Gippsland farmer Angus Zilm used Q63 and Q31® lucerne to produce high-quality silage and hay, returning up to $4,900/ha in a proven mixed farming system.
Angus and Josie Zilm set out to build a fodder system that they could trust season after season. Based at Llowalong, in Victoria’s Gippsland region, the couple run a mixed farming operation spanning fodder crops, maize silage, and beef fattening. They grow a number of paddocks of lucerne both for sale and their own use on the farm.
Angus has been sowing Q63 and Q31® lucerne from AlfaGen Seeds, and developed a system that’s delivering consistent results. Paddocks are sprayed off late in autumn, ready for a spring sowing of lucerne. In the first year, his focus was on grazing and cutting, then bulking up the paddock by oversowing with a quality forage oat option in the following years.
This has proved very successful, leading to returns of $4,500-$4,900/ha.
“In year one the process provides good weed control and fertility improvements, and then the oat oversowings in autumn of the following year sets us up for good silage production,” Angus said.
“The last silage test indicated 11MJME/kg DM and 21% crude protein, making it an ideal feed for growing animals.”
Both Q63 and Q31® earn their place in the rotation, but each brings something a little different to the table.
Q31® lucerne sets the benchmark for hay in the Australian market. A winter dormant variety with excellent leaf retention, Q31® is a high-quality option with flexible cutting times.
“The Q31® in particular has very fine stems, retains its leaf colour and is just a quality product.”
Q63 is a high-yielding, premium lucerne, consistently producing up to 15% more dry matter than other standard varieties on the market. With moderate winter activity, it offers strong production even outside the peak season.
Angus aims for five cuts off the Q63 and four off the Q31®, occasionally trading a grazing for an extra cut to maximise yield. The last cut of Q63 produced 53 bales of 580kg at an average of 87% dry matter. With lime and chicken manure going on and a forage oat oversowing to follow, the paddock is already being set up for the next round.
“I couldn’t be happier with the lucerne options.”
“We are very happy with the varieties we are using from AlfaGen Seeds and will be looking to sow more area under centre pivot irrigation this coming spring.”
Every farm has different needs, so we’ve developed a range of lucerne varieties to match. Check out our lucerne range to find the variety that fits your system, rainfall and production system.
AlfaGen lucerne is backed by a global breeding program focused on persistence, forage quality and yield, and performance under real grazing pressure. Our varieties are developed and selected across multiple environments to ensure they perform where it counts, in paddocks, not just plots.
Get seasonal tips, agronomy advice and seed recommendations from the AlfaGen Seeds team.
