Background
Savvy orchardgrass is a high yielding and very productive orchardgrass. It is characterised not only by its soft leaves, but also its potential to have very long leaves. Savvy is an indiscriminate seeder which means that under grazing many Savvy plants may not produce any seed head at all. As well as having less seed head than traditional orchardgrasses, Savvy has exceptionally low aftermath heading (the period of seed head development is very short); therefore, it’s relatively easy to manage, particularly with cattle.
Savvy has been bred to lift the seasonal growth over other orchard grasses while holding pasture quality. Savvy is particularly strong for dry matter production in late spring and summer while maintaining high growth rate potential in autumn and winter.
Savvy fits the traditional orchardgrass role in low fertility dryland pastures where it may be sown with species such as white clover, balansa clover and red clover.
Due to the high quality and highly productive nature of Savvy its response under centre pivot irrigation and nitrogen has been outstanding. In such situations, Savvy has been utilised as a Savvy/legume pasture for intensive cattle grazing.
Key Tips:
- Consistent grazing in early to mid-spring will reduce seed head production in late spring
- Key times for nitrogen use: – Late spring to maintain protein levels Late summer to improve total autumn production – Mid-autumn to maximize winter production and help maintain winter pasture quality.
- To maintain summer legume content sow Savvy with tap rooted legumes. Annual, sub and balansa clovers are important for winter and spring legume content.
- When sowing in an intensive sheep breeding system it is better to use a low sowing rate of perennial ryegrass as a cover crop for the Savvy to enable early spring set stocking while the Savvy gets fully established.
Savvy Orchardgrass Product Sheet
• Rapid establishment for a orchardgrass
• High autumn and winter production
• High quality and leafy in summer
• Excellent disease tolerance
Who is Great Basin Seed?
Great Basin Seed is a seed company that specializes in seed sales and consultation for home, ranch, farm, range and reclamation. We have been a leader in the seed industry since 1974.
Our History
We've been in the seed business since 1974.
What We Offer
We offer seed for home, farm, ranch, range and reclamation projects.
Meet the Gang
We have the best employees in the world! We are proud of the work they do, and trust them to serve you!
Right: Company founder Lloyd and his wife Paula Stevens in a wildflower seed production field circa 1977
