Best Drought Crops for grazing

[clod hopper]

2 summers of drought in a row (50% chance each year). I'm starting to look for something to grow with chicory. There was a few crops of sorghum grown in the area this year. It grows fast but the recommend grazing at 80cm high so not sure if suitable for sheep. Anybody with àny experience or other options please

 

[Pan mixer]

Festololium seemed better able to cope with drought than Italian, I grow some of the fescue cross Italian for haylage. There is a fescue cross perennial which should be better for grazing, I sowed some last autumn but it drowned.

 

[spin cycle]

did think about maize....other countries do it......game variety for vigour perhaps....leystar as herbicide

 

[HarryB97]

I have been thinking the same thing and am moving away from grass completley for silage now. Lucerne cant be beaten for drought tolerance but must be paddock grazed. Even on our heavy land the red clover has been terrible after first cut the last two years, 2017 it was brilliant though all summer.

 

[clod hopper]

Festololium seemed better able to cope with drought than Italian, I grow some of the fescue cross Italian for haylage. There is a fescue cross perennial which should be better for grazing, I sowed some last autumn but it drowned.

Sorry to hear about that. I do have some in the sward and red clover. They struggle with wet feet we are on peat land.Our winters are mild and we get very wet for 6-8 weeks average 14C day temp. Mid Winter so very long growing season in a wet summer. (This year was dry for 3months.)

did think about maize....other countries do it......game variety for vigour perhaps....leystar as herbicide

Looking for grazing I am. Yes ideal for mazie but not looking for silage I can make plenty of grass silage

 

[DanM]

Looking for grazing I am. Yes ideal for mazie but not looking for silage I can make plenty of grass silage

I think @spin cycle is referring to using maize for grazing.

Perennial options; cocksfoot pairs well with chicory. Sainfoin is another deep rooted grazing option

 

[clod hopper]

I have been thinking the same thing and am moving away from grass completley for silage now. Lucerne cant be beaten for drought tolerance but must be paddock grazed. Even on our heavy land the red clover has been terrible after first cut the last two years, 2017 it was brilliant though all summer.

Lucerne don't like it feet been wet and heavy grazing so not sure it will complete with grass in spring.

I think @spin cycle is referring to using maize for grazing.
Perennial options; cocksfoot pairs well with chicory. Sainfoin is another deep rooted grazing option

Gotcha!
How will sainfoin grow in wet winter been grazed every 40 days and 20ish days in spring on rotation.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Cocksfoot is hard nails. Meadow fescue as well .and tall fescue....

 

[Bury the Trash]

and small leaved clover

 

[Great In Grass]

What @Bury the Trash says plus some Timothy and there just happens to be a mix available ?

 

[clod hopper]

We've had some rain recently and getting green again. Good coverage of clover by the looks of it and grass is starting to move. Chicory is just priceless here grows all year

 

[som farmer]

we have put some long term pasture in this spring, with cocksfoot and timothy in, festololiums, let us down badly last year in drought conditions, even though they were 'drought tolerant', they died. Coming to the conclusion, all the 'new' varieties of grass, are great in the right conditions, but.....Also, their seed heads are smaller = less chance of a natural reseeding if hay is cut. It's all very well, selling us these great new leys, will increase production etc, but 1 dry year in 5, takes all that 'extra' production, when compared to 'older' pasture that keeps going. After 2 very dry summers, we have either overseeded, or reseeded, 75% of our grass leys, some bits twice. Time for a serious rethink, the money spent on reseeding, and in buying in fodder, has left us a big hole in our pockets ! If we hadn't grown hybrid rape, for summer grazing, and out wintering, the dairy probably would have gone.

 

[jondear]

Planting under sown ley today with cocksfoot , chicory ,Aber ryegrass and plantain.

 

[som farmer]

get differing opinions on chicory, in how it would cope with rotational grazing, plantain is in the natural seed bank, cocksfoot used to be a major grass here, replaced by ryegrasses, and now going back in !

 

[Bury the Trash]

Cocksfoot for the dry time on thin soils as well, but let it go unfashionably clumpy , it will then grow something green leaved from that clump when evrything else wont ,
it will also do well in wetter times/ heavier soil situations.

 

[deleted user 837354]

we have put some long term pasture in this spring, with cocksfoot and timothy in, festololiums, let us down badly last year in drought conditions, even though they were 'drought tolerant', they died. Coming to the conclusion, all the 'new' varieties of grass, are great in the right conditions, but.....Also, their seed heads are smaller = less chance of a natural reseeding if hay is cut. It's all very well, selling us these great new leys, will increase production etc, but 1 dry year in 5, takes all that 'extra' production, when compared to 'older' pasture that keeps going. After 2 very dry summers, we have either overseeded, or reseeded, 75% of our grass leys, some bits twice. Time for a serious rethink, the money spent on reseeding, and in buying in fodder, has left us a big hole in our pockets ! If we hadn't grown hybrid rape, for summer grazing, and out wintering, the dairy probably would have gone.

Again, I don't how you fudged your festoliums but you did something to it. They grow like a plague and are hard as nails. I suggest you possibly bought the IRG x Fesc variety.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Cocksfoot for the dry time on thin soils as well, but let it go unfashionably clumpy , it will then grow something green leaved from that clump when evrything else wont ,
it will also do well in wetter times/ heavier soil situations.

You have to manage it right or it will go very clumpy. Timothy is a bit more behaved.

The problem is that the majority of the time half this county is classified as wet. Timothy thrives in that, I'd nearly be tempted to put 3kg in a mix and see how it went. It is a tough little plant but nothing is going to grow in a hard drought.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Cocksfoot is hard nails. Meadow fescue as well .and tall fescue....

How much of each do you put in a mix? Back it with say, 4-6kg of a diploid PRG?

 

[deleted user 837354]

did think about maize....other countries do it......game variety for vigour perhaps....leystar as herbicide

No don't use game varieties, they are cheap and naff. Choose one with best vigour available, certainly a 7.5. Look for maturity ratings too. Can use a whole host of herbicides, even pastor works...

Sorghum maybe? Possibly a bit tough for grazing.

 

[Bury the Trash]

You have to manage it right or it will go very clumpy. Timothy is a bit more behaved.

The problem is that the majority of the time half this county is classified as wet. Timothy thrives in that, I'd nearly be tempted to put 3kg in a mix and see how it went. It is a tough little plant but nothing is going to grow in a hard drought.

Let it go clumpy was what I meant actually, the clumps and their big root stock sustain it and make it comeback in the very dry when other grasses don't do anything .