Hybrid Grasses – their uses and advantages on Irish dairy and beef farms

What are Hybrid grasses and what are their advantages?

Currently the market in Ireland for hybrid ryegrass is growing rapidly as more and more livestock farmers are looking at hybrids to boost grass and dry matter production on Irish farms

1. Hybrid ryegrasses are a cross between an Italian and a perennial ryegrass. Hybrids possess the vigorous growth habit of Italian ryegrass and have the persistently and density of perennial ryegrass. They produce very leafy swards which promote high intakes giving excellent animal performance.

2. Hybrid grasses and particularly tetraploid varieties have many advantages namely

• Give higher yields of leafy nutritious grass than perennial swards
• Give a more palatable leafy sward giving large intakes of grass DM
• Earlier spring and late autumn growth
• Have higher sugar levels in the leaves
• Larger leaves which means more leaf area
• They present a more upright sward structure. This means ease of grazing for the grazing animal
• Their upright growth structure also means there is more room for the development of white clover
• New varieties of hybrids are now more like perennial ryegrass and so are persistent lasting 4 – 6 years
• Give 2-3 silage cuts per year
• Hybrid swards when cut at the optimum time give excellent quality silage – 80 DMD which will boost animal performance
• A deep rooting system which utilises more efficiently fertiliser nitrogen

For more information on hybrid ryegrasses their advantage's please Contact Us