The importance of heading date range in grass mixtures · Forage Seed 2016 Aber High Sugar Grass cutting and grazing mixtures Aber HSG 2 Later Cut is a specialist silage mixture for

Forage Seed 2016 Aber High Sugar Grass cutting and grazing mixtures

The composition of swards, whether for cutting or grazing, changes over time, with the relative proportions of sown varieties altering in response to management and natural environmental pressures. One of the important factors determining the rate of change is the range of heading dates in the mixture, with the greater range of heading dates leading to a greater rate of change – or lower sward stability.

Graphs show +/– differences of the mixture yields compared to the average of the component varieties - plus threshold for heading range advantage.These graphs show some of the important findings of a research project at AFBI Crossnacreevy, Northern Ireland, which was examining the dynamic interactions between perennial ryegrass varieties of different heading dates and the effect on sward production.

The importance of heading date range in grass mixtures

Fig 03.

Effect of mixture heading range on performance:

In a grazing situation it tends to be the later heading varieties that dominate over earlier heading varieties whereas in a cutting ley the dominance occurs the other way around. In order to achieve the highest stability in swards, the key is to avoid too great a range in heading dates in the mixtures.Furthermore, as research led by Dr Trevor Gilliland when at the AFBI plant testing station at Crossnacreevy, Northern Ireland shows, heading date range within mixtures also has a direct impact on the performance of the ley.

As the graphs summarising some of the AFBI work illustrate, the optimum heading date range for higher performance in grazing swards is 5-15 days whilst for silage leys it is 5-10 days.Heading date information is available for all Recommended List varieties, provided alongside important yield and quality data in the published booklets. Average heading date information is provided by Germinal for all mixtures, where relevant.

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00

-0.05

-0.10

-0.15

-0.20

Sim

ulat

ed g

razi

ng y

ield

diff

eren

ce (t

DM

/ha)

Heading date range (days)

Total sim. grazing yield

Spring yield

0 5 10 15 20

R2 = 0.917

R2 = 0.957

Con

serv

atio

n yi

eld

diffe

renc

e (tD

M/h

a)

Heading date range (days)

Total conservation yield

3 silage cuts

0 5 10 15 20

R2 = 0.9542

R2 = 0.9418

1

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0

-0.2

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1

Grazing Silage

Aber High Sugar Grass cutting and grazing mixturesForage Seed 2016

Aber HSG 2 Early Cut is a specialist silage mixture for those aiming to cut a very high quality crop from the end of April to mid May.

Combining the outstanding hybrid Aber High Sugar Grass AberEcho with compatible Aber perennial ryegrasses, this mixture delivers quality and yield and can persist for 3-4 years – twice as long as Italian ryegrass based swards. Aber HSG 2 Early Cut is a straight grass mixture that will perform under medium and high levels of nitrogen. AberClaret red clover can be included, whilst for those seeking longer lasting specialist silage mixtures we recommend Aber Red 5 HSG.

The addition of red clover at 3kg/acre within the Aber HSG 2 mixtures will increase the yield and quality of your silage.More farmers are choosing to include red clover in their cutting mixture to:• Increase overall forage production potential• Improve the protein content of silage• Reduce protein losses in the clamp• Benefit from red clover’s ability to contribute over 150 kgN/ha of nitrogen

through fixation• Improve soil structure and drought tolerance

Key benefits in summary• AberHybrid High Sugar Grass content• Compatible heading date varieties• Over twice the persistency of Italian ryegrass leys• Suitable for combination with red clover• Aber High Sugar Grasses enhance fermentation, especially when red

clover is included• Very high ME yield

Fig 05.

Aber HSG 2 Early Cut:Spread of heading dates

Fig 04.

AberHSG 2 Early Cut:

27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

APRIL MAY

OPTIMAL CUTTING WINDOW

Heading date average for Aber HSG 2 Early Cut is 14 May for central Britain.When cutting for silage, aim to cut 5-10 days before average heading date for optimum quality.Optimum spread of heading dates within mixtures for grazing and cutting results in better performance of the leys; see page 5 for further information.

Kg/acre Variety Type Heading Date

6 AberTorch Hybrid Ryegrass (T) 08-May

5 AberEcho HSG Hybrid Ryegrass (T) 15-May

4 AberEve HSG Hybrid Ryegrass (T) 22-May

15

Including red clover in your cutting mixtures

Medium Term

Aber HSG 2 Early Cut

T = Tetraploid


Aber HSG 2 Later Cut is a specialist silage mixture for those aiming to cut a very high quality crop in mid-to-late May.

Combining the outstanding Aber High Sugar Grass AberGain with other compatible Aber HSG perennial ryegrasses this mixture delivers quality and yield and can persist for 5 years - twice as long as Italian ryegrass based swards. Aber HSG 2 Later Cut is a straight grass mixture that will perform under medium and high levels of nitrogen. AberClaret red clover can be included, whilst for those seeking longer lasting specialist silage mixtures we recommend Aber Red 5 HSG.

The addition of red clover at 3kg/acre within the Aber HSG 2 mixtures will increase the yield and quality of your silage.More farmers are choosing to include red clover in their cutting mixture to:• Increase overall forage production potential• Improve the protein content of silage• Reduce protein losses in the clamp• Benefit from red clover’s ability to contribute over 150 kgN/ha of nitrogen

through fixation• Improve soil structure and drought tolerance

Fig 07.

Aber HSG 2 Later Cut:Spread of heading dates

Fig 06.

AberHSG 2 Later Cut:

15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 14 15

MAY JUNE

OPTIMAL CUTTING WINDOW

Heading date average for Aber HSG 2 Early Cut is 7 June for central Britain.When cutting for silage, aim to cut 5-10 days before average heading date for optimum quality.Optimum spread of heading dates within mixtures for grazing and cutting results in better performance of the leys; see page 5 for further information.


5 AberGain HSG Perennial Ryegrass (T) 04-Jun

5 AberPlentiful HSG Perennial Ryegrass (T) 07-Jun

5 AberChoice HSG Perennial Ryegrass 10-Jun

15

Including red clover in your cutting mixtures

Key benefits in summary• 100% Aber HSG content• Compatible heading date varieties• Over twice the persistency of Italian ryegrass leys• Suitable for combination with red clover• Aber High Sugar Grasses enhance fermentation, especially when red

clover is included

Long Term

Aber HSG 2 Later Cut

T = Tetraploid

Aber High Sugar Grass cutting and grazing mixturesForage Seed 2016

Celebrated breeding and performanceThe plant breeding programme at IBERS Aberystwyth University responsible for the creation and development of Aber High Sugar Grass has been recognised with a seventh major award in just 12 years since varieties first became widely available.

In June 2015, the perennial ryegrass AberGreen became only the second forage grass variety to receive the prestigious Variety Cup from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB). Awarded only periodically (since 1986), the NIAB Variety Cup recognises varieties from agricultural, horticultural or ornamental sectors that have made a major contribution to crop productivity through improved quality, disease resistance, grower return or commercial success.

Outstanding dry matter yield combined with exceptional D-value make the intermediate diploid AberGreen one of the very highest ranked perennial ryegrasses for total Metabolisable Energy (ME) yield. With its higher water soluble carbohydrate content but without a proportional increase in protein, AberGreen exhibits what breeders describe as close to the optimum forage protein-to-energy balance for efficient livestock production.

Award winning ryegrasses


The biggest selling mixture in the Aber HSG range, Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing is for cattle or sheep systems aiming to maximise returns from grazing, whether rotational or set stocked.

Aber HSG 3 is made up exclusively of Aber High Sugar Grass diploid perennial ryegrasses which have the highest ratings for grazing quality and yield on the Recommended List. This mixture is unrivalled for persistency under grazing; managed well it can continue to perform for 7 to 10 years, giving you maximum yields of the highest quality grazing. AberWolf HSG, one of the outstanding perennial ryegrasses on the Recommended List, is included for the first time this year.

Fig 09.

Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing:Spread of heading dates

Fig 08.

AberHSG 3:

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MAY JUNE

Heading date average for Aber HSG 3 is 31 May for central Britain.When cutting for silage, aim to cut 5-10 days before average heading date for optimum quality.Optimum spread of heading dates within mixtures for grazing and cutting results in better performance of the leys; see page 5 for further information.


3 AberWolf HSG Perennial Ryegrass 27-May

2 AberMagic HSG Perennial Ryegrass 28-May

3 AberGreen HSG Perennial Ryegrass 29-May

3 AberAvon HSG Perennial Ryegrass 02-Jun


1 AberPasture White Clover Blend

15

Key benefits in summary• Combines a very good grazing yield for the mixture of 104%

and an outstanding grazing D-value of 77.2• Outstanding autumn production for the mixture• 100% Aber HSG diploid perennial ryegrasses• Very persistent sward with good ‘bottom’• High palatability and dry matter intakes• Reduced nitrogen losses to the environment• Persists for up to ten years

Long Term

Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing


Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing is the most popular mixture in the Aber HSG range, being ideally suited to cattle or sheep grazing where the aim is to maximise returns using either a rotational or set stocked system.

With all the attributes of Aber HSG 3, this mixture has the addition of Timothy, a grass that will add ‘bottom’ to the sward and provide greater tolerance to wet conditions. Presto is chosen for its excellent spring growth and palatability.

Fig 11.

Aber HSG 3 + Timothy:Spread of heading dates

Fig 10.

AberHSG 3 + Timothy:

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MAY JUNE

Heading date average for Aber HSG + Timothy is 31 May for central Britain.When cutting for silage, aim to cut 5-10 days before average heading date for optimum quality.Optimum spread of heading dates within mixtures for grazing and cutting results in better performance of the leys; see page 5 for further information.







1 Presto Timothy


15

Key benefits in summary• Combines a very good grazing

yield and an outstanding grazing D-value

• Outstanding autumn productionensures strong extended grazing potential

• Very persistent sward withgood ‘bottom’

• High palatability and drymatter intakes

• Reduced nitrogen lossesto the environment

• Persists for up to ten years

Benefits of Timothy• Good tolerance of wet conditions• Excellent spring growth• High palatability• Adds extra ‘bottom’ to swards

to reduce the impact of poaching

Long Term

Aber HSG 3 + Timothy


The biggest selling mixture in the Aber HSG range, Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing is for cattle or sheep systems aiming to maximise returns from grazing, whether rotational or set stocked.

Aber HSG 3 is made up exclusively of Aber High Sugar Grass diploid perennial ryegrasses which have the highest ratings for grazing quality and yield on the Recommended List. This mixture is unrivalled for persistency under grazing; managed well it can continue to perform for 7 to 10 years, giving you maximum yields of the highest quality grazing. AberWolf HSG, one of the outstanding perennial ryegrasses on the Recommended List, is included for the first time this year.

Fig 09.

Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing:Spread of heading dates

Fig 08.

AberHSG 3:

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MAY JUNE

Heading date average for Aber HSG 3 is 31 May for central Britain.When cutting for silage, aim to cut 5-10 days before average heading date for optimum quality.Optimum spread of heading dates within mixtures for grazing and cutting results in better performance of the leys; see page 5 for further information.








15

Key benefits in summary• Combines a very good grazing yield for the mixture of 104%

and an outstanding grazing D-value of 77.2• Outstanding autumn production for the mixture• 100% Aber HSG diploid perennial ryegrasses• Very persistent sward with good ‘bottom’• High palatability and dry matter intakes• Reduced nitrogen losses to the environment• Persists for up to ten years

Long Term

Aber HSG 3 Long Term Grazing

Documents

The importance of heading date range in grass mixtures · Forage Seed 2016 Aber High Sugar Grass cutting and grazing mixtures Aber HSG 2 Later Cut is a specialist silage mixture for