THE LEUCAENA NETWORK NEWS

kilos of beef. Leucaena provides a high protein base, so
to maximise the efficiency in this system, a pasture with
high yields and high digestibility needs to accompany the
legume.
Previously, much work had revolved around the reestablishment
of buffel and panic species in between rows
of leucaena. This has had varying degrees of success and
in general has produced the highest dry matter yields.
Rhodes grasses have also been used extensively with the
Callide types out-performing the Katambora types on a
yield basis, but can lack palatability in the later growth
stages or during dry periods. All of these varieties are
tufted grasses and under high grazing pressure situations,
leave much ground exposed for competing weeds and
erosion concerns.
I believe it to be possible to plant aggressive, high yielding
varieties of grasses which exhibit high digestibility. Before
the environmentally concerned ‘Green’ types banish me
to another industry where I can cause no environmental
harm, let me explain what we seed types talk to our plant
breeders about when we say ‘aggressive’.
Our new proprietary Rhodes grasses have been selected
for long, multiple runners with short internode length.
This simply means that the plant colonises more
effectively and binds the rooting zone. They provide
better matting on the soil which tolerates traffic and heavy
grazing and also exhibit quick bounce-back after rainfall
events. So therefore, ‘aggressiveness’ should not be in any
way confused with ‘invasiveness’.
The varieties which I refer to are Tolgar and Toro. Both
have only in recent years been released commercially.
Tolgar is bred from Katambora whilst Toro is from
Callide. They exhibit growth characteristics and flowering
periods vastly different to what you see in the current
varieties.
They are more productive and produce more energy
through having more leaf and less coarse, indigestible
stem material. In most cases, these grasses compliment,
rather than replace, what is currently being used. It is
not recommended that additional legumes be planted in
these systems, rather rely on opportune natural clover and
medic growth from timely rains.
Sabi grass, which is more commonly known as Urochloa
is another valuable species. Many farmers who plant
sorghum or cotton will be aware of this species as it can
be a major problem in cultivation country. It is hard to
control because it grows quickly and then hays off quickly,
often before it can be effectively controlled chemically.
What makes it a problem in cultivation, makes it great in
pasture situations. Sabi grass provides a flush of palatable
feed quickly then hays off. Whilst Sabi on its own in a
leucaena system is not seasonally viable, it can be a useful
species when mixed in with other long season grasses.
It is not wise to plant just one species of grass to
accompany leucaena, just as it is not viable to plant ten
different species and expect them all to co-exist. Creating
an efficient grazing system means taking dominate and
preferentially grazed varieties and using them to their
strengths, trying to cover as many different seasonal
patterns whilst using the least variety of grasses. When
thinking about what species are best to plant, as each
situation and farm is different, talking with agronomists
and consultants is usually the first and most important
step. Different outcomes require different species.
Ross Bruggemann, National Sales Manager
Australian Premium Seeds
Ph. 07 3879 3350
silk sorghum
It is often asked, what is the best way to establish grass in
the leucaena plantation. Well it is easy to say that every
situation should be considered separately. But I have
found over time that if you can get a good ground cover of
some sort from a fast growing crop which has been under
sown with your grass mix, then you will probably have the
best chance of getting the grasses established.
The reason I see this as working most times is that you
are getting ground cover and some protection for the
emerging grasses i.e. they don’t all germinate on the first
fall of rain.
Here are some reasons why I choose to use silk sorghum
as a cover crop when establishing grasses:
• You are sowing to get a sorghum crop so you are
sowing at the correct time for grasses.
• You will find the Silk is extremely hardy and can
withstand quite severe growing conditions.
• The seed size is similar to most grasses so mixing and
flow rates are not a problem.
• It can be sown on top of the ground and with a light
disturbance you will get quite good germination
results.
• Silk can be grazed quite hard then let recover for good
feed quality and quantity.
• As it is forage sorghum it is readily sort after by the
animals so they are leaving the newly established
grasses alone which in turn allows stronger root
growth by the grasses.
It has been said to me that silk is a ‘robber’ of nutrient and
moisture; however my experience has shown that if you
are starting with good conditions then the plant only adds
to the system. The shading in the paddock seems to outweigh
the moisture requirement.
The other element of silk that puts it at the top of the list
for me is the cost factor. Because it is a reasonably small
seed, your quantity required is not great. I have made
suggestions to people, that about 2 kg/ha as part of a
grass mix is ample seed. At $1.50/kg that makes the silk