Cowpeas
A summer growing legume, cowpeas are more suitable to sandy soils than Lablab, they flower earlier but do not recover as well after grazing. They are unsuited to waterlogging, and are drought and heat tolerant.
Sowing rate 10-20kg/ha
Topdek – Williams Seed Exclusive
Topdek shows versatility as a summer forage, it’s spreading growth has proven grazing tolerance and yields well for hay and silage production. Bred from the parent plants of Ebony, the seed is a purplish-brown in colour., it is also exceptionally resistant to stem and root rot (Phytopthora), making it the leading choice in Cowpeas.
Lablab
Lablab’s performance on heavy soils is greatly superior to that of cowpeas; both require well-drained soils, although lablab has better resistance to phytophthora root rot. Lablab is more tolerant than cowpeas to trampling and recovers quicker after grazing.
Sowing rate 30kg/ha
Strongai
Strongai is the newest release of Rongai type lablab that has shown huge amounts of DM yields during selection in South Eastern Queensland and the northern tropics of Australia. Distinguished by its’ massive leaves and finer, palatable stalks, it also has a smaller seed than other Rongai types, affording a prolific stand and greater return on investment.
Tuckerbox
Tuckerbox is a Highworth type lablab that is very high yielding with an aggressive running nature. Suited to a wide range of soils with good drainage, it has improved cold tolerance and early maturation.
Sorghum
Forage sorghum is one of the most productive and fast growing forages. It can produce large volumes of feed relatively quickly. As a general guide, it can be sown when the threat of frost has gone and soil temperatures have reached at least 16°C. Graze carefully, once the crop is well established, 80 cm high and unstressed. If the crop is stressed, there is a risk of prussic acid and/or nitrate poisoning.
Sowing rate 10-25kg/ha
Flourish
Hybrid sorghum x sudan, well suited for grazing, silage and hay, thin stem and huge leaf. It has excellent dry tolerance, responds well to rainfall, very low prussic acid risk and outstanding feed quality.
Calorific
Sweet x sweet, best used for bulk silage crop, excellent feed quality
Millet
A highly productive leafy forage crop, equally as fast growing as sorghum, it provides good DM yields for grazing and hay/silage production and strong regrowth potential after grazings in good conditions.
Varieties available: French White, Shirohie, Jap and Siberian
Sowing rate 10-15kg/ha
Sunflowers
Sunflower has an extensive and prolific root system and its ability to soak up residual nutrients out of reach for other commonly used covers or crops. This species can also take advantage of short growing seasons. Pollinators and beneficials such as bees are often found in fields of sunflower and in following crops. Because sunflowers can add significant biomass production in just a short growing season, they can also serve as additional forage or silage for livestock feed.
