The Farmnote describes the timing and methods of sowing, varieties to use, grazing methods and the cost of the extra feed produced. If conserved fodder supplies are low, give some serious thought to dry sowing of oats, or oat and ryegrass mixtures, to boost pasture production after opening rains. Oversowing oats can more than treble dry matter production to the first grazing, when top-dressed with nitrogen.
Success hinges on dry sowing so that the oats germinate with the pasture to complement production.
Sowing oats after pasture germination destroys many seedlings and with them the advantage gained from the oats. The trial showed that, while the oats gave better early growth, there was less pugging of the ground on the ryegrass treatments, which produced better later in the season. Improved oat and ryegrass varieties are now available. Recent trials show that mixtures of oats and ryegrass give less early growth than straight sowings of oats, but later production is higher. Sowing should be timed from mid March in the anticipation of a normal break in early April in districts such as Bridgetown, Busselton, Collie, Donnybrook, Manjimup, Mt Barker and Nannup.