PER KG PLANTAIN TONIC SEED (SPR/SUM) 181230

Tonic plantain is an ideal forage herb in mixed species swards with Aber High Sugar Grasses and Germinal white and red clovers to boost growth and liveweight gain.

Tonic plantain offers good spring and autumn growth, allowing a longer productive season, and shows rapid regrowth post-grazing.

Features:

Tonic plantain grazing benefits
Suitable for all grazing stock
Excellent nursing crop for ewes post-lambing
High digestibility to drive intakes and growth
Stimulates milk production
Outstanding protein content and D-value
High mineral content, particularly selenium and copper
Drought tolerant
More milk or meat production
Higher milk production in ewes
Encourages early forage intakes in lambs to accelerate rumen development
Increased daily liveweight gain
Heavier weights at weaning
High dry matter production from early spring to late autumn
Reduces the effects of internal parasites
High in minerals, especially copper and selenium
Tonic plantain is very palatable
Diuretic effect firms up the dung and reduces dagging.

Sowing rate:
1 kg/acre with 12 kg grass and clover (2.5 + 35 kg/ha)

Sowing time:
April to mid-August, into warm soils (>10°C)

Sowing depth:
10 mm

Sowing instructions:

Sow in well drained soils.
Control broad-leaved weeds before sowing.
Cultivate to achieve a fine, firm seed bed.
Ploughing will help level rough fields.
Sow in good conditions (warm with rain forecast), no deeper than 10-15 mm.
Roll well after sowing to ensure good soil/ seed contact.
N, P and K fertiliser requirements are similar to that of grass.
Ensure optimum soil pH, P and K indices.

Managing Tonic plantain:

Graze when crop height reaches 100-150 mm (and when plants are resistant to uprooting)
Rotationally graze for best results (ideally short, light spells in year one)
Grazing strategy should aim to avoid flower heads developing
Avoid damage to the crown (e.g. hard grazing in wet conditions), as this will reduce productivity and persistency
Limit milking cows to 25% of total dry matter intake to avoid risks of milk taint
If plantain gets out of control, either graze with cattle or top.
Grazing is preferable because topping can allow water to penetrate the hollow stem and this can kill the plant
Growth rates will drop if soil temperature falls below 10°C
Plantain responds well to nitrogen, but it does not fix N)