Pasture & Forage Grasses

Start your journey of discovery and learn about the different types of pasture and forage grasses best suited to your climate.

Temperate Pasture Grasses

By far the most dominant sub-group in terms of land area are the pasture and forage grasses which provide, food for animals, resulting in outputs such as meat, milk, cheese, wool, hides, other animal products as well as leisure and amenity.

The main pasture grass species for temperate regions are:  ryegrasses which are versatile and productive over a range of climates and production systems, particularly in areas with cooler/ milder summers; and hardy perennial species such as phalaris, cocksfoot and tall fescue which will often be better or complementary choices in areas with tougher climates or other challenges.

In the main, grasses provide the bulk of animal feed in pasture systems, offering energy, protein, fibre and other vital nutrients. Usually some sort of pasture legume base is included with grass species in order to provide nitrogen for the pasture system as well as a feed source and diversity.

Tropical Pasture Grasses

Tropical Grasses are widely adapted to northern Australian pasture systems. In most northern pasture systems, unimproved or native grasses have a very limited window of feed quality (4-6 weeks) after the start of the growing season. These species quickly loose quality as they turn reproductive with protein, energy and overall digestibility dropping rapidly. Improved Tropical cultivars have been bred and selected for significant increase in attributes to increase productivity and provide feed quality for longer.

• Significant improvement in Feed Quality
• Seasonal Length & Seasonal Yield
• Unmatched DM yield capacity

C4 grasses are scientifically proven to be more water use efficient compared to their C3 (Temperate) counterparts. Improved leaf production and plant water use efficiency in C4 species is due to both higher photosynthetic rates per unit leaf area and lower stomatal conductance. This allows them to have not only active growth at higher temperatures, but adaptations that reduce water loss from stomata during active photosynthesis.

Tropical Grasses are known for their toughness, and resilience which is matched to the harshness experienced in the northern Australian pastoral zone.