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    La Crosse Seed Product Tech Sheets

    For general Information regarding this species, scroll below the list of tech sheet links.

    General Information Concerning Forage Grasses

    Characteristics

    Our Forage First® brand forage grasses include proven varieties and elite offerings with improved genetics to ensure your pastures thrive and animals perform to the highest standard. Many of these grasses form foundations to our premium Forage First® pasture mixes.

     

    Annual Ryegrass

    Establishment: Fast
    Persistence: Low
    Drought Tolerance: Med
    Winter Hardiness: Med
    Palatability: High
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 20-40
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 5-10
    Seeds/lb.: 227,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 5-14
    Life Cycle: Annual
    Soil pH: 5.5-6.5

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 8-12
    Stop (In.): 3-6
    Avg. Days Rest: 25-30

    Ryegrass Harvest Management:
    Mechanical harvest should be made at boot to early heading stage. Graze during vegetative stage; removal during stem elongation will slow production until new tiller buds are available for regrowth.

     

    Bromegrass

    Establishment: Slow
    Persistence: High
    Drought Tolerance: Med
    Winter Hardiness: Med
    Palatability: High
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 15-20 (Smooth); 12-20 (Meadow)
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 5-10
    Seeds/lb.: 138,000 (Smooth); 93 (Meadow)
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 14-21
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 6.0-7.5

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 8-12
    Stop (In.): 3-4
    Avg. Days Rest: 20-30

    Brome Harvest Management:
    Bromegrass is tolerant of grazing in spring before the growing point emerges from below the ground; after jointing frequent harvest can destroy stands. Mechanical harvest at boot to early bloom stage.

     

    Festulolium

    Establishment: Fast
    Persistence: Medium
    Drought Tolerance: Medium
    Winter Hardiness: High
    Palatability: High
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 30-40
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 10-15
    Seeds/lb.: 227,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 7-14
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 5.5-7.0

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In): 10-12
    Stop (In): 4-6
    Avg. Days Rest: 25-35

    Harvest Management:
    Mainly used in pastures for either grazing or fall stockpiling. Harvest for hay or haylage at boot to early heading stage.

     

    Kentucky Bluegrass

    Establishment: Slow
    Persistence: High
    Drought Tolerance: Medium
    Winter Hardiness: High
    Palatability: High
    Yield Potential: Low
    Grazing Tolerance: High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 10-15
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 4-10
    Seeds/lb.: 2,177,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 14-28
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 6.0-7.5

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 4-6
    Stop (In.): 2-3
    Avg. Days Rest: 30-40

    Harvest Management:
    High stocking rates in spring take advantage of its early production. Because of its shorter stature, bluegrass is perfectly suited for grazing & tolerates close (or over) grazing.

     

    Orchardgrass

    Establishment: Medium
    Persistence: High
    Drought Tolerance: Medium
    Winter Hardiness: High
    Palatability: Medium High
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: Medium

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 15-25
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 3-10
    Seeds/lb.: 416,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 7-21
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 5.8-7.0

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 8-12
    Stop (In.): 4-6
    Avg. Days Rest: 15-30

    Harvest Management:
    Harvest at boot stage in spring; cut or graze frequently in spring & early summer (cutting frequency influenced by temperature, soil moisture & fertility)

     

    Perennial Ryegrass

    Establishment: Fast
    Persistence: Medium
    Drought Tolerance: Medium
    Winter Hardiness: Medium
    Palatability: High
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: Medium High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 30-40
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 6-10
    Seeds/lb.: 227,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Feb.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 5-14
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 5.5-6.5

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 8-12
    Stop (In.): 2-4
    Avg. Days Rest: 15-30

    Harvest Management:
    Once established, ryegrass can be grazed (even continually) as quick as 3-4″ in height assuming wet conditions don’t ruin stand. Less DM will require longer curing times relative to other cool-season grasses.

     

    Reed Canarygrass

    Establishment: Slow
    Persistence: High
    Drought Tolerance: High
    Winter Hardiness: High
    Palatability: Medium High
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 12-14
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 6-8
    Seeds/lb.: 480,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 14-28
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 4.9-8.2

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 10-12
    Stop (In.): 4-6
    Avg. Days Rest: 20-30

    Harvest Management:
    Mechanical harvest at heading stage for highest yields; most annual growth occurs before July – rotate pastures often; top growth will desiccate at frost so manage accordingly

     

    Tall Fescue

    Establishment: Medium
    Persistence: Medium High
    Drought Tolerance: High
    Winter Hardiness: Medium
    Palatability: Medium
    Yield Potential: High
    Grazing Tolerance: High

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 25-30
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 5-15
    Seeds/lb.: 227,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 14-21
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 5.5-7.0

    Rotational Grazing:
    Begin (In.): 4-8
    Stop (In.): 3-6
    Avg. Days Rest: 25-35

    Harvest Management:
    Harvest at boot stage in spring; pure stands work well when stockpiled in fall

     

    Timothy

    Establishment: Slow
    Persistence: Medium
    Drought Tolerance: Medium
    Winter Hardiness: High
    Palatability: Medium High
    Yield Potential: Med
    Grazing Tolerance: Low

    Seeding Rate:
    Alone (lbs./acre): 8-15
    Mixes (lbs./acre): 2-6
    Seeds/lb.: 1,152,000
    Depth (In.): 1/4-1/2

    Planting Time:
    Mar.-May; Aug.-Sept.
    Emergence (days): 14-21
    Life Cycle: Perennial
    Soil pH: 5.5-7.0

    Harvest Management:
    Because of Timothy’s lack of basal leaves to support regrowth, as well as its limited energy storage, frequent cutting or grazing greatly weakens stands. Harvest in spring at boot stage.