Grass Seed & Forage

Forage

Our grass seeds mixtures for the production of silage and grazing leys are highly regarded, attracting more and more customers each year.

Formulated from best quality seed and using NIAB recommended varieties the range has caught the mood of the farming industry with their no-nonsense down-to-earth approach. The varieties selected in our mixtures are based on sound agronomic and economic values, with high productivity and high disease resistance being the most important factor for variety selection. All our mixtures are packed into 1 acre packs, with a seed rate of 14kgs/ Acre to ensure maximum potential yield and ground cover.

Seed Quality
Our success is based on the supply of top quality seed, which has purity and germination standards well above the EC minimum.

Seed Treatment
The Agriseed-Forage range is exclusively treated with Integral. Integral is a naturally occurring bacteria which colonises the fine root hairs of the developing seedlings. These bacteria encourage faster root development, warding off harmful micro organisms that can prevent growth.

Using Integral treated seed has shown to increase root and shoot weight giving:

· Between 53% and 85% greater root weight.
· Healthier plants
· Improved early growth
· Reduced weed ingress.
· Better Nutrient Uptake.
For more information on the Integral seed treatment, please click here INTEGRAL PDF

The Grainfarmers UAP Agriseed-Forage Range

Selection Chart

After Maize Mixture
A one year plus intensive silage mixture. Highly responsive to nitrogen and has the important advantage of speedy re-growth after cutting and grazing. High tetraploid content to maximise sugars.

May Climax: 2 year silage ley
Massive yields with emphasis on 1st cut yield and quality. Cut 15-21 May (70D-67D). May Climax can be ensiled throughout the season with the aftermaths utilised for grazing. Contains NIAB recommended varieties of the most productive Italian and Hybrid Rye grasses.
May Climax is capable of the most efficient response to nitrogen. Care should be taken to replace the potash removed by the cut of silage.

Flexible: 2-3 year ley for grazing or silage
Flexible, as its name suggests, is intended to provide a choice of management systems.
Supported by adequate fertiliser applications, Flexible can be the most productive and versatile ley on the farm. If conservation is part of the management, care should be taken to replace the potash removed during this operation.

Charger: 4-5 year “all grass” main season grazing ley
Charger is formulated to respond to high performance demands. Suitable for all grazing situations and all classes of stock.
Perennial ryegrasses perform at their best and most cost-effective when managed intensively under high nitrogen inputs. 300-400 units/acre are recommended to obtain the highest possible yields. Surplus production should be conserved as quality silage.

White Charger: 4-5 year grazing ley, with White Clover Blend
Similar to Charger being based on NIAB recommended varieties of perennial ryegrass but containing The ‘Agriseed’ White Clover Blend to enhance voluntary intake for increased milk or Live Weight Gain.
Sow into top 2cm of fine well-consolidated seed bed.

Red Leader: 2-3 Red Clover Ryegrass for enhanced protein silage
2-3 year Red Clover Ryegrass ley designed to increase protein levels in your silage and decrease the dependency on “bag” nitrogen. Aftermath can be used for lamb finishing. Ideal for lead in to organic farming systems.
Check soil fertility indices to ensure pH and P & K levels are correct. For clover pH should be a minimum of 6.0 and indices less than 2+ should be enhanced.

Long Term Extra. Cutting and grazing mixture
A true long term mixture for grazing and cutting, with consistent growth and rapid recovery through the growing season. Timothy included for winter hardiness and early spring growth, plus the quality ‘Agriseed’ clover blend to improve the sward’s palatability.

Permanent Mixtures
Choose from Permanent or Permanent Plus. Both mixtures are true permanent mixtures for grazing and cutting. Permanent Plus contains Timothy and White Clover for improved palatability and reduced fertiliser requirements.

The Meadow: 3-5 year hay and grazing ley
Containing a blend of both hay and grazing varieties of perennial ryegrass, Timothy, Meadow Fescue and White Clover to produce the best traditional hay.
The Meadow is equally suitable as a grazing pasture for beef, sheep and suckler herds and for young stock.
Recommended for all soils except the very drought prone sands, where our ‘Dry Ground’ mixture may prove more suitable.

Alternative mixtures
As well as the mixture above Grainfarmers UAP Ltd, also stock more specialist mixtures, for example:
Dry Ground Mixture. Cocksfoot/Meadow Fescue.
Lamb Mixture. Early grazing for lambs.
Sheep Mixture. Main grazing sheep mixture.
Horse Paddock Mixture, plus Horse paddock mixture with herbs.

Agriseed Pelleted White Clover Blend
This is a pelleted form of our Agriseed white clover blend, which contains varieties Crusader 50% and Barblanca 50%. The pelleting process doubles the normal size of the clover seed allowing for easier drill adjustment and more uniform seed dispersal. The extra weight and density improves seed flow and enables the seed to be spread more evenly and accurate when broadcast. With the added benefit of being treated with Headstart, this will ensure maximum establishment with the minimal of effort. Packed in 10kg and 25kg packs, with a sowing grate of 5kgs/ hectare/ 2kgs/ acre.

Root Crops
Root and forage crops are now playing an increasingly important role in UK agriculture. The feeding of livestock economically and efficiently puts ever greater pressure on producers to consider all cost saving options available to them. By selecting the correct species and varieties, livestock farmers can confidently look forward to maximising their home grown feed production and enhancing their profitability.

Stubble Turnips
Sow April/ May for grazing 9 weeks later, commonly finishing lambs
Sow July/ Aug for Nov – Dec use · 3 kg/ acre broadcast, 2 kg/ acre drilled
Excellent catch crop, which can produce a highly palatable feed in just 9 – 12 weeks. Ideal for sheep and cattle feeding
Combicoat seed treatment available to reduce Flea Beetle attacks
Preferred varieties, Samson, Delilah, Barkant, Rondo

Kale
Sow April/ May
2-3 kg/ acre broadcast, 2 kg/ acre drilled
All treated for damping off diseases and early fungal attacks
All natural seed
Combicoat seed treatment available to reduce Flea Beetle attacks
Preferred varieties, Keeper, Caledonian, Prover, Grampian

Fodder Beet
Sow April/ May
50,000 seed packs. For 1 acre
For use Jan – March
Gaucho seed treatment available
Preferred varieties, Kyros, Jamon, Maestro

Swedes
Sow April/ May
1-1.5 kg/ acre broadcast, 1kg/ acre drilled
All treated for damping off diseases and early fungal attacks
For use Jan – March
Preferred varieties, Invitation, Gowrie

Forage Rape
Sow April to August
2.5 kg/ acre
For use Nov – Dec, usually for sheep
Quicker growing, with higher protein content than Stubble Turnips
Often used as catch crop in arable rotation when sown after early harvest for later use
The choice between Stubble Turnips and Forage Rape is a practical decision dependant upon the time available to sow
Preferred varieties, Hobson, Interval

Forage Rye
Sow August/ September Ideal for early turnout/ bite
Three weeks earlier turnout that Italian ryegrass
Suitable for cattle or sheep
Can also be zero grazed or made into big bale silage.
25kg bags, Sowing Rate 75kg/acre.
Preferred variety, Humbolt

For more details on any of the above or to be sent a copy of our latest 2006 leaflet please contact [email protected] or phone Toby on 01962 794605.