The pleasant and warmer weather experienced during the first half of April finally brought about a welcome increase in grass growth, largely in line with the five-year average for this time of year.

Many paddocks identified for reseeding were sprayer, harrowed and sown at the start of April, with many more earmarked for the coming weeks. As Teagasc has noted, reseeding increases the farm’s overall productivity and allows higher animal output per hectare relative to permanent pasture.

The benefits of reseeding are well established since it represents the fastest on-farm investment return. Reseeding also helps farms to increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) by minimising nitrogen losses to water. It also improves yield and quality and helps to reduce the requirement to buy feed.

However, it’s worth re-emphasising several other benefits that arise from reseeding. Research indicates that new leys, when compared to older permanent pasture:

• Are 25% more responsive to applied Nitrogen;
• Results in more available grass in the shoulders of the season;
• Results in faster re-growths and
• Increases total annual production /ha.

Teagasc estimates that a low portion of perennial ryegrass in the sward is costing the average dairy farm up to €300/ha in lost grass production during the growing season.

When planning a reseed, the largest gains will be made by replacing the oldest/least productive swards e.g., your paddocks with the least number of grazings last year.

Where reseeding or sward rejuvenation occurs, clover inclusions cannot be overlooked for obvious reasons due to its nitrogen-fixing abilities. Soil fertility must be centric to the reseeding protocol, especially where we want a successful clover establishment (alongside good management practices in the first 12 months).

Over-sowing clover on grazing paddocks can work well – while the best opportunity to incorporate clover into a sward is always at the point of reseeding.

For further advice, contact your local Agritech Sales Advisor.

Reseeding should be considered as a long- term investment. It is advised farmers should aim to reseed approximately 10% of their grazing grounds every year, resulting in a renewed platform every 10 years.

Current grassland management figures highlight that every extra tonne of grass utilised is worth an additional €173 to the farm.

Grass utilisation hinges around grassland management practices and soil fertility. At the root of this needs to be a pasture that is palatable, has the ability to grow sufficient levels of grass, especially in the vital periods of the year, and is accommodating to the establishment of clover.

Choosing the right grass seed mixture

Grass seed costs typically account for 20% of the total reseeding spend. It is important to assess what mixture will best suit your system, as these grasses will be in situ for the next 8-10 years.

The least performing paddocks must be identified first. Take into consideration poor total annual yields, poor response to applied fertiliser, slow recovery post-grazing, high weed burden, low perennial ryegrass %, and low or no clover establishment. Once you have identified the poor-performing paddocks, the next step is to choose a grass seed mixture that will best suit the desired system. Whether that is for grazing, silage, zero-grazing, 1-cut and graze.

When it comes to selecting the correct grass seed mixture, only varieties on the Irish Grass and Clover Recommended List should be considered. Selecting a grass seed mixture with varieties from the Irish Grass and Clover Recommended List gives farmers the confidence that they are selecting a mixture that has been tried and tested, with proven performance in Irish growing conditions.

Diploids vs Tetraploids 

Questions regarding diploids versus tetraploids, and what the ‘best’ ratio of inclusion is for grazing are often asked. In the past it was thought that diploids were a requirement for heavy ground as they were more tolerant against poaching. However, research shows that persistency on wet farms between diploids and tetraploids is insignificant, with grazing management carrying much more weight in this area.

Tetraploid-dominant mixtures should be considered in all systems, as tetraploids typically perform better for grazing utilisation and offer faster recovery post-grazing or cutting. Ground cover is often also thought to be poorer in tetraploid dominant mixes, however with the inclusion of new varieties such as Nashota, this allows for high percentages of tetraploids to be used without having to compromise on ground cover. The number of varieties sown in a mixture should be limited to three-four perennials. Sowing a mixture with more varieties than this can dilute certain desired performance characteristics.

Grass Seed: Desired characteristics 

A grass seed mixture should contain varieties that offer a blend of key traits. These key traits should centre around spring growth, total yield and grazing ultisiation.

Grass availability during the shoulder seasons of the year (spring and autumn) is vitally important, with spring carrying the highest weight. According to Teagasc, spring grass has a value of €0.17c/kg DM, relative to summer grass valued at €0.04c and autumn grass valued at €0.11c/kg DM.

Grazing utilisation is important and should be a key factor when selecting a grass seed mixture As part of the Pasture Profit Index (PPI), grazing utilisation is given in a star-rating scale 1-5 and should be part of every farmer’s decision making when choosing a grass seed mixture. According to Maeve, the winning and losing of every reseed will be how satisfied the herd are when grazing it.

Grass Seed Mixtures 2023

Agritech’s grass seed mixtures for 2023 include leading varieties Nashota, Aberplentiful, AberClyde and Callan.

• AberClyde is the number 1 listed variety on the PPI for a consecutive fourth year. An intermediate tetraploid that is suitable for both silage and grazing mixtures.
• Nashota is a unique and exciting variety that has ground cover scores on par with top diploids, while also having the desired characteristics of a tetraploid – this year a 5-star variety for grazing utilisation.
• Aberplentfiul is a highly rated variety, ranking as the number 1 late tetraploid for spring growth and total overall annual yield.
• Callan is the number 1 diploid for grazing utilisation and is very highly rated for spring growth.

GroQuik®: Proven Results 

All of Agritech’s grass seed mixtures are treated with a unique biological seed stimulant, GroQuik®. GroQuik® has been proven to enhance seedling establishment and accelerate germination and root development in both grasses and clover. In recent commercial field trials, GroQuik® dressed grass seed mixtures was proven to increase plant emergence by 14.8%, leading to 8.3% more grass availability in the first grazing and 5.4% more available grass in the first season of ley establishment.

Further information: 

To learn more about our Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Sales Advisor.

As Irish farmers, we must be relentless in the pursuit to maximise the use of our unrivalled global advantage, growing grass. Alongside good grassland management, improving soil fertility and grazing infrastructure, reseeding is a critical pillar in optimising output from the grazing platform, be it for milk or meat production.

Reseeding a pasture should be viewed as a long-term farm investment over 8-10 years. The aim is to reseed 10% of the grazing platform annually, resulting in a completely renewed platform every 10 years. However, currently only 7% of the land area on specialist dairy farms in Ireland is reseeded annually (approx. 2.5% nationally if we look at the country’s entire grassland area).

A low proportion of perennial ryegrass in the sward is costing farmers up to €300/ha in lost grass production during the growing season. While according to national farm survey data, increasing total herbage production when coupled with good grassland management, can result in an additional €173 profit for every extra tonne of grass utilised on farm.

The key benefits that come with reseeding:

• Increased growth rates in the shoulders of the year.
• A sward that is approximately 25% more responsive to applied nitrogen.
• Higher feed value.
• Faster regrowth post-grazing or cutting.

In many situations due to increased demand in the spring, reseeding plans are postponed until autumn. However, this shouldn’t be the case- the higher performance post-reseeding typically compensates for loss of performance during the reseeding process and the poor performance of the sward prior to reseeding. This coupled with the fact that growth rates elsewhere on the platform at this time of year will be at their highest.

Also, compared to autumn reseeding, spring reseeds generally allow greater flexibility for post-emergence weed control, with post-emergence weed control being crucial for long-term success of a sward.

Further information: 

For further advice on spring reseeding, view our top tips here. 

To learn more about our Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Sales Advisor.

A high level of management is required to ensure that the reseeding process is carried out properly, as too often, the return on investment is restricted due to poor sward establishment. The two most important things to focus on are; the quality of the swards and the fertility of the soil.

Like any investment, grassland reseeding should be carefully planned to minimise the cost and maximise the return.

1. Identify the lowest performing areas, i.e. below farm average grass growth/ha or a noticeable drop in animal performance.
2. Identify the resources behind this drop in performance. For example, does the sward contain less than 40% perennial ryegrass?
3. Has the soil received adequate Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and Lime? Carry out a soil sample if required.

Soil Testing 

To achieve maximum results from your new reseed and to improve the productivity of the sward, soil fertility must be correct. Prior to reseeding, it is crucial to carry out soil tests for Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K) and pH, testing to a minimum of 10 cm soil depth.

Fertiliser Plan 

Your fertiliser plan is crucial, as this will address any soil fertility issues. Where soil fertility is below the recommended rate, it will require 2 to 3 bags of 10-10-20 to provide enough P to feed the sward, kick start early growth and allow the sward to reach its full potential. Early P is essential for root development, as it feeds the roots and the roots feed the leaf. Nitrogen (N) without P, only feeds the leaf and does not achieve the same response.

Grass Mixture Choice

According to Agritech’s Business Development Manager, Bil Ryan, once you identify your areas for reseeding, decide whether it will be used for grazing or silage, as this will influence your grass mixture type.

“Agritech’s Tipperary Grass Seed Range has a mix for every situation and has built an excellent reputation with farmers throughout the country for delivering optimal germination, establishment and increased yield in new grass leys,” states Bil.

Agritech’s flagship premium mixture, Tipperary Grass No. 4A is suitable for intensive paddock grazing, whereas Tipperary Grass No.2 can be used for a less intensive grazing system. Tipperary Grass No.5 is designed to produce up to five cuts of high quality forage as zero grazing or three cuts of silage and the traditional Tipperary Grass No.3 is ideal for two cuts of silage, plus shoulder grazing.

For further advice on reseeding or to choose a suitable grass mixture from the Tipperary Grass Seed Range, contact your local Agritech distributor.