Intensive Farming
"As we have a warm climate and sandy alluvial soils we sowed Winter Star II in autumn after a crop of maize silage with the aim of producing early silage, and it grew exceptionally well," says Syd. The Judds direct drilled 42 hectares of Winter Star II tetraploid annual ryegrass in the first week of April and baled their first cut on September 25 to 28.
"We anticipated getting 400 round bales, or 10 bales/ha off it and we got more than 20 bales/ha. So we got 920 bales off 42 hectares, which is outstanding." A month later on October 26 an additional cut of pit silage was taken, prior to it being planted back into maize.
"We are getting both grain and bales from the maize crop, then two cuts from Winter Star II tetraploid annual ryegrass, then back to maize. So it's quite intensive farming."
