Outback Forage Oats

Outback oats are derived from South African, Australian and North American hay and grazing oat germplasm. Outback is selected for adaptation to the Australian agricultural environment. Outback is primarily a forage oat, developed to produce a large bulk of quality forage in autumn and again in spring. Outback is a mid to late maturing oat with distinctive dark green and broad leaves. Outback oats provide higher yields of quality grazing throughout the critical autumn, winter and early spring grazing periods.

Medium height, erect specialist hay and grazing oat
Mid – late maturity
High forage quality and total yield
Dark green broad leaves
More rapid establishment, shows excellent seedling vigour
Better moisture stress tolerance
Ideal for oaten hay production and grazing
Suited to a wider range of soils
Excellent frost resistance
Fantastic late sown option to provide high quality feed

Seed agronomy table

Maturity	Mid / Late
Min Rainfall (mm)	400
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-spring growing fodder crop with high feeding value.
High leaf to stem ratio.
Opportunities for grazing/silage/hay production.

Limitations

Susceptible to pugging; avoid grazing if waterlogged - regrowth will be compromised.

Plant Description

Plant: Tufted annual grows to nearly 2m tall.
Stems: Stout hollow culm with conspicuous nodes.
Leaves: Flat & wide and veined; taper to a fine point. Rolled in bud.
Seedhead: Large pendulous spikelet, 15-30 mm long; 2-3 florets.
Seeds: ~50,000/kg.

Pasture type and use

Sown in autumn for winter bulk. Some varieties suited to multi-uses - e.g. high quality hay export/grain production. Often used to provide weed control and soil preparation prior to renovating with perennial pasture. Robust so often used as a pioneer crop on new land.

Where it grows

Rainfall: > 400 mm.
Soils: Well drained. Tolerates a broad pH range.
Temperature: Avoid sowing when soil temperature < 12o°C or >25o°C.

Establishment

XLR8 seed treatment is used for protection against sucking & biting insects like Red Legged Earth Mites (RLEM) and Blue Oat Mite (BOM). This protection aids in the early control of aphid feeding damage and helps with management of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV). Early seedling growth responses from XLR8 also allows for quick establishment of the Outback Forage Oats. Withholding period before grazing is 9 weeks.
Companion species: Legumes: clovers, peas, vetch, medics.
Grasses: annual ryegrass.
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: 15 - 50 kg/Ha.
Sowing time: Sow late summer/early Autumn. Can be sown dry (sow >50 mm).
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 prior to stem elongation. Leave 12 cm residues/lowest stem node. Repeat grazings after a month's recovery. 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, stem nematode, red legged earth mite, snails, cereal aphis (re BYDV transmission), cutworms, webworm, lucerne flea, army worm, Bruobia mite, wingless grasshoppers and Australian plague locust.
Major diseases: Leaf rust, stem rust, Septoria blotch, bacterial blight, barley yellow dwarf virus, halo blight, stripe blight, powdery mildew.
Herbicide susceptibility: Glyphosate.

Animal production

Feeding value: Winter feed typically 70% 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