Lucerne is commonly known as the king of forages. Lucerne is an extremely valuable feed source with the ability to grow 12 months of the year depending on the winter activity of the variety. Lucerne, with its deep root system, has the ability to stay green throughout the summer months, (acting as a fire break), provides quality green feed when moisture is limited, (when perennial grasses are dormant) and gives graziers the ability to sell their stock when they want to. With dormancies ranging from 3 - 11, there is a lucerne variety to suit.
Lucerne Sowing rates
Sowing rates for lucerne vary significantly because of the increased use of pre-coated seed. Dryland stands of lucerne should be sown at a minimum of 5kg/ha and up to a maximum of 20kg/ha for irrigated fine quality hay production. We suggest increasing the rates for coated seed varieties so you can be assured of getting similar plants per square metre established in your pasture.
| Variety | Coating | Winter Activity | Sowing Rate | Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Force II | Force Field | 11 | 8 - 25 | New lucerne with exceptional winter activity. Suited to short term dryland arming systems and especially intensive cutting or grazing under irrigation. |
| Magna 995 | Bare | 9 | 5 - 20 | American genetics, bred specifically for big hay tonnages, very high quality hay/silage, massive year round production, has shown better waterlogging tolerance than other lucerne varieties, irrigation only |
| Magna 868 | Bare | 8 | 5 - 20 | Benchmark hay variety for yield and quality, very fine stems and good leaf to stem ratio, suited to grazing/hay/silage both irrigated and dryland |
| Force7 Series 2 | Force Field | 7 | 8 - 25 | Bred for grazing tolerance and persistence, can withstand extended periods of set stocking, good pest and disease resistance. |
| SARDI 7 Series 2 | Agricote | 7 | 8 - 25 | Proven variety that has shown persistence in dryland and irrigated situations, suited to grazing and hay production. |
| GTL60 | Goldstrike | 6 | 8 - 25 | Persistent variety with low and broad crown. High quality and productivity, dual purpose. |
| Aurora | Bare | 6 | 5 - 20 | Benchmark for persisting and producing on fragile soil types. Improved varieties have been bred, but this variety still has a fit. |
| Stamina GT5 | Superstrike | 5 | 8 - 25 | Very persistent, fast establishing variety, dual purpose variety, good leaf to stem ratio. |
| Q31 | Goldstrike | 3 | 8 - 25 | Bred for premium quality hay/silage under irrigated systems. Superior leaf retention and the highest nutritive value. |
| Venus | Bare | 5 | 5 - 20 | True grazing tolerant variety, excellent option for dryland grazing situations |
