When persistence is more important than winter growth, which Lucerne variety is best?
November 26, 2021 All Regions
The growing demand for more flexible cutting times is leading more farmers to search for a Lucerne that is reliable, persistent, and flexible. With so many Lucerne varieties on offer, deciding on what to grow in areas where winter cuts are not an option can be difficult. Additionally, when persistence is more important than winter growth, the technical attributes of Lucerne seed variants are critical.
A flexible and persistent Lucerne solution
S&W Q31 Lucerne is a high-yielding, premium quality variety. With a dormancy rating of 3, the growth rate of Q31 slows significantly over winter. This provides a longer and more flexible cutting window without feed quality declining.
Q31’s leaf retention trait, high leaf to stem ratio and fine stems make it a specialist hay and silage variety. A low-set crown improves persistence, helping to ensure many years of quality fodder production.
For the last 11 years, Luke Kimber, who runs a cut and carry dairy operation with his family in south eastern NSW, has relied on Q31 Lucerne. “On average we get around five and a half cuts off Q31 a year which is all during the warmer months, from the end of October through to May. We get approximately 15T DM/ha/year off these 5.5 cuts, plus 1-2 winter grazings with trade lambs which would equate to about 1-2T/ha of dry matter grazed.”
Luke Kimba’s 10 year Q31 paddock
Interested in S&W Seed Company Q31 Lucerne for your enterprise?
Download the Q31 Lucerne techsheet here. Our territory managers are here to help, get in touch today!