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Pasture Management Keep On Cocksfoot 18th October 2004 Cocksfoot is a productive, drought-tolerant grass. NZ cocksfoot has been exported to Europe since harvesting began on Banks Peninsula in the late 1880s. By collecting cocksfoot from Mediterranean countries plant breeders have significantly improved this grass, and hybrid types now perform well, especially when mixed with ryegrass and clovers. Cocksfoot can become unacceptable to stock if it is not regularly grazed, as it becomes tufted, coarse and unpalatable. It is slower to establish than perennial ryegrass, and often isn’t evident until the second year, but is valuable in drier situations and is suited to light free-draining soils of moderate fertility. Being an endophyte-free grass, cocksfoot can be safely grazed during summer and is generally very pest tolerant. However, its forage quality tends to be lower than perennial ryegrass and can be particularly poor when seedheads are present. Under dry conditions cocksfoot can dominate white clover causing a pasture to become very protein-deficient, unproductive and unpalatable. Cocksfoot cultivars vary in their resistance to stripe and stem rust disease, and these diseases can lower feed quality. Farmers should aim to prevent excessive seedhead development through controlled grazing. Cocksfoot cultivars vary in tiller density under close grazing, tiller size, flowering time and winter growth potential. The more dense-growing types can withstand close continuous grazing. Early flowering cultivars produce more than later-flowering types in early spring but quality declines more rapidly as seedheads emerge. Cocksfoot mixes well with perennial ryegrass and phalaris but dense types may be too aggressive, especially with tall fescue. Sow cocksfoot at 1-2 kg/ha with other grasses or 4-8 kg/ha with just clover. Sow into warmer soils, during Feb–Mar and from Sept to Nov, to hasten seedling establishment. |
©2004 The Main Report Ltd