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
Farm Type
  • Sowing Rate 25 kg/ha
  • Heading Date Late - 9 days later than Nui
  • Tetraploid/Diploid Tetraploid

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.

Roy Willan

“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.”

Roy and Lisa Willan, Waikato