MORE FEED
FASTER
Winter star II
Tetraploid annual ryegrass
- Ideal between maize crops
- Fast to establish
- Quick, early feed for grazing or silage
- Autumn sow for high yields of quality autumn, winter and spring feed
- Improved spring production and quality
- Ideal for undersowing into existing pastures
Winter Star II tetraploid annual ryegrass is suitable for quick winter feed with improved spring quality, making it ideal for silage and hay production. Winter Star II is high yielding with fast establishment giving excellent autumn growth. As a tetraploid, Winter Star II also has excellent feed quality.
Grazing Management
It is recommended that a rotational grazing system be used when feeding Winter Star II tetraploid annual ryegrass, to allow improved regrowth following grazing.
A paddock of Winter Star II being cut for silage.
Sowing and Establishment
Winter Star II tetraploid annual ryegrass should be sown alone at a minimum of 25 kg/ha, using higher rates for more winter feed, or at a minimum of 14 kg/ha using Superstrike® treated seed in an undersowing situation.
Pasture Life: 6-9 month option
BENEFITS OF WINTER STAR II
Benefits of Winter Star II Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass as a Specialist Grass Between Maize Silage Crops
| Winter Star II | Tama | |
| Establishment (kgDM/ha) | 1539 | 1382 |
| Winter (kgDM/ha) | 2957 | 2397 |
| Early spring (kgDM/ha) | 3152 | 2972 |
| Total (kgDM/ha) | 7648 | 6751 |
| Cultivar price ($/kg) | $4.59 | $2.71 |
| Seed cost ($/ha) | $138 | $81 |
| Profit ($/ha) | $1468 | $1337 |
| Profit over Tama ($/ha) | $131 |
The above table is a combination of three winter feed trials sown in autumn 2011, 2012 and 2014. Establishment dry matter production includes March-May, Winter includes June, July and early spring includes August and September. Seed was sown bare at a rate of 30 kg/ha. Dry matter is valued at $0.21/kgDM standing. Cultivar prices are the estimated North Island retail price for bare Winter Star II and Tama seed. Prices exclude GST.
“Winter Star II on the milking platform has given us options to make more silage that is better quality than previous years. It keeps growing well into August and September and maintains its quality, enabling us to turn low producing paddocks into high performing paddocks within 12 months. The extra production has certainly paid for the cost of the seed.”
