On-farm ryegrass insights from a Waikato dairy farm

Choosing the right ryegrass for autumn renewal is often about managing risk as much as lifting production.

For Waikato dairy farmers Peter and Victoria Anderson, that means understanding how pasture performs through the season, how reliably it recovers under grazing pressure, and how well it holds together over time.

Milking 340 cows just south of Te Awamutu in the Waikato region, the Andersons are partway through a long-term pasture renewal programme, replacing older grasses with newer genetics. Rather than making large changes at once, they prefer to trial small areas and compare performance alongside other ryegrass varieties under the same dairy grazing and silage management.

RGT Hustle RGT18 was first sown two years ago. Since then, it has been observed through multiple seasons, including extended summer dry periods and periods of high black beetle pressure.

“Early spring is a critical time of year for us, and RGT Hustle has been the best performing ryegrass on the farm from early spring into summer,” Peter says.

Recovery after grazing and silage has also been consistent. Post-cutting, the paddock has shown good regrowth, giving the Andersons flexibility when conditions limit ideal grazing management. It also helps maintain feed supply, which can reduce the reliance on bought-in supplement.

Resilience has been tested through both summer dry and pest pressure. Black beetle numbers were particularly high last season, and while some of the other new grasses have begun to thin already, Peter has been impressed by how well RGT Hustle RGT18 has maintained its density and quality. He believes the RGT18 endophyte has contributed significantly.

Through summer, the pasture continued to perform and recovered well once moisture returned, which Peter sees as important for pasture longevity and maintaining consistent grazing covers.

These resilience traits have contributed to pasture density. After two years, the sward hasn’t thinned at all, with fewer gaps opening up compared with some other areas of the farm. “It’s stayed dense and even like a green carpet,” Peter says. “That makes it easier to manage and helps keep weeds out.”

For the Andersons, that density supports good utilisation and reduces the need for remedial work. Based on two seasons of observation, they’re so impressed with the performance of RGT Hustle RGT18 that they’ve put in twice as much this season.

For farmers planning autumn renewal, their experience shows that the right genetics, tested on your own farm, can offer real confidence in renewal decisions.

For more information on creating the right pastures for your farm’s needs, talk to your local TSR today.

Article supplied by RAGT