Russian Grass Protein Levels: 25-35%, typically double that of baled lucerne (16-18% protein), scientifically tested. When boosted with nitrogen, up to 35% protein. Best protein levels at about ankle to knee height, about 2 – 4.5 months.

What you must learn:

Trophy horn high protein high growth rate value chain:
Note the condition of the cattle calves in September growing from 250 kg to 300 kg.
Note the condition of the cattle calves in September growing from 250 kg to 300 kg.
Russian Grass and Clover with feedlot calves being backgrounded. There ware 62 calves on 7 ha for about 4 weeks and they also received a ration of 200 kg jointly at night. The calves on the Russian Grass grew at about 1000 grams per day which was about 150 grams quicker than feedlot calves on rations only. Instead of consuming R60 000 worth of feed they consumed R22 000 worth of feed, with Russian Grass 6 months old providing the rest sustainably. This is real life results in real trials. The feedlot ration was what they had and was not optimised.
Russian Grass and Clover with feedlot calves being backgrounded. There ware 62 calves on 7 ha for about 4 weeks and they also received a ration of 200 kg jointly at night. The calves on the Russian Grass grew at about 1000 grams per day which was about 150 grams quicker than feedlot calves on rations only. Instead of consuming R60 000 worth of feed they consumed R22 000 worth of feed, with Russian Grass 6 months old providing the rest sustainably. This is real life results in real trials. The feedlot ration was what they had and was not optimised.
Calves being fattened in hard cold winter on Russian Grass and Clover at Parys feedlot.
Calves being fattened in hard cold winter on Russian Grass and Clover at Parys feedlot.
Earthworms being added to the pasture in Parys to incorporate large amounts of manure into the Russian Grass feeder root layer. Long term strategic move.
Earthworms being added to the pasture in Parys to incorporate large amounts of manure into the Russian Grass feeder root layer. Long term strategic move.
Close up of the weaner calves fattened at Parys feedlot.
Close up of the weaner calves fattened at Parys feedlot.
Late winter Russian Grass and Clover rows being grazed in September Parys.
Late winter Russian Grass and Clover rows being grazed in September Parys.
Russian grass and Clover close up after intense winter grazing. The cattle will now be removed and the grass allowed to grow out and set seed for a thickening of the stand and complete coverage. The reason it was grazed so hard during its first winter was due to a lack of alternative feed options due to high diesel fertilizer and feed costs during Ukraine war.
Russian grass and Clover close up after intense winter grazing. The cattle will now be removed and the grass allowed to grow out and set seed for a thickening of the stand and complete coverage. The reason it was grazed so hard during its first winter was due to a lack of alternative feed options due to high diesel fertilizer and feed costs during Ukraine war.
After heavy grazing this April planted Russian Grass and clovers mix is now setting seed in November. The Russian Grass has been grazed so short it is under the clover seed heads. It will be left to grow out, make seed heads and fill in the interrow. The nitrogen from this stand is about 150-200 kg ha yr and it lays on a clay layer 40 cm deep from where the Russian Grass roots will filter it all out. Watch this space - serious feedlotting.
After heavy grazing this April planted Russian Grass and clovers mix is now setting seed in November. The Russian Grass has been grazed so short it is under the clover seed heads. It will be left to grow out, make seed heads and fill in the interrow. The nitrogen from this stand is about 150-200 kg ha yr and it lays on a clay layer 40 cm deep from where the Russian Grass roots will filter it all out. Watch this space - serious feedlotting.
Additional Spring plantings of Russian Grass at about 30 days old early October. This size Russian Grass is past the most risky phase.
Additional Spring plantings of Russian Grass at about 30 days old early October. This size Russian Grass is past the most risky phase.
7 days growth from previous picture during 35 degree Celcius heatwave Parys. Pushing roots down instead of above ground growth.
7 days growth from previous picture during 35 degree Celcius heatwave Parys. Pushing roots down instead of above ground growth.
18 Ha newly planted Russian Grass at Parys Feedlot
18 Ha newly planted Russian Grass at Parys Feedlot
The same rows planted in September Parys feedlot in mid October about 30 days old with a few Clover plants visible, with most of the summer sown Clover not making it due to the heatwave. Lesson learned: establish the clover in the second half of summer or just before winter. We spread the Clover seeds during grazing with sheep, in sheep manure, over the entire Russian Grass pasture. Each rows receive soil microbes, earthworms and tons of manure during normal grazing. 10 weaner calves are backgrounded per ha per year from year 2 onwards. Cost is R1 a sq m for the seed or R10 000 per ha.
The same rows planted in September Parys feedlot in mid October about 30 days old with a few Clover plants visible, with most of the summer sown Clover not making it due to the heatwave. Lesson learned: establish the clover in the second half of summer or just before winter. We spread the Clover seeds during grazing with sheep, in sheep manure, over the entire Russian Grass pasture. Each rows receive soil microbes, earthworms and tons of manure during normal grazing. 10 weaner calves are backgrounded per ha per year from year 2 onwards. Cost is R1 a sq m for the seed or R10 000 per ha.
14th November
14th November
This was a trial with 50% Russian Grass and 50% Stooling rye under heavy grazing pressure planted as a mix in the same row. The first year the annual stooling rye completely dominated and the Russian grass was severely depressed, with intense competition and most of the cattle eating the Russian grass whenever they could reach it, with stooling rye stalks not palatable.
This was a trial with 50% Russian Grass and 50% Stooling rye under heavy grazing pressure planted as a mix in the same row. The first year the annual stooling rye completely dominated and the Russian grass was severely depressed, with intense competition and most of the cattle eating the Russian grass whenever they could reach it, with stooling rye stalks not palatable.
This is a year later- with the experimental Russian grass paddock with some historic clover in seed at Parys feedlot. It is being left to make seed heads. It will be grazed after seed drop, and the clover seeds will be spread by sheep over the 60 ha worth of new Russian Grass pivot pastures during normal grazing. The additional free biological nitrogen fixation will trigger a earthworm population explosion and this will counter soil compaction and speed up the manure incorporation and recycling. The thousands of tons of manure from the feedlot will also be incorporated into the Russian Grass over time aiding performance and soil fertility.
This is a year later- with the experimental Russian grass paddock with some historic clover in seed at Parys feedlot. It is being left to make seed heads. It will be grazed after seed drop, and the clover seeds will be spread by sheep over the 60 ha worth of new Russian Grass pivot pastures during normal grazing. The additional free biological nitrogen fixation will trigger a earthworm population explosion and this will counter soil compaction and speed up the manure incorporation and recycling. The thousands of tons of manure from the feedlot will also be incorporated into the Russian Grass over time aiding performance and soil fertility.
This is the Russian Grass making seed with seed drop about to commence, which will lead to full coverage. A few stooling rye plants are in there somewhere, as well as the clover. The Russian Grass pioneer population will now swamp it all.
This is the Russian Grass making seed with seed drop about to commence, which will lead to full coverage. A few stooling rye plants are in there somewhere, as well as the clover. The Russian Grass pioneer population will now swamp it all.
Close up of some variable seed heads. The genetics selected by nature and management under intense grazing conditions will now dominate in these seed heads, and once the seed drop those genetics will become the dominant force in this pasture for the next 30-60 years or so. The heavy annual species competition during year 1 only delayed full establishment by a year. This stand is on solid clay with no topsoil layer. Lots of earthworms due to high levels of historic white clover.
Close up of some variable seed heads. The genetics selected by nature and management under intense grazing conditions will now dominate in these seed heads, and once the seed drop those genetics will become the dominant force in this pasture for the next 30-60 years or so. The heavy annual species competition during year 1 only delayed full establishment by a year. This stand is on solid clay with no topsoil layer. Lots of earthworms due to high levels of historic white clover.
Top and bottom photos.
Planted in April. 70 weaner calves grazed the RG and clover hard for 3.5 months. The Russian Grass is coming through again with strong regrowth.
Top and bottom photos.
Planted in April. 70 weaner calves grazed the RG and clover hard for 3.5 months. The Russian Grass is coming through again with strong regrowth.

Case Study 4: Barkley East

Russian Grass being planted in this Valley next to Barkley East town.
Russian Grass being planted in this Valley next to Barkley East town.
Toeslope land next to a dam with wet subsoil and water seepage in winter ideal for Russian Grass.
Toeslope land next to a dam with wet subsoil and water seepage in winter ideal for Russian Grass.
First two areas planted to Russian Grass, footslope and toeslope with water seepage in winter

See Video of Toeslope land and soil:
10 ha of Russian Grass being planned in a sloping wet area as per the video
Weak points of Russian Grass:

• It takes a while to establish unless you boost it with soil fertility/manure. It first needs to grow a massive taproot sinker root system before it becomes fully commercial.
• The first 6 months is best set aside for establishment and seed set.
• It doesn’t like temperatures above 35 degrees and require lots of water.
• You must guard against premature grazing at 3 months with cattle, they can rip it out root and all. Sheep can graze it at 3 months.
• It seems expensive at R1 per square meter, until you work it out over 30-60 years.
• The ecological footslope wetland niche that it thrives in is not easy to plant always and this could result in a longer period of establishment. Often we need to compromise in real life and accept summer grass competition and a longer establishment period in less than ideal conditions. The critical issue is that for every 1 kg of Breeder Seed we do establish we get 100 kg of seed drop as a rule of thumb.

Strong points of Russian Grass:

• Once established it mines the full soil profile for water and nutrients and recycle these into very high protein, double the nutritional density of lucerne.
• It grows in severe cold right through winter.
• It can handle extreme waterlogging and flood events and loves water seepage and heavy nutrient concentrations.
• It is a swamp grass ideal for footslope, toeslope floodplainland.
• It doesn’t burn but remains green.
• It makes a lot of F1 seed, which live for 10 years per cycle and provides 40(-80%) faster metabolic performance compared to commercial seed; or the breeder seed parental lines.
• It can filter out huge amounts of nutrients from water, manure and effluent.
• You cannot kill it with nitrogen burn in normal conditions. This means that a hill planted to clover will wash nitrogen down into the Russian Grass at the footslope or toeslope where ultra high carrying (x 5 to x 10) capacities can be achieved due to the water and nutrients from the mountain above it.

Ideal Russian Grass customer profile:

• Profesionals with sound judgement and clear eyes making investments.
• Long term strategic thinking customers able to define risk.
• Technically sophisticated able to manage establishment risk.
• Protein focused and not picture focused.
• Long term planners willing to take short term pain in wetlands.
• Willing to master new skills for long term gains.
• Independent pioneer thinkers not given to convention.
• People willing to take short term risks and costs for long term perennial benefits that is scientifically possible and commercially desirable. • People able to see not only what is under the soil, but also what is above the soil, as well as what could be on the footslope of hills and in the toeslope vlei and who work out a way to achieve it systematically. • People who are paradigm and profit shifters who do their homework. • People always learning, always refining and always improving. • People who march to the beat of their own drum. • We focus on projects. Our customers are people building feedlots over many seasons. They start small and do it very big and fill up every ecological niche. We focus on best practise and join forces with others in similar ecological conditions and tap the collective experience and wisdom based on the last 10 years worth of establishment lessons.

Further Advantages of Green Mamba™:

1. 1 hectare established with 5 kg of Breeder Seed has the seed production potential of 100-300 kg of annual F1 seed; enough to establish 600 000-700 000 plants on a permanent basis with permanent young growth of 25-31.8%-35% protein.
2. The higher quality of F1 Hybrids increases the plant vigour and individual plant hardiness/fitness by 40%-80%, enabling extensive use in the temperate and very cold summer rainfall and cold grassland areas of South Africa such as the Eastern and Northern Free State, Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Mpumalanga and KZN. Cold tolerances of -20 Degrees Celcius become possible, with commercial feedlot performance from about 800mm+ per year/ha upwards, rainfall included, all the way to 4000mm. Every 100mm of water available in the soil profile up to 1.8m depth is worth about 1 ton of edible material, as a general rule of thumb. If you have steep mountain slopes and foothills in a valley with 1000mm of rain, you typically get 10 tons of biomass from the rainfall, and if you have subsoil seepage of another 1000-2000mm throughout the year, you get another 10-20 tons for a combined 30 tons of edible material ha year at 25-31.8% protein.
3. If you have legumes on the upland area or lots of feedlot manure the protein level can be boosted to 35%. We use stud earthworms in big feedlot soils to incorporate industrial amounts of manure. The combination of water and very high fertilisation/manuring make it possible in some ecological niche areas to raise carrying capacity from 1 LSU per Ha to 5-10 LSU, by basically stacking the soil fertility nitrogen run off/manure and moisture seepage of 5-10 ha unto 1 ha of footslope/toeslope or floodplane.
4. The advantage is that you don’t need to irrigate the Green Mamba once established as the taproot self-irrigates the plant from subsoil moisture seeping down on the bedrock due to gravity. The ideal place for Green Mamba is areas with about 5cm of soil over a permanently wet or moist subsoil or clay. During establishment when small it must be above water. When it is hand height it can handle more and more water, but generally a layer of dry soil is required.
5. Plant establishment rates of 70-80% from F1 Hybrid seeds lowers establishment costs compared to vegetative methods by 90%, due to the high individual plant fitness derived from hardy F1 plant genetics. It is possible to spread seed on a broad acre basis in a vlei area; and for every 1 kg of Breeder Seed about 100 kg of Commercial quality F1 seed is produced annually filling in the
wetland/vlei/waterlogged area until a continuously green high protein frost resistant feedlot pasture establishes. It may take 1-3 seasons to completely fill in the available open spaces between the mother plants, depending on management, season and soil conditions and soil fertility. In very wet years it may be too wet for seed dropping to establish and in other drought years it may be to dry. Give it time, the Breeder Seed lives 6-10 years and will fill in F1 plants over time.
6. Large volumes of annual commercial seed with continuous replanting cost and high effort and fuel cost are no longer required for a lush stand, and much larger areas can be established on a broad acre scale due to self seeding of F1’s. We typically seam foothill/waterlogged and fountain/vlei areas with a pioneer Breeder Seed population and increase the F1 plant population density and nutritional density over time with natural seed drop. Commercial production happens from year 2 onwards when the self-irrigating taproot has established. If we no-till with low pioneer stand establishment rates and lots of heavy vlei grass competition godo thick establishment takes 2-3 years in unfavourable conditions.
7. A 1- hectare seed orchard can produce 100-300 kg of F1 hybrid seed annually, providing enough seed to establish roughly 600 000-700 000 plants per ha, of 25-31.8% protein. For commercial success we only need 1 kg of Breeder Seed plants to establish successfully on 1 ha of 10 000 sq/m2.
8. In areas where the habitat and nutrition is sub-optimal in the topsoil, establishment success is still possible due to hardy genetics for multiple generations making the plant more persistent. It slowly dominates due to seed drop. The commercial result is successful commercial establishment from breeder seed at affordable rates, over the medium to long term.
9. We will now make use of pictures and historic insights to further explain the genus Phalaris genetics used in our inter and intraspecific hybrids from a very wide genetic base.

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