                           which allows weed invasion and            irrigation, excess water does not        that has a high leaf to stem ratio.
carefully for aphids and use aphid         ultimately results in death of plants.    collect on the surface and hence         It is important to maximize the
resistant varieties. Graze leniently
                                                                                     growers can manage their cutting         softness of the leaf but still maintain
the first time when the young stand
is at least 20 centimetres high and
                                           8. Irrigation                             times more effectively, there is less    the functional fibre. There are
                                                                                     weed growth and no compaction is         four Pasture Genetics’ lucerne
well anchored. Lucerne established            For high production of lucerne,
                                                                                     caused by harvesting equipment.          varieties that can be utilised,
under cover crops should be allowed        irrigation management should
                                                                                                                              ML99 MultiLeaf ® Lucerne and
to flower before first cut or grazing.     aim to avoid any moisture stress.            Sub-surface drip irrigation also
                                                                                                                              Q75 Lucerne - winter active lines,
                                           When water is in short supply, it is      requires very little labour to operate
                                                                                                                              or L56 Lucerne and Q31 Lucerne
                                           possible to extend the irrigation         and maintain.
7. Grazing                                                                                                                   - semi-winter dormant lines. The
                                           interval more than shallow rooted
    Management                                                                                                                management of each line is very
                                           pasture to maintain lower levels of       9. Livestock Health                      important to achieve the desirable
   Rotational grazing is the               production.                                                                        quality. With highly winter active
                                                                                        Cattle grazing lucerne pastures
preferred management system for               Irrigation layout and practice                                                  lines it is important to cut in the
                                                                                     during the bloat season (winter
lucerne. Grazing periods should be         should ensure water penetrates                                                     earlier stage of maturity to maintain
                                                                                     and spring) are susceptible to bloat.
no longer than two weeks, followed         at least 80 to 100 centimetres                                                     maximum leaf compared to stem.
                                                                                     Frequent observation of stock on
by a three to six week rest period.        and permit drainage within eight                                                   The window of opportunity with
                                                                                     lucerne is essential. To manage
This practice allows the plants to         hours to minimise waterlogging.                                                    varieties such as L56 Lucerne and
                                                                                     bloat use high stocking rates and        Q31 Lucerne is quite wide due to
re-grow and replenish root reserves.       Do not irrigate immediately after         avoid placing hungry stock on            the higher leaf trait of these lines.
   Larger mobs that fit the grazing        hay is harvested to reduce the risk       immature lucerne.
unit (paddock size) allow quicker                                                                                             This in turn allows for high quality
                                           of scalding, particularly during
                                                                                        Allowing stock access to grass,       across a high percentage of cuts.
grazing. Alternatively, the use            summer. Time the final irrigation to
                                                                                     stubble or hay while they are
of high stocking rates is greatly          allow adequate dry-down of the soil
                                                                                     grazing lucerne and the use of           12. Nutrient
assisted with strip grazing and            surface to prevent soil compaction
                                                                                     bloat oil and/or rumen capsules will
electric fencing. Changing to August       by harvesting machinery.                                                           Removal
                                                                                     effectively reduce the incidence of
                                                                                     bloat. Vaccinate stock with “5 in 1”        To maintain the health of lucerne
                      Measuring Forage Quality                                       to prevent pulpy kidney, which is        stands replace soil nutrients
                 Weight gain effect based on feed quality                            sometimes confused with bloat. Red       removed in hay. Soil and leaf tissue
                    (180 to 275 KILOGRAM steer calves)                               gut can affect sheep and lambs that      tests annually in early spring
                       Pre-bud           Bud            Early           Full         are grazing pure stands of lucerne       help ensure other nutrients are
                                                                                     during similar weather conditions,       adequate.
 CP                      23              20               17                14
                                                                                     which can result in bloat. At the
 ADF                      21             26              34                 43
                                                                                     first sign of red gut (sudden death)     13. Re-sowing &
 DDM                     73              69              62                 55       affected flocks should be removed             Crop Rotation
 Intake                  3.5              3              2.5                2        immediately. Manage red gut the
                                                                                     way you would bloat for cattle.             High producing lucerne will
 Daily Gain (kgs)         1              0.86            0.55           0.36
                                                                                                                              generally require re-sowing after
 kg of feed (gain)       3.2             4.07            5.5            6.75         Bloat Reduction Option                   four to seven years. Winter active
Source: University of Nevada-Reno. All values on a dry-matter basis.                    Pasture Genetics’ SOWsmart®           stands will often decline sooner than
Intake = % of body weight, CP = % Crude Protein, ADF = % Acid Detergent Fibre,
                                                                                     Bloat Fighter Blend has been             winter dormant ones. Thickening up
DDM = % digestible dry matter.                                                                                                an old and thinning lucerne stand
                                                                                     especially designed as a pasture
                                                                                                                              fails more than it succeeds. It is best
                                                                                     blend option to reduce the instance
                               Nutrient Removal                                                                               practice to completely remove old
                                                                                     of bloat on straight lucerne based
                                                                                                                              lucerne plants and allow at least
                                    Amount removed             Seasonally in 15      pastures. This mix has incorporated
           Nutrients
                                     in 1 DM t of hay           DM t/ha of hay                                                three weeks between herbicide
                                                                                     two lucerne companion species,
                                                                                                                              application and re-sowing. There
 Nitrogen (N)                             20 - 30kg                 375kg            Zulumax Arrowleaf Clover and
                                                                                                                              are significant benefits in rotating
 Phosphorus (P)                            2 - 3kg                   37kg            Balance Chicory that have proven
                                                                                                                              lucerne paddocks with winter cereal
                                                                                     anti-bloating properties.
 Potassium (K)                            15 - 20kg                 262kg                                                     or canola crops to control weeds,
 Sulphur (S)                               2 - 4kg                  45kg                                                      use soil nitrogen, break disease
                                                                                                                              and insect cycles, manage in-crop
 Calcium (Ca)                             13 - 17kg                 225kg
                                                                                                                              herbicide resistance as well as
 Magnesium (Mg)                            3 - 4kg                   52kg
                                                                                                                              increase whole farm profits.

                                                                                                    • pasturegenetics.com        LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 4
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
LUCERNE VARIETAL SELECTION

                                     LUCERNE
             –     w i n t er d o r m an t, s e m i - w i n t er d o r m an t & w i n t er ac t i v e                                                      –

LUCERNE Varietal Selection Chart
Selecting the right                           Winter Dormant                           semi-winter Dormant                                  Winter active
variety for your
paddocks
1. What is the purpose for sowing?
   Grazing, hay or dual-purpose?
2. When is the feed required?
   Summer only, autumn and
   summer etc.
3. How long do I want the stand
   to last? Three year rotation,
   permanent pasture etc.

                                                                                                                                  GTL®60, L70, L71, Q75, L91,
Variety                                          Q31 LUCERNE                                 L56 LUCERNE
                                                                                                                                L92, ML99 Multileaf ® LUCERNE
                                          Good. Best sown alone - not           Very good - suitable for cover cropping       Excellent - suitable for cover cropping
Establishment Vigour
                                        recommended for winter sowing          and pasture mixes with perennial grasses      and pasture mixes with annual pastures
Growth                               95 percent summer, five percent winter      90 percent summer, 10 percent winter        80 percent summer, 20 percent winter
Winter-Hardiness                                    Very high                                     High                                        Moderate
                                                                                      Similar regrowth rates to most
                                      Shorter growth. Delayed maturity for
Maturity                                                                             winter actives. Extended cutting             Fast regrowth, early maturity
                                     maximum cutting and grazing flexibility
                                                                                       schedule and grazing period
                                           Below ground and broad -
Crown                                                                          Low and broader - good grazing tolerance High and erect - strict rotational grazing
                                           excellent grazing tolerance
                                                                                                                              Good quality hay and silage if given
Forage Quality                        Premium grade hay, chaff and silage       Very good quality hay, chaff and silage
                                                                                                                                the best cutting management
                                      Irrigation/coastal/cold climates. Best    Dryland and irrigation. Suitable for soils           Dryland and irrigation.
Adaptation
                                         suited to medium and heavy soils       ranging from deep sands to heavy clays             Suitable for most soil types

                                                                     Having a complete range of lucerne
                                                                     varieties for all applications, is the
                                                                      hallmark of the Pasture Genetics
                                                                       lucerne breeding programme.

                                                                                     With combined germplasm from our
                                                                                     long-term local breeding programme
                                                                                     and the New South Wales Department
                                                                                     of Primary Industries, we are continually
                                                                                     developing new and improved varieties
                                                                                     with a strong Australian pedigree –
                                                                                     providing pastures for the Australian farmer.
                                                                                     Variety selection is key, but our options
                                                                                     make your choice easy.

                                                                                     Tom Damin
                                                                                     Research & Technical Services Manager

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LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
LUCERNE feed quality trial 2017

Lucerne Feed                                    Variety                     Dormancy      CP%       ADF%       NDF%       DMD%        ME         RFV
Quality Trial                                   Q31 Lucerne                       3       30.8       21.4       26.2       78.0       11.8      256.5
2017
Penfield Research Station                       SARDI Five                        5       28.7       24.3       28.6       76.9       11.6      227.6

TRIAL SOWN 25/05/2015                           L56 Lucerne                       5       28.4       23.0       28.9       75.3       11.3      228.5

• Three replicates were sown for                SF Force 5                        5       28.3       23.7       29.5       75.6       11.4      222.1
  each variety.
                                                Stamina 5                         5       27.4       24.3       31.3       72.5       10.9      208.0
• All varieties were initially sown
  at 15 kilograms per hectare.                  Stamina GT6                       6       27.0       26.2       30.8       73.0       10.9      206.9

• The trial was irrigated, and treated          GTL®60 Lucerne                    6       28.7       22.2       29.6       75.3       11.3      225.0
  as a high production trial, aiming
                                                Aurora                            6       25.6       25.6       32.5       71.5       10.7      197.4
  for six to seven cuts per year, for
  assessing overall forage yield.               SARDI Grazer                      6       27.5       25.2       30.5       74.5       11.2       211.3

• Forage quality measurements                   Genesis                           7       26.7       21.3       31.1       76.3       11.5      216.3
  were taken throughout spring
                                                SARDI Seven Series 2              7       26.3       24.8       30.8       70.3       10.5      210.2
  and summer, 2016/17. Four quality
  measurements of freshly cut                   Titan 7                           7       26.0       25.6       33.0       71.9       10.8      194.4
  lucerne were taken prior to whole             SF Force 7                        7       28.6       23.0       30.1       75.9       10.4      219.4
  plot forage yield cuts being made.
                                                Haymaster 7                       7       28.3       22.9       29.4       75.2       11.3      224.8
• Each cut was made 28 days
  following the previous cut, all               SF 714QL                          7       26.8       24.5       30.9       73.3       11.0      210.2
  varieties were cut at the same time.
                                                Q75 Lucerne                       7       28.9       23.8       27.3       76.1       11.5      239.7
• The results are average of 12
  samples - four cuts per variety,              L70 Lucerne                       7       27.0       26.1       31.3       71.8       10.7      203.8
  with three replicates of each                 L71 Lucerne                       7       29.8       23.3       28.9       75.9       11.4      227.0
  variety per cut.
                                                Pegasis                           9       25.7       26.8       34.2       69.9       10.4      185.0
Discussion                                      Sequel                            9       25.7       26.8       34.2       70.4       10.5      185.0
   This trial assessed the standing
                                                Titan 9                           9       26.5       27.4       32.0       71.5       10.7      196.4
forage quality of many commercial
lucerne varieties as two-year-old               L91 Lucerne                       9       25.1       25.4       32.7       70.0       10.4      196.6
lucerne stands; as well as examining            L92 Lucerne                       9       26.5       26.7       31.5       71.4       10.7       201.1
other key factors – percentage
                                                SARDI Ten Series 2               10       26.8       27.6       33.9       69.9       10.4      184.9
of crude protein (CP) present,
metabolizable energy (ME) as                    SF Force 10                      10       25.8       27.0       34.6       70.3       10.5      182.5
megajoules per kilogram (MJ/kg) of              ML99 MultiLeaf® Lucerne          10       28.6       24.4       30.8       74.9       11.3       211.1
dry matter (DM), and digestibility
                                                Average                                   27.4       24.7       30.9       73.4       11.0      210.5
characteristics.
   The relative feed value (RFV)
of each variety was calculated.                   mechanical hay making process,
The RFV is an index value that                 as varieties such as Q31 Lucerne and
ranks feed based on the potential              Q75 Lucerne, maintain higher RFV
digestible dry matter intake.                  values due to their high leaf holding
   The RFV value is calculated by              traits. A typical lucerne hay or silage
comparing the digestible dry matter            feed sample would have a lower
of the variety; using the percentage           RFV rating, and lower percentage
of acid detergent fibre (ADF) with             of CP and ME values than shown
the dry matter intake estimate of              on this chart, as these were fresh
the variety, using the percentage of           cut pasture with very little leaf loss,
neutral detergent fibre (NDF).                 compared to what would normally
   The equation used for RFV                   be, after mechanical harvesting.
calculation is as follows:
RFV = ((88.9 – (0.779*ADF))*((120/NDF)/1.29)
   The RFV does not consider
the percentage of CP or other
                                                   The ability for green cut
nutrient factors, but does give a
                                                   lucerne to hold its leaf                THE SELECTION OF LUCERNE CULTIVARS WITH HIGH LEAF HOLDING
good indication of the quality of                                                        CAPACITY SUCH AS Q31 LUCERNE, ALLOWS FOR HIGHER RELATIVE FEED
                                                   into the bale is critical                      VALUE RESULTS, AS DEMONSTRATED IN THIS TRIAL
the forage in regard to its value
                                                   when making premium
to the grazing animal in terms
                                                   quality hay.
of digestibility, and allows for an
indexed value to be used when                      Mechanical losses at
comparing different forage quality                 time of baling range
results of a number of varieties.                  from eight to 45 percent.
   Varieties such as Q31 Lucerne                   When targeting high
and Q75 Lucerne have shown their                   quality lucerne hay, it
characteristic quality traits clearly              is paramount to select
in this trial; both varieties were                 varieties with such leaf
developed to produce high quality                  holding traits.
forage.
                                                   Q31 Lucerne
   The samples were taken from
                                                   demonstrates excellent
fresh cut forage prior to cutting for
forage yield; there would be greater
                                                   leaf retention in the bale.
differences again if the varieties                                                       REPLICATED LUCERNE PLOTS,
                                                                                         LUCERNE FEED QUALITY TRIAL         Q31 Lucerne after baling
were tested after going through a

                                                                                                  • pasturegenetics.com     LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 6
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
q31 LUCERNE

                                         EXTREME DENSITY                            “Q31 Lucerne is a winter dormant
                                                                                 variety, which does take some
                                         & HIGHER LEAF
                                                                                 management and is not for your
                                         CONTENT WITH                            first-time hay grower. It is slower
                                         Q31 LUCERNE                             to establish than the more winter
                                            “I have grown Pasture Genetics’      active varieties, so weed control is
q31                                      Q31 Lucerne for about three years       paramount prior to sowing and the
LUCERNE                                  now, and it continues to produce        use of a pre-emergent herbicide
                                         the highest quality, leafy hay,” said   spray is vital,” Kyle said.
Winter dormant
                                         Kyle Ropa.                                 However, Q31 Lucerne has many
Medicago sativaE, GLX
                                            On his White Falls property in       advantages to a specialist hay
Winter Activity                     3
                                         Singleton, New South Wales, Kyle is     grower. As a winter dormant variety,
Min Rainfall (mm)                450
                                         in the business of producing quality    Q31 Lucerne is a prostrate type,
Seeding Rate                   kg/ha     hay for his clients.                    with a very low-set crown, whereby
Dryland                          4-8        The latest stand of Q31 Lucerne      the crown is under the ground.
High Rainfall/Irrigation      10 - 20    that has been established was           This low-set crown not only protects
Hay Production                25 - 30    sown in mid-September 2017, at a        the lucerne from vehicle traffic
                                         rate of 25 kilograms per hectare,       and livestock damage but ensures
• Quickly been adopted as the
  leading hay and chaffing variety for   and fertilized according to prior       the lucerne has longevity in the
  premium markets.                       soil testing with SSP+Mo at 250         paddock due to the minimal
• A superior leaf retention trait,       kilograms per hectare and Cal-S at      damage throughout the year.
  and the highest nutritive value in     400 kilograms per hectare, along           One of the many advantages
  retained leaf in feed and hay. High
  yields and excellent quality for       with lime at 1,000 kilograms per        of growing Q31 Lucerne is that it
  grazing, silage, hay and chaff.        hectare.                                is winter dormant and only grows
• Demonstrates greater persistence          “By mid-December I had taken the     during the hay and silage season.
  than winter active varieties, when
                                         first cut off the Q31 Lucerne which     Another advantage is that it has a
  persistence is more important than
  winter growth.                         produced over 4.5 tonnes per hectare.   cutting cycle of 40-42 days, so there
• Bred for specialist irrigated             “The bales had impressive weight     is plenty of time between cuts. This
  haymaking, silage or chaff, where      and packed in really well due to the    allows for flexible management when
  premium quality is required and
  where hay cannot be made in winter.    high leaf and fine stem attributes of   dealing with incumbent weather.
• Ideally suited to leaders in forage    Q31 Lucerne.                               “My clients are extremely happy
  quality.                                  “When mowing the paddock, I          with both the quality and fine stem,
                                         have had to mow it in a lower gear      as well as the bale density that
                                         due to the extreme density and          Q31 Lucerne hay provides,” Kyle
                                         higher leaf content.                    concluded.

                                                        CUTTING Q31 LUCERNE AT WHITE FALLS
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LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
LOCAL FOCUS

                      LOCAL
                      FOCUS
      WITH MICHAEL
                                                                                                                 autumn/winter and will provide
                                                                                                                 growth earlier in spring than the
                                                                            More advanced varieties are
                                                                                                                 dormant varieties. Generally, they

      CHRISTENSEN
                                                                            in high demand, with Pasture
                                                                                                                 are sown throughout Queensland
                                                                                Genetics’ L56, L71, Q75, L92
                                                                                                                 for high quality hay production
                                                                             and ML99 MultiLeaf® lucerne
                                                                                                                 stands, across short, two to four
                                                                                varieties continuing to
                                                                               stand out. These varieties        year rotations.
                                                                              provide superior pest and             Pasture Genetics continue
                                                                            disease resistance, resulting        to be active in developing new
                                                                              in longer persistence and          varieties best suited to the
                                                                                  more productivity.             Australian environment, and
                                                                                                                 currently have numerous lucerne
                                                                                                                 demonstration and evaluation
                                                                                                                 sites situated throughout many
                                                                              Higher leaf retention traits are   regions of Queesland e.g. Kalbar,
                                                                            features of these varieties, which   Gatton, Burnett, Biloela and
                                                                            provides further advantages          Monto.
                                                                            by minimising leaf drop before
                                                                            cutting and during the baling           For further information on
                                                                            process. Effectively, they are       hay production or grazing
                                                                            more forgiving in adverse            tolerant varieties, contact your
                                                                            conditions. These attributes         local Pasture Genetics Territory
                                                                            contribute to superior, high         Manager to discuss your
                                                                            quality and high yielding hay        particular lucerne requirements.
                                                                            production. The advanced
                                                                            winter active/highly winter
                                                                            active varieties will continue to    Michael Christensen
                                                                            grow more consistently into late     Territory Manager – QLD

Lucerne                                  Major advancements in many
production in                        regional irrigation schemes
                                     across Queensland, and improved
Queensland                           irrigation delivery technologies
    Most lucerne production          has also contributed to the
throughout the regions of            increase in demand for high
Queensland has traditionally         yielding, quality lucerne varieties.
been focussed around intensive,      In recent times, strong lucerne
irrigated hay production.            inquiries hailing from from
    Many of the dominant lucerne     Central and Northern Queensland
growing regions such as the          is evidence of this irrigation
Darling Downs, Lockyer Valley,       development.
Fassifern Valley, Burnett and           Selecting the correct variety
Biloela regions, have considerable   to suit your chosen farming
access to reliable, quality          enterprise is extremely important
irrigation water with a number       and will contribute greatly to the
of these regions situated along      success of your lucerne stand.
creeks or river systems where        Put simply, “what are you trying
the soil types range from deep       to achieve?”
sandy loams, to alluvial soils or      Traditionally in Queensland,
heavy black clays.                   well known highly winter active
                                     and winter active varieties such
                                     as Sequel and Trifecta have
                                     been grown extensively. These
Hay production generally             varieties are now 30-plus years
   remains the ultimate              old, and the demand for them is               TERRITORY MANAGERS MICHAEL CHRISTENSEN, ADAM LITTLE
                                                                                       & HUGH GRAHAM AT PASTURE GENETICS’ LUCERNE
  focus for many but in              decreasing.                                        DEMONSTRATION & EVALUATION SITE AT KALBAR
  recent years we have
   also seen a dramatic
 increase in the demand
 for lucerne in beef and
  dairy grazing systems,
under both irrigated and
    dryland situations.

                                                                                         • pasturegenetics.com     LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 8
LUCERNE AdvisoR 2018 pasturegenetics.com - Pasture Genetics
l56 LUCERNE

                                            L56 LUCERNE                             that pushes down into the moisture      of around 300 millimetres, what
                                                                                    below, and one little splash of rain    do you expect!” Brenton said.
                                            PROVIDING FEED
                                                                                    just sparks it up and it goes green        Due to his success with L56
                                            FOR THE YORKE                           overnight.                              Lucerne, Brenton has also sown
                                            PENINSULA                                  “The L56 Lucerne has required a      Pasture Genetics’ Moby Forage
                                               Brenton McRae farms a dual           decent amount of water but living in    Barley and Jaguar Strand Medic,
L56                                         enterprise on the outskirts of          an area with annual average rainfall    which provided great early feed.
LUCERNE                                     Kadina on South Australia’s Yorke
                                            Peninsula.
Semi-winter dormant
Medicago sativaE, GLX                         With the ability to store water on
                                            his property in two separate dams,
Winter Activity                       5
                                            Brenton saw a fantastic opportunity
Min Rainfall (mm)                  350
                                            to capitalise during a dry season
Seeding Rate                     kg/ha      and sowed Pasture Genetics’ L56
Dryland                            4-8      Lucerne with the intention of
High Rainfall/Irrigation        10 - 20     grazing his Lowline Angus cattle,
Hay Production                  25 - 30
                                            before cutting for hay to supply the
                                            local horse market.
• The master dual purpose grazing
  and hay lucerne in Australia.
                                               Since the stands establishment
• Exceptional seedling vigour.              in 2016, Brenton has seen some
• Very high yields.                         promising results. Averaging
• Exceptional forage quality.               three cuts per year along with
• New industry benchmark for persistence.   some grazing, he has been very
• Flexible management option.               happy with the L56 Lucerne’s
• Highest levels of pest and disease        performance.
  resistance of any lucerne variety in
  Australia. Phytophthora Root Rot
                                               The summer just passed, Kadina
  rating of HR+.                            has had little to no rainfall, which
• Semi-winter dormant.                      has resulted in the L56 Lucerne
• Adaptable across a wide range of          “just plugging along”. Hopeful for
  soil types.                               some rain, Brenton will aim to reap
• Very good grazing tolerance.              four cuts for the year.
                                                “This is what I love about L56
                                                                                                BRENTON MCRAE IN HIS L56 LUCERNE STAND
                                            Lucerne, it has such a deep tap root

L56 LUCERNE SUITS                              Martin has been producing fine       other varieties, while at the same      L56 Lucerne has proved to handle
                                            hay of excellent quality around         time, producing a softer and finer      the heavier soil type well. Martin
THE OPERATION                               Woolamin in New South Wales             product in the bale.                    has noticed leaf diseases such as
   After growing Pasture Genetics’          for many years, often under some           He has been pleased with the         Stemphylium are less prevalent
L56 Lucerne several years ago               challenging conditions.                 yields he is reaping, nearly 60 small   on L56 Lucerne, particularly after
with very pleasing results, Martin             Being an experienced hay             square bales to the acre. However,      watering.
Joosen decided to plant it again in         producer, he knows how to achieve       the hot and dry weather experienced        In addition, Martin noted that
April 2017. Unfortunately, paddock          the best possible results from his      over summer has had an impact, with     the L56 Lucerne is producing higher
failed due to less than ideal weather       lucerne.                                yields back to around 40-50 small       quality hay than the other winter
conditions. Martin was able to                 He also understands the impact       square bales to the acre.               active types.
replant the paddock under Pasture           that careful variety selection can        Traditionally, Martin has grown          Martin concluded by saying that
Genetics’ exclusive Establishment           have.                                   more winter active varieties, but       he will be sowing more L56 Lucerne
Guarantee™ programme*, and the                 Martin said he finds L56 Lucerne     was looking for something more          in future blocks.
new stand has thrived.                      to be much more persistent than         persistent.

                                                     L56 LUCERNE IS MORE PERSISTENT IN WOOLAMIN
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gtl®60 LUCERNE

                                              LUCERNE & CHICORY
                                              BLEND PROVES
                                              SUCCESSFUL ON
                                              KONGORONG DAIRY
                                                 When Brenton Ham was looking
gtl®60                                        for a productive option to grow on
LUCERNE                                       a sandy paddock out the back of
                                              the farm, it was recommended that
Winter active
                                              he consider a lucerne and chicory
Medicago sativaE, GLX
                                              blend to feed his Jersey heifers.
Winter Activity                         6
                                                 The paddock was sprayed and
Min Rainfall (mm)                    350
                                              sown in the autumn of 2016, with
Seeding Rate                       kg/ha      triticale to gain weed control and
Dryland                             4-8       build up organic matter. Brenton
High Rainfall/Irrigation          10 - 20     then sprayed out the triticale and
                                              sowed an 80:20 blend of Pasture
Hay Production                   25 - 30                                                         DAIRY FARMER BRENTON HAM, KONGORONG SA
                                              Genetics’ GTL®60 Lucerne and
• Selected for a broad and low-set            Balance Chicory at 15 kilograms
  crown, high forage values, high
  ruminant palatability with high             per hectare.                            Balance Chicory is proving to be a        Balance Chicory was selected to
  disease, and pest resistance ratings.          Brenton, along with his wife Sam,    great combination for the heifers,     reduce the bloat risk and give peace
• Tested under an arduous series of           milk up to 600 Jersey cows on their     providing high quality feed out of     of mind with stock that are not
  strict grazing protocols over five years.
• Ideally suited as a dual-purpose            Kongorong dairy farm in South           season.                                being checked every day. Brenton
  variety for grazing and hay                 Australia and have expanded their          “The lucerne and chicory blend      said that he always makes sure the
  operations.                                 farm considerably over the last                                                heifers are full before they go into
                                                                                      has helped flatten out the feed
• Quick recovery after defoliation gives
  the ability to store plant energy into      five years.                             curve and produce high quality feed    the lucerne paddock and that he
  the crown.                                     While rearing good heifers has       when the grass paddocks have gone      does provide some roughage hay
• Retain leaf through the drying and          always been a priority, the expanding   off,” Brenton said.                    when necessary.
  baling process.
• Good adaptability to a wide range           herd has required extra heifers to         GTL®60 Lucerne was selected to         Brenton is eager to plant another
  of soil types.                              boost the milking herd. Feeding         provide excellent grazing tolerance    paddock of this blend for the
• GTL®60 Lucerne has demonstrated             them well is always a challenge.        with a low-set crown which assists     coming season.
  excellent grazing tolerance with 74
  percent residual plants measured               The blend of semi-winter             the variety to perform well under
  after three year grazing trial.             dormant GTL®60 Lucerne and              heavy grazing conditions.

GTL®60 LUCERNE                                paddocks of Pasture Genetics’           utilise the feed and turned them       to allow them to flower and help
                                              grazing tolerant lucerne to support     off fat. This 15 acre paddock alone    replenish energy reserves in the
SUPPORTS TOUGH
                                              his prime lamb enterprise.              was able to fatten 300 prime           root system. Kelvin is the first to
GRAZING                                                                               lambs over a six week period. With     admit he pushes the system “pretty
                                                 Kelvin has found a good fit for
   It’s February and Kelvin Poole is          GTL®60 Lucerne on his mixed             strong prices for fat lambs, Kelvin    hard” but has been incredibly happy
standing in the middle of his dryland         farm in Traralgon, Victoria. Multiple   feels that he is achieving the best    with how GTL®60 Lucerne has
GTL®60 Lucerne paddock.                       paddocks are now sown to provide        possible value out of his lucerne.     handled the pressure.
    “It mightn’t look like much but           high quality summer feed in the           The paddocks on Kelvin’s farm          “This stand is four years old now,
it’s the only green feed on the farm,”        dryland system.                         are heavily stocked for most of        and I really flog it. It’s barely thinned
Kelvin commented.                               This year, Kelvin purchased an        the year. They are rested for just a   out at all, that’s why I love it,” Kelvin
  Kelvin has been utilising multiple          additional 1,000 store lambs to         few weeks in September/October,        explained.

                     KELVIN POOLE OF TRARALGON VIC                                                  GTL®60 LUCERNE HANDLES THE PRESSURE

                                                                                                    • pasturegenetics.com      LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 10
gtl®60 LUCERNE

             gtl®60
                                                Order your Pasture Genetics
         Lucerne
                                          GTL 60 Lucerne from your local rural store
                                                ®

       “At Pasture Genetics,           GTL®60 Lucerne continues                         Our lucerne growers tell us
       we have Australia’s most        to exhibit elevated levels of                    that their key requirements
       comprehensive lucerne           residual plants and the ‘high                    for a lucerne variety are
       breeding programme.             relative feed value’ trait that                  ‘productivity, persistence and
       For the last five years, we     Pasture Genetics’ varieties                      quality’ – and with GTL®60
       have trialled GTL®60 Lucerne    are known for.                                   Lucerne, we can tick all those
       under the most extreme                                                           boxes. Our lucerne varieties
                                       You can have high levels of
       grazing conditions.                                                              are bred in Australia, for
                                       grazing tolerance, long-term
                                                                                        Australian growing conditions.
       It has been grazed over 50      persistence and the ability to
       times in the last five years.   cut high quality hay.                            They also come with our
                                                                                        unique Establishment
                                                                                        Guarantee™, which reduces
                                                                                        the risk when establishing
                                                                                        a new stand.”

                                                                                        Tom Damin
       * Terms & Conditions apply.                                                      Research & Technical Services Manager

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grazing tolerant LUCERNE selection trial 2016

Pasture Genetics has taken the term ‘grazing tolerant’ very seriously with its selection of new
lucerne material. The ability to select plant germplasm through a five year intensive grazing
trial, has proven critical to give farmers confidence in new lines coming through the Pasture
Genetics lucerne breeding programme. The strength of this trialling model will be replicated
in the future with more selections being made with this key grazing tolerance trait.

grazing tolerant                        percentage of residual plants after
lucerne selection                       three & five years of grazing
trial                                   Lucerne stands are grazed to restrict flowering over a                                                             3 Year Count - November, 2014 - Av.5%LSD = 22.1
2016                                    three year period to increase pressure on plants.                                                                  5 Year Count - November, 2016 - Av.5%LSD = 18.7

PENFIELD RESEARCH STATION               90
trial SOWN 14/09/2011
grazed 24/11/2011 - 23/11/2016          80
   The trial protocol was
established in conjunction with         70
                                               74
                                                         72
NSW DPI and IP Australia to give a
                                        60          65
measure of true grazing tolerance.                                  65        65
                                                              60
After the lucerne was established                                        59
                                                                                   57   57
                                                                                                                                                                                                               59
                                        50
it was grazed every three weeks                                                                53
                                                                                                        52                   52                                           52
                                                                                                             48    50                               50
(or when grazing was required)          40                                                                              46              45
to a residual height of about 30                                                                                                  42           41
                                                                                                                                                         40
                                                                                                                                                                42                  42           43

millimetres.                            30
                                                                                                                                                                     33        33        32
   Approximately 20 Merino                                                                                                                                                                              30

wethers were used to graze the trial    20
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      23
each time, this was the number of
                                        10
animals adequate to graze the trial
down within at least a three to four
                                         0
day period so we could manage
                                                GTL®60

                                                          Genesis

                                                                     L56

                                                                               L71

                                                                                         SF Force 5

                                                                                                        Stamina®
                                                                                                            GT6

                                                                                                                    Q75

                                                                                                                              Pegasis

                                                                                                                                         Sardi 10

                                                                                                                                                     Sardi 7

                                                                                                                                                                 Aurora

                                                                                                                                                                           L92

                                                                                                                                                                                         ML99
                                                                                                                                                                                    MultiLeaf®

                                                                                                                                                                                                  SF Force 7

                                                                                                                                                                                                                Sequel HR
frequent grazing events but not
expose the lucerne to extrended
periods of set stocking.
   The basis of this grazing
management was to make sure
the lucerne was put under
frequent grazing pressure, but not
deliberatedly set stocked. In the
first three year period the trial was
grazed 32 times, and in the recent
two year period was grazed 18 times.
   Plant counts were taken initially
and results have been measured
based on the percentage of residual
plant counts remaining after the
three and five year periods.
   Originally the trial was
established at a dryland sowing
rate of four kilograms per hectare
                                                                                                                                                               GTL®60 Lucerne
resulting in an average starting
plant count of 37 plants per metre
square, which suited our target of
30 - 40 plants per metre square
based on our average annual 420
millimetres rainfall.
   The results shown in the graph
on this page now indicate the
updated results after five years of
the trial period which has shown
some significant differences in the
performance of varieties, and quite
a variation in the results that were
seen after the three year period was
measured, in particular some of the
Highly Winter Active material has
distinctly dropped off in the recent
                                                                                                                                                                Stamina® GT6
two years.

                                                                                                                        • pasturegenetics.com                        LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 12
l70 LUCERNE

                                          FINISHING                                   feed, and also means he doesn’t             Over the years Peter has trialled
                                          QUALITY STEERS &                            have to grow dual purpose crops          many sowing rates and sowing
                                          WETHERS WITHOUT                             in his cereal rotation as his grazing    methods, and now he generally
                                                                                      country can support both livestock       sows his lucerne at four kilograms
                                          SUPPLEMENTARY
                                                                                      enterprises.                             per hectare, with a light barley
                                          FEED WITH L70
                                                                                          Pasture Genetics’ L70 Lucerne is     cover crop at 10 to 15 kilograms per
l70                                       LUCERNE
                                                                                      established following a four to five     hectare. Peter says that sowing rate
LUCERNE
                                             Peter Stuckey owns and operates                                                   and other management decisions
                                                                                      year cropping rotation, with the aim
Winter active                             Homesworth, a 23,000 acre mixed                                                      such as whether to include a
                                                                                      of keeping the lucerne stand for five
Medicago sativaE, GL                     farming enterprise located 30
                                                                                      to six years, even longer if the stand   cover crop, are not made until just
Winter Activity                       7   kilometres north of Condobolin in
                                                                                      is in good shape. Peter says that        prior to sowing, based on what
Min Rainfall (mm)                  350    New South Wales. Homesworth is
                                                                                      growing L70 Lucerne was a natural        environmental conditions are like
Seeding Rate                    kg/ha     situated in a 400 to 425 millimetre
                                                                                      progression, having previously           at the time.
Dryland                           4-8     annual rainfall zone, operating on
                                                                                      grown older varieties such as               With adequate background levels
High Rainfall/Irrigation       10 - 20
                                          predominantly red loam soils and
                                                                                      Hunterfield and Aurora. Peter likes      of clover and medic at Homesworth,
                                          gravelly ridges.
Hay Production                 25 - 30                                                to keep it simple.                       Peter is able to sow lucerne straight
                                             Roughly 10,000 acres of winter
• L70 Lucerne offers higher disease and                                                  “We know L70 Lucerne works            as opposed to in a blend. With
  pest package compared to Aurora.        crop is sown to wheat, barley, and
                                                                                      in this environment, we get what         recent land acquisition and the
• Superior forage genetics                canola each year, with the balance
  - higher leaf to stem ratio.                                                        we want out of it, and as far as I am    conversion of country from native
• Minimum 90 percent germination          of the rotation consisting of long
  standards exceeds current minimum       fallow, lucerne, and a small amount         concerned, it has done the job for       pasture to cropping and improved
  certified standard for Aurora of only
                                          of native pasture.                          us,” Peter said.                         pasture, a single species pasture
  60 percent.
• L70 Lucerne seed production is                                                         L70 Lucerne is sown from late         phase also allows for broader
                                             Running 400 Shorthorn-Angus
  derived from dryland seed production                                                                                         herbicide options during the
  stands only. This ensures the dryland   cross cows and calves, as well as           May onward, Peter says that not
  integrity and performance of L70        2,500 Merino ewes and lambs,                sowing too early in the sowing           rotation.
  Lucerne is maintained when utilised
  in dryland grazing enterprises.         lucerne is a very important part            window allows for good knockdown            “You’ve got to be pretty flexible
• These attributes, combined with         of the rotation at Homesworth.              weed control prior to sowing. Peter      in this game, at the end of the
  superior plant genetics, makes L70
  Lucerne an excellent new alternative    Peter says that having good lucerne         also commented that even in the          day, we want the best pasture
  to Aurora.                                                                                                                   establishment possible, so we
                                          ensures that he is able to finish           colder years when the L70 Lucerne
• L70 Lucerne offers producers
  higher returns and allows them to       quality steers and wether lambs             is slow to develop during winter, it     manage it accordingly to get the
  plant with confidence knowing they
  are covered by the Establishment        without having to supplementary             really comes away in the spring.         best result,” Peter concluded.
  Guarantee™ programme*.

L70 LUCERNE                                  “It started firing in August, we
                                          put the heifers into the paddock
WITH XLR8® SEED
                                          in September, and they’ve been
TREATMENT THRIVES                         chasing their tails to keep up. They
IN THE ADELAIDE                           just love it, like bees to a honey pot.
HILLS                                       “Every two to three weeks
   For over 20 years, Andrew              we rotate the cows out and sure
Jaeschke has been running a Santa         enough, they’ll go stand at the
Gertrudis stud at Eden Valley in the      gate waiting to get back into the
Adelaide Hills. For much of that 20       L70 Lucerne,” Andrew said.
years, Andrew has been growing               On Andrew’s property, L70
lucerne, constantly planting              Lucerne has provided flexibility
different varieties to compare            with feeding solutions, stock
and analyse performance.                  movements, nutritional goals as well
  In the spring of 2014, Andrew           as paddock and weed management.
sowed down a new stand to Pasture            “Normally, we need around 250
Genetics’ L70 Lucerne with XLR8®          acres grazing to rotate our stock
seed treatment. There has always          through, but this time around, from
been a history of Redlegged Earth         September onwards we only needed
Mite and Lucerne Flea incidences in       50 acres because the L70 Lucerne
the Adelaide Hills region explained       just got away.” Andrew marvelled.
Andrew.
                                             On many occasions, Andrew has had
    “We really need to manage our         the opportunity to cut the stand for hay.
pests, especially when establishing a
                                             “We got a good cut off it and the
new lucerne stand. The XLR8® seed
                                          cows did just as well on the hay, the
treatment has become a part of our
                                          stock really settled into it well.
management, I won’t sow without
it,” he said.                                “We want to put in more. I’ll be
                                          putting in another 150 hectares next
  Following its pest-free
                                          year. It is an awesome variety, with
establishment, Andrew’s L70
                                          almost no moisture it still grows.
Lucerne was quick to graze.
                                          L70 Lucene is a long-term option
   “We sowed in August and after
                                          for us,” he concluded.
just 15 millimetres of rain it hung in.
   “We got our first decent rain in
February, when we received two
inches, and it went nuts! We got a
really good strike,” he continued.
  Coming into its second year,
                                                                                                         ANDREW JAESCHKE RUNS A SANTA
Andrew has had stock in the
                                                                                                         GERTRUDIS STUD AT EDEN VALLEY
paddock since September.
                                                                                                                                                      8
                                                                                                                                                   XLR

13 |                                                                                                                                                 8
                                                                                                                                         8        XLR
                                                                                                                     TM

                                                                                                                  LIFE
                                                                                                           LONG                       XLR

                                                                                                                                       8
                                                                                                                                    XLR
L70 lUCERNE

                                           PETER STUCKEY OF HOMESWORTH, CONDOBLIN NSW

L70 v Aurora                      Leaf Trait                                          Germination Standards Comparison
• L70 Lucerne offers higher       Comparison                                                                                     GOLDSTRIKE®                    COATED
  disease and pest package                                                                                                           L70                        AURORA
  compared to Aurora.                                                                  Seeds/kg                                             300,000             300,000
• Superior forage genetics -                                                           Seeds sown/m2 at 4kg/ha                                  120                120
  higher leaf to stem ratio.
                                                                                       Minimum germation %                                      90%                65%
• Minimum 90 percent
  germination standards exceeds                                                        Variable seeds/m2 sown                                   108                 78
  current minimum certified
                                                                                       Established rate 50%                                      54                 39
  standard for Aurora of only
  60 percent.                                                                             38 PERCENT increase
• L70 Lucerne seed production                                                             in plant establishment PER SQUARE METRE
  is derived from dryland seed
  production stands only. This                                                        Disease Rating Comparison
  ensures the dryland integrity
  and performance of L70                                                                                                                        L70             AURORA
  Lucerne is maintained when
                                                                                       Spotted Alfalfa Aphid                                     HR                HR
  utilised in dryland grazing
  enterprises.                                                                         Bluegreen Aphid                                           HR                HR
                                       L70 Lucerne (left)
• These attributes, combined           exhibiting higher                               Phytophthora Root Rot                                     R                  R
  with superior plant genetics,       leaf carrying trait                              Anthracnose                                               R                 MR
  makes L70 Lucerne an                compared to older
  excellent new alternative to      plant genetics exhibited                           Bacterial Wilt                                            R                 LR
  Aurora.                              in Aurora (right)                               Stem Nematode                                             R                  R
• L70 Lucerne offers producers
  higher returns and allows
  them to plant with confidence
                                  L70 v Aurora                                                                                   Trial results
  knowing they are covered by
  the Establishment Guarantee™    Yield Results & Pricing Comparison                                                                            20
  programme*.                     L70 Lucerne offers very competitive pricing to Aurora and therefore similar
                                                                                                                                 Yield (t/ha)

                                  per hectare input seed costs.
                                                                                                                                                15     L70          Aurora
                                                                                   L70 LUCERNE                   AURORA                                18.5          17.0

                                   Total yield                                         18.5 t/ha                  17.0 t/ha                     10

                                   Hay returns/ha at $200t                           $3,700/ha                  $3,400/ha

                                                                                                                                                 5
                                       Extra hay returns $300 per hectare, per year                                                                           Variety
                                  Source: Pasture Genetics, L70 Lucerne Grazing Trial, 2011, Penfield Research Station
                                  Five years. Four irrigated sites. 46 cuts                                                                     eight percent
                                  Locations: Virginia SA, Struan SA, Forbes NSW & Wagga Wagga NSW                                               yield increase

                                                                                                                                    L70                        AURORA
   L70 Lucerne
   comes with the                                                                      Total yield                              18.5 t/ha                      17.0 t/ha
   reassurance of                                                                      Hay returns/ha @ $200t                   $3700/ha                       $3400/ha
   Pasture Genetics’                                                                   Increased forage quality
   Establishment
                                                                                       Better disease profile
   Guarantee™
   programme*.                                                                         Higher DM production
                                                                                       Increased germination %
   Plant with peace
   of mind.                                                                            Establishment Guarantee™

                                                                                           Extra hay returns $300 PER HECTARE, PER YEAR

                                                                                                        • pasturegenetics.com   LUCERNE ADVISOR 2018 | 14
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