New pasture a first for NZ

For immediate release 
4 October 2007

New pasture a first for NZ

It’s the first pasture of its kind to be developed in New Zealand, and it’s available now for spring sowing.

Arrow perennial ryegrass is a new pasture designed especially for farmers who want to increase early season production.

It combines two important characteristics that up until now have never been available in one single ryegrass variety  early growth, and a medium to late flowering date.

The first means Arrow gets cracking when every blade of grass counts; the second means it holds its quality later in spring.

Breeder Agriseeds says this new variety has broken the mould for perennial ryegrasses.

“Before Arrow, farmers could sow early flowering ryegrass for early yield, or late flowering ryegrass for better quality in late spring, but there was never the option of ticking both boxes with just one variety.

“We believe this new pasture breakthrough will deliver significant benefit for farmers seeking to fill traditional pasture feed deficits during lambing or calving,” says NZ sales manager Stephen Bennett.

“It will give them as early as start as they can get without selecting a specific early-flowering variety.”

Meridian ryegrass has long set the standard for pasture growth in early spring, but Arrow goes a step further.

“It has similar winter and early spring growth to Meridian, but it significantly outperforms it in late spring, summer and autumn, so it gives much better total yield.

“And flowering 24 days later than Meridian (7 days later than Bronsyn) means much better feed quality in October and November.”

Farmers looking to feed their ewes better during mating and pregnancy will also gain from Arrow, as will dairy farmers wanting to capitalise on autumn milk production. 

Physically the new variety has an erect growth habit, which improves clover compatibility and lifts feed quality for stock.

For more detail contact your seed merchant.

ENDS

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