Good-Quality Grazing Grass Is Worth Its Weight In Gold

A livestock producer’s biggest task is to have enough grazing to feed his animals. Good-quality grazing should also be available throughout the year, when and where it suits the producer.

- Koos du Pisanie

Cultivating pastures can be a breeze if you have water and enough space. And while a solid stand of cultivated grazing will require some capital, it may well yield greater dividends than you expected. However, there are some pitfalls to avoid, especially in the stages prior to planting your grazing.

Choose the right crop

Producers can choose from a myriad summer grazing crops and species, but once you have settled on a type, it is essential that you take the right decisions going forward. While each species has specific traits which determine its cultivation, there are several variables that must be considered. Climate, rainfall, soil type, soil condition, location, altitude and so on determine which species are optimally adapted to a certain area.

This is according to Johan Olivier of Selected Seeds, an expert who works across the country ensuring that producers make the right choices. He says several stalwart grasses are utilised for summer grazing. Perennial species include Eragrostis, Smutsfinger grass, Rhodes grass, white and blue buffalo grass, bottlebrush grass, kikuyu, Bermuda grass and Bahia grass. Annual summer grazing that producers can rely on include teff grass, sweet sorghum, feed sorghum and babala.

Some producers plant only one type, while others prefer planting a variety – usually as a once-off mix – allowing for longer availability of good quality grass.

Do your homework before buying

Johan believes it will be a mistake to use just any mix. Each producer’s farm is unique, and he or she must decide beforehand what the purpose of the cultivated grazing is before compiling a mix. Is it aimed at grazing, haymaking or both? Or will it also be used for silage?