Excellent quality and palatability

Suited to high annual rainfall areas, Atom prairie grass was bred for improved palatability, hard grazing and tiller density. Extremely productive throughout the year and highly productive in well drained soils. No known animal health issues and well suited to all stock classes.

Pasture seed sowing rate (sole): 30-50kg/ha
Pasture seed sowing rate (mixed): 5-20kg/ha

Key take aways

If heat tolerance is important on farm, prairie grass could be a more dependable choice than Italian ryegrass as it is more suitable for warmer climates and can tolerate higher temperatures. In such conditions, Atom prairie grass is a prolific re-seeder that will provide more feed for longer as it better withstands warmer summer temperatures and has the potential to push into a second and third year (compared to Italian ryegrass in similar conditions).

Italian ryegrass thrives in cool, moist climates but tends to become dormant or experience heat stress when temperatures exceed 30°C. Its productivity often decreases during the summer in regions with high temperatures, and it may require additional irrigation and shading to sustain growth in hotter conditions.

With adequate management, Atom prairie grass will suit operations looking for persistent feed that lasts for 1 to 3 years, in climates where Italian ryegrass struggles to persist into a second year due to hot summers.

Trial Analysis:

• Winter and early spring yield differences across the Italian ryegrasses and prairie grass was not significant
• Compared to market leading Italian ryegrasses, Atom prairie grass demonstrates strong growth from early spring and through summer
• During the late spring/early summer cuts, Atom began to accelerate with a 7% higher yield than the highest yielding Italian ryegrass

Trial Summary:

• Winter and early • Trial sown April 2, 2020 with Italian ryegrass management applied
• First cut was on May 28, 2020 and last cut was on December 28, 2020
• Cut and carried 9 times across 12 months

Seasons have been defined as:

• Establishment (May; 1x cut),
• Winter (June, July and August; 3x cuts),
• Early spring (September, October; 2x cuts),
• Late spring/early summer (November/December; 3x cuts)

Note: Compared to Italian ryegrass, Prairie grass is typically slower to establish. This was evident in the first cut where Atoms’ yield was 34% lower.