Productive Grassland Species
Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne)
Included in the vast majority of the UK ley mixes due to its adaptability, persistence, longevity and potential to yield very highly. It is quick to establish and is winter hardy. Categorised as early, mid and late flowering, ranging from mid-May to mid-June, with numerous varieties to choose from. Some are very leafy with little stem, ideal for grazing. Others are better suited to silage making having an earlier more upright growth. It yields around 13 tonnes DM/ha and most varieties last around 5 years or more.
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Early Perennials
These varieties grow well in spring with an upright growth and bulk up quickly for conservation. They are more persistent than Italian Ryegrasses, but mid-season production isn’t quite as high.
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Intermediate Perennials
Due to their denser growth pattern, intermediate or mid-season are often used to put a bottom into mixtures. They are persistent and potentially offer high yields for both grazing and conservation throughout the season.
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Late Perennials
These extremely persistent varieties are included in long term leys where their dense growth stands up well to paddling by hooves and they yield well, mid to late season.
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Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum)
Used in short-term leys, Italian Ryegrass only last 18 to 24 months but are earlier maturing than Perennials by up to 3 weeks. They produce a more open sward with fewer tillers, but they respond well to a dressing of nitrogen fertilisers and can provide up to 18 tonnes DM/ha in suitable conditions. They require frequent cutting / topping to maintain quality, and surplus growth needs to be removed to improve winter hardiness. To achieve optimum levels of spring growth, late summer / early autumn establishment is best.
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Hybrid Ryegrass
Italian/Perennial Ryegrass Hybrids can posess some very useful qualities addressing the short comings of both parents. Depending on the variety, they can be more persistent than an Italian lasting up to 4 years and with a better ground cover. Generally better suited to wetter conditions. They can also offer quick regrowth, responding well to nitrogen applications, so can be more productive than a Perennial. For high protein leys they mix well with Red Clover.
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Tetraploids
As a result of having more chromosomes and larger cells, Tetraploids have larger seeds and leaves. This makes them ideal for over-seeding as they are quick to establish. They have a high tolerance of drought conditions and are winter hardy. Compared with Diploids they also offer improved palatability and higher sugar levels. They tiller less and aren’t so persistent so are more suited to silage leys than long-term grazing leys.
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Cocksfoot (Dactylis Glomerate)
Another grass that provides “early bite” in the spring and recovers quickly after grazing or cutting. If grazed hard Cocksfoot remains leafy and can be very good for up to four years, but in long-term pasture it eventually becomes “tussocky,” coarse and unpalatable. It has lower digestibility and sugars than Ryegrass. Continues growing in dry weather due to deep roots, so has a role to play on difficult soil types and is winter hardy.
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Westerwolds (Lolium Westerwoldicum)
The highest yielding ryegrass with similar qualities to Italians. It is an annual grass. May be sown in the autumn for cropping in the spring and summer, or sown in the spring for summer production. The main attribute of this species is its rapid production in only 12 to 14 weeks from sowing. Defoliation by either cutting or grazing is essential to prevent a serious decline in digestibility due to their prolific heading! They are invariably sown as a straight because of this fast growth but short lifespan and a typical silage yield of 13.5 tonnes of DM/ha can be expected from a spring sown crop.
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Timothy (Phelum Pratense)
Can be slow to establish and not likely to yield as highly as Perennial Ryegrass, but Timothy is an important long-term grass and offers several useful characteristics justifying its inclusion in grass mixes. It grows at lower temperatures than ryegrass so is good for early bite, particularly in cold late springs. Very winter hardy and persists well in wet conditions and maintains production on poorer dry soils, despite having a shallow root structure. It provides good mid-season growth and palatability when ryegrass growth falters so is often included in both cut and graze mixes. Very good for pastures grazed mainly by sheep and can make good hay. Very persistent and disease free.