Moby Forage Barley

Moby is an early maturing, 6 row, white seeded awnless barley with excellent winter growth and rapid establishment. Leaf size varies according to environmental conditions and is more comparable with oat varieties than traditional barley types. Moby will tolerate multiple grazings until the production of the first node. Being winter active, Moby offers an extended sowing window compared to forage oats from mid autumn to mid winter. Seedling vigour in Moby is exceptional, being first to grazing in all Pasture Genetics forage cereal trials conducted to date. Moby has shown significant versatility, adapting to a large range of sowing conditions and environments. Disease resistance appears typical of other commercial barley cultivars with good net blotch resistance, adequate field leaf scald and spot blotch resistance.

Seed agronomy table

Maturity	Early
Min Rainfall (mm)	350
Seeding Rate	kg/Ha
Dryland	60-80
High Rainfall / Irrigation	80-120

Enterprises for this Seed

Sheep
Beef Cattle
Horse
Hay & Silage

Strengths

Fast establishing autumn-winter growing fodder crop with high feeding value.
Exceptional production even in the middle of winter.
Targeted to fill traditional feed gap periods during winter.

Limitations

Early planting susceptible to heat stress and leading to early grain development.

Plant Description

Plant: Tufted annual grows to nearly 2m tall.
Stems: Up to 1500 mm, hollow except at the nodes. Hairless.
Leaves: Emerging leaf rolled in the bud.
Blade: Flat. Hairless or a few scattered hairs. Parallel sided. clockwise twist.
Ligule: Short, membranous, translucent.
Auricles: Large, clasping and encircling the stem.
Sheath: Smooth. Upper most leaf sheath is swollen. Rolled and overlapping. Hairless or with a few scattered hairs.
Collar: Prominent and lighter than the leaves. Hairless or with a few scattered hairs.
Seedhead: Spike, up to 150 mm long. Does not break up at maturity. 6 rowed Barley (Hordeum vulgare var. hexastichon) has 6 rows of seeds making the head almost cylindrical large pendulous spikelet, 15-30 mm long; 2-3 florets.
Seeds: ~25,000/kg.

Pasture type and use

Sown from autumn to late winter for quick production. Offers quick recovery from grazing in most enterprises can offer up to 5-6 grazings over season. Multi use in forage grazing systems to export hay markets with awnless varieties such as Moby. Often used to provide weed control and soil preparation prior to renovating with perennial pasture.

Where it grows

Rainfall: 350 mm.
Soils: Well drained. Tolerates a broad pH range.
Temperature: Avoid sowing when soil temperature >22o°C.

Establishment

Companion species: Legumes, clovers, peas, vetch, medics.
Sowing/planting rates as single species: Sow into a cultivated seedbed to a depth of 35-70 mm at 60 - 120 kg/Ha depending on soil type/region and expected rainfall.
Sowing/planting rates in mixtures: 25 - 50 kg/Ha
Sowing time: Sow early Autumn. Can be sown dry (sow >50 mm).
Inoculation: Not applicable.
Fertiliser: Sow with 10 kg P/Ha. If using MAP/DAP sow separately from the seed.

Management

Maintenance fertiliser: 35-70 kg N/Ha, ensure P, K, S, Zn are adequate.
Grazing/cutting: Graze once they pass the twist and pull test. This usually occurs at the 3 leaf stage when plants are anchored and have grown secondary roots. Where yield is high it is usually strip-grazed by dairy cattle along a long front - to minimize trampling losses. A back fence may maximise regrowth.
Ability to spread: Regenerates from self-sown seed.
Weed potential: Dropped seed may see plants regenerate for a season or two.
Major pests: Cereal cyst nematode, red-legged earth mite, snails, cutworms, webworm, lucerne flea, army worm, Bruobia mite, wingless grasshoppers and Australian plague locust.
Major diseases: Powdery mildew, Leaf scald, Net blotch.
Herbicide susceptibility: Glyphosate.

Animal production

Feeding value: Winter feed typically 75% digestibility, 7-8% crude protein.
Palatability: Readily acceptable.
Production potential: Up to 7 t DM/Ha by spring where moisture is available and soil fertility is good.
Livestock disorders/toxicity: Young plants can accumulate a high level of nitrates and lead to nitrite poisoning, especially in cattle. Slow growth, hot, dry conditions or frost/hail damage can elevate nitrate level.

International Contact

For international enquiries please contact
Sean Coffey
International Business Manager
+61 4 2865 2226
sean.coffey@pasturegenetics.com