Mike Walker Archive | Gambier Seeds

Forage cereals

Forage cereals are a very reliable option for prolific winter/spring forage. Most forage cereals will prefer soils of a well drained nature, but there are varieties that handle periodical waterlogging better than others. Oats/barley/wheat and triticale are the most commonly used forage varieties and can be grazed early prior to being shut up for hay…

Fodder Crops

Summer fodder crops are an extremely valuable out of season feed source. By January/February when feed is limited, farmers will wish they had a summer forage crop in the ground as they produce large volumes of feed and are relatively inexpensive to establish.They can be used as maintenance feed, as an alternative to feeding out…

Perennial Herbs

Perennial herbs fill a niche market in our region. They bring a blend of persistence, palatability, digestibility and the ability to collect nutrients from the soil which leads to increased animal production. When included in pasture mixes, perennial herbs have been linked to a reduction in scouring calves and almost alleviating the symptoms of red…

Lucerne

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),…

Medics

Medics, are self-regenerating annual clover varieties that grow in autumn, winter and spring. Medics will thrive in lower rainfall regions and are well adapted to coastal regions, high pH and slightly acid soils. Medics will regenerate readily if allowed to set seed and will provide large volumes of palatable forage which can be grazed or…

Annual Clover

Annual clovers are almost always used as the legume component in hay/silage and grazing mixes. Annual clovers produce large volumes of feed through the winter/spring and early summer and are suited to many different soil types. Annual clovers offer excellent value for money as they are sown at low rates and establish readily from seed,…

White Clover

Locally white clover is known to only persist under irrigated and high rainfall (+700mm) conditions. Some smaller leafed varieties have lasted for 2 - 3 years if conditions are favourable but generally irrigated areas are the best fit for white clover. White clover is slow to establish from seed and this trait has been a…

Tall Fescue

Tall fescue has the ability to not only survive, but to thrive in our tough conditions. Fescues have a much deeper root system than ryegrass and also possess heat tolerance properties. All fescue varieties need to be managed carefully in order to get the balance right between maximum stock production and plant persistence. Recent breeding…

Red Clover

Red clover can be used in irrigated pasture mixes to boost summer production. Locally it has been difficult to maintain necessary levels of persistence. Strict rotational grazing practices should be followed if red clover is to be included in your pasture mix. Including a small amount of red clover in specialist irrigated summer crop mixes…

Subterranean Clover

Subterranean clover is an extremely valuable self-regenerating annual clover. Sub clover offers excellent value for money due to the large volumes of dry matter (forage) that can be produced. If it is managed correctly and allowed to set seed periodically, it may only need to be sown once, due to its enormous ability to set…

About: Mike Walker

Recent Posts by Mike Walker

Forage cereals

Fodder Crops

Perennial Herbs

Lucerne

Medics

Annual Clover

White Clover

Tall Fescue

Red Clover

Subterranean Clover

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