Astro
tetraploid annual ryegrass
- Good seedling vigour and pasture establishment
- Ready to graze in 45-70 days
- Rapid post grazing recovery
- Bred for improved rust and leaf spot resistance
- Early heading ryegrass suited to silage/early hay production
- Ideal short term grazing option prior to sowing paddocks to summer forage crop in spring
New cost effective, pasture seed option for quick winter feed
As a pasture seed replacement for Diamond T, the new early maturing Astro® annual ryegrass continues to be a great low cost option when quick winter feed is the priority. Astro’s excellent seedling vigour combined with early maturity provides growers the option of early winter to spring grazing along with an early cut of silage enabling timely preparation for sowing of summer forage crops.
The combination of impressive seasonal dry matter yields and fast post grazing recovery means Astro can be relied on to supply quality feed during those times of the year when you need it most.
Sowing and establishment
Sow Astro tetraploid annual ryegrass pasture seed at a minimum of 25 kg/ha as pure sward. Astro can be utilised in many different situations and environments. Therefore, Astro's sowing rate should be circumstance specific.
For pasture seed sowing rates specific to your farming needs, contact your local PGG Wrightson Seeds Sales Agronomist here
Grazing management
The early maturity of Astro may shorten the time to first grazing, however it is important to closely monitor plants and prioritise strong establishment. Always monitor the growth stage of any establishing pasture plants and perform pull tests to ensure sound root development.
A well anchored root system allows the young plants to tolerate grazing pressure. Astro's ability to produce quick dry matter will be influenced by early nitrogen applications, apply nitrogen to encourage tillering and increase dry matter production. Nitrogen should be applied before canopy closure, important to note nitrate levels when grazing any autumn forage should be monitored closely.
Rainfall
Minimum 450mm rainfall per annum unless irrigated
I’m very happy with Astro. It performs how we need a pasture grass to perform to fit our business structure.
We used Astro this season (2020) in a paddock earmarked for silage production. The paddock was sown in mid May and had two winter grazings and was then locked up for silage. The paddock was locked up for eight weeks which is a few weeks longer than we would normally do, but we were unable to cut it due to the rain. It yielded exceptionally well.