Rural

Across the region, more producers are experimenting with mixed species annual fodder crops to improve their feedbase. But do these mixes actually deliver better results than traditional single-species crops? Oats and annual ryegrass have long been reliable options for filling the autumn–winter feed gap, providing high-quality biomass when perennial pastures are less productive. However, interest is growing in whether combining species can offer additional benefits such as feed reliability, extended grazing and improved livestock production. A typical Northern Tablelands mix includes oats, a brassica or legume, and annual ryegrass. Oats provide bulk feed, ryegrass adds high-quality regrowth, and the brassicas…