Forge

Hybrid ryegrass

Forge NEA is the phenomenal 3-5 year pasture bred to deliver animal performance your neighbours will envy, with environmental benefits too.

Groundbreaking

Unbeaten in the National Forage Variety Trials (NFVT), Forge is a breakthrough in genetic gain. (Few new ryegrass cultivars ever exceed 5% yield improvement!). 
Even better, Forge gives this extra yield and quality across every season.

Feed when you need it

Growth in autumn, winter and early spring is increasingly sought-after in our farm systems. It provides feed when it is often most needed, and most expensive.

Nothing else compares to Forge when the temperature drops. In winter it grows 5 - 41% more than other hybrid ryegrasses in the NFVT system; and 7 - 28% more in early spring. 

Tasty as

Animals love tetraploids – they are soft, high in sugars, legume-friendly, and easy to eat. Forge encourages higher intakes, optimal per head performance and improved efficiency.

Lose less N & GHG

With higher animal intakes, and extra cool season growth, Forge helps lighten the farm footprint.

Tetraploids can be grazed at higher covers, so you grow more pasture for the same amount of nitrogen. Forge’s extra winter yield also better mitigates nitrogen leaching during the high-risk cool season when soils are wet. Its palatability and high feed value lifts per animal performance, which lowers both greenhouse gas emissions and animal health costs.

Extra 1.4t DM/ha

Forge NEA will grow about 1.4 t dry matter/ha a year more than a high performance perennial ryegrass. What could you do with this extra feed?

■      Dairy farms: Add more home grown pasture to your winter milking or early
         calving system. More ME/ha year-round can increase MS production, too. Just
         as importantly, high quality and palatability lift efficiency through more milk/cow,
         rather than more cows. Alternately, use the extra feed to cut supplement costs.

■      Sheep and beef: Feed ewes better through lactation, and finish more lambs off
         mum. Capitalise on the early schedules, and avoid the weaning check. Forge’s
         high quality is also great for growing or finishing stock.

■      Undersowing: Direct-drill into thin, sad pastures to lift both yield and feed quality.
        Forge establishes rapidly, with fast regrowth, so it’s perfect for this.

Breeding & persistence

Forge has 75% perennial: 25% Italian ryegrass parentage, so it fits between Shogun (50:50% parentage), and 4front perennial ryegrass. Forge’s persistence is very good for a tetraploid hybrid, thanks to high tiller density and a focus on persistence in its breeding.

Endophyte & animal health

In most cases Forge NEA will deliver excellent animal health. We believe it is safe to use for dairy cows and cattle.

There is a risk of some ryegrass staggers in sheep or lambs if you graze into the base of the pasture in summer dry conditions. The risk of stagger is much lower than for the old Standard (or High) endophyte.

Add red clover & stand clear

We’ve tested several combinations of Forge with Morrow red clover, as this will provide the best quality summer feed. Mixing 30 kg/ha Forge with 6 kg/ha Morrow, or 20kg Forge with 10kg Morrow, work best, with the latter providing a bit less winter yield and more summer yield and quality.

Sowing Forge

Other species can be added as needed e.g. Captain CS plantain.

^{Forge ryegrass & NEA endophyte are owned and marketed by Barenbrug
Forge ryegrass & NEA12 endophyte are protected under the NZ Plant Variety Rights Act 1987}