Forage oat for early grazing
LIVESTOCK producers from central Queensland to central New South Wales can look forward to earlier grazing and higher feed yields following the launch of the new Warlock forage oat variety.
Over four years of trials, Warlock was 19 per cent higher yielding than the industry’s benchmark forage oat variety, Genie, and
7 per cent above Wizard, producing dry matter yields topping 10,000kg per hectare.
Bred by Bruce Winter from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries forage oat breeding program, Warlock was launched by the state’s Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister, Mark Furner, in conjunction with Heritage Seeds.
Steve Amery, the company’s portfolio manager for forage cereals, said Heritage Seeds’ investment in the program was reaching 15 years and aimed to help bring new and improved varieties to the industry for producers. It has contributed to the previous release of Wizard, Aladdin and Genie varieties.
“Our focus is to help build the productivity and profitability of northern
❝is Our focus to help build the productivity and profitability of northern livestock enterprises. — Steve Amery
livestock enterprises,” Mr Amery said.
The program aims to develop improved forage oat cultivars with high forage yield, resistance to leaf rust, late maturity and high regrowth potential.
Similar to most other varieties, Warlock is susceptible to one race of leaf rust that may require effective management, however its vigorous early growth, speed to first grazing, recovery after grazing and high forage yields will be the big winner for producers.
Heritage Seeds southeast Queensland territory manager, Arthur Salisbury, said the quick growth of Warlock was a major benefit, allowing valuable early grazing, and, together with outstanding yields, it offered potential for improved stocking rates and animal performance.
Suitable for grazing by beef cattle as well as dairy cattle, sheep and horses in dryland and irrigated areas, Warlock has an erect early growth habit, tall plant height, high tillering and medium thickness leaves and stems.
Forage oats are grown over about 500,000 hectares in Queensland alone and the new variety is already attracting strong interest for 2019 plantings.