Forage grasses
Westyard has access to well-selected range of varieties of forage grasses which hold, a leading position in the different variety lists. In our trials we look at the nutritional value, digestibility and to the practical harvest qualities. And besides all this we also look to the seed yields for the farmers as well! Thanks to our own seed processing, we are able to offer high quality seeds at favourable prices.
Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)
Italian ryegrass is a robust plant that can be sown year round for green manure or forage production. When sown in autumn, it yields a productive cut early after winter. Tetraploid varieties, characterized by broader leaves and higher sugar content, tend to be more palatable than diploid varieties. However, in general, diploid varieties usually exhibit greater persistence.
Nana
Nana
Key features
- High green mass production
- Excellent dry matter yield
- Very quick regrowth after cutting
- Very good disease resistance, especially against rust
- High sugar content
- Good density after the first cut
NANA is a new Westyard variety and registered in 2019 on the EU-list.
Official farm-trials in Germany NANA showed a very high dry matter and a high sugar content.
NANA is suitable for both spring and autumn sowing and can be used for seasonal production or biennial forage production with 4-6 cuts
Song
Song
Key features
- Excellent dry matter yield
- High sugar content
- Very quick regrowth after cutting
- Good frost tolerance in spring
- Resistance to lodging
- Very good disease and rust resistance
- Extended green mass production
- Good density after the first cut
SONG is a Westyard variety and registered in 2022 on the EU-list. In different farm-trials in Germany SONG has proven to be the highest in dry matter yield with a high sugar content.
SONG can be used on all types of soils with a good water supply. It is suitable for both spring sowing and autumn sowing and can be used for seasonal production or biennial forage production with 4-6 cuts.
Kyra
Kyra
Key features:
- Fast germination and establishment
- Excellent dry matter yield
- Extended green mass production
- Very quick regrowth after cutting
- Very good disease resistance, especially again rust
- Good density after the first cut
KYRA is a new Westyard variety and registered in 2023 on the EU-list.
Official farm-trials in Germany KYRA showed a high sugar content and a very high dry matter content. It can be grown on all types of soil with good water supply. Peaty soils and soils with high groundwater tables are less suitable.
KYRA is suitable for both spring and autumn sowing and can be used for seasonal production or biennial forage production with 4-6 cuts.
Meroa
Meroa
Key features:
- Very reliable and old variety, with high performance
- Excellent dry matter yield
- Very quick regrowth after cutting
- Good density after the first cut
- Resistance to lodging
- Very good disease and rust resistance
- Extended green mass production
In many trials over the years MEROA has proven to be a stable and good performing variety.
MEROA is listed in several countries in Europe like Belgium, Finland etc.
MEROA has demonstrated high yields when planted as a short-lived spring forage or a fall-planted forage. In multiple trials, MEROA shows the forage quality that you would expect from late-maturing tetraploid Italian ryegrasses.
Melmia
Melmia
Key features
- Impressive dry matter yield 105 (highest in official Belgian trial)
- Very fast establishment
- Good resistance to lodging
- Excellent persistance 8.1 (rating 1-9)
- Excellent rust resistance 8.5 (rating 1-9)
MELMIA is an ILVO variety and exclusive represented by Westyard since 2016.
In official trials in Belgium it has outstanding results in dry matter, persistance and rust tolerance. In trials in Germany MELMIA showed the same results plus the highest sugar content compared to many other varieties.
MELMIA can be used on all types of soils with good water supply. It is suitable for both spring sowing and autumn sowing and can be used for seasonal production or bi-annual forage production with 4-6 cuts.
Other features
- Extended green mass production
- Fast re-growth after each cut
- Excellent sugar content
- Suitable to all types of soils
Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum var. Westerwoldicum)
Annual ryegrass (also known as Westerwold ryegrass,) is an annual grass species renowned for its rapid establishment and early vigor. It serves multiple purposes, including use as a cover crop or forage crop. Within our available varieties, we offer both diploid and tetraploid options. Tetraploid varieties exhibit coarse leaves with a rich, dark green color, resulting in a highly palatable crop. These tetraploid varieties yield a high fresh yield, albeit with lower dry matter content compared to the diploid varieties, and they tend to have a more open growth habit.
Abby
Abby
Key features:
- High yielding variety
- Fast establishment after sowing
- Excellent late season quality
- Later flowering
- Excellent dry matter yield
- Very good disease resistance
- High sugar content
- Very well resistant to lodging
ABBY is on the official Swiss list of leading recommended varieties of red clover. ABBY has one of the best figures of all the varieties mentioned on this list.
https://www.agroscope.admin.ch/agroscope/de/home/aktuell/dossiers/sortenlisten.html
ABBY is a new Westyard variety and registered in 2024 on the EU-list + Swiss official list. ABBY is suitable for both spring and autumn sowing and can be used for seasonal production or biennial forage production with 4-6 cuts
Other features:
- Good rust resistance
- Fast re-growth after each cut
- Suitable to all types of soils
Demi
Demi
Key features
- Fast establishment after sowing
- Dense growth
- Excellent dry matter yield
- Very good disease resistance
- High sugar content
- Good density after the first cut
- Very well resistant to lodging
DEMI is a new Westyard variety and registered in 2021 on the EU-list. In different farm-trials in Germany it was proven that DEMI has a very high dry matter and sugar content.
DEMI is suitable for both spring and autumn sowing and can be used for seasonal production or biennial forage production with 4-6 cuts.
Other features
- Extended green mass production
- Fast re-growth after each cut
- Suitable to all types of soils
Lemnos
Lemnos
Key features:
- Fast establishment after sowing
- Well-established main crop and catch crop variety
- High yield potential
- Good stability and dense growth
- Excellent dry matter yield
- Very good disease resistance
LEMNOS a variety developed after years of dedicated breeding efforts, received final approval. It is well-suited for both main crop and catch crop cultivation. When used as a main crop, it consistently yields fresh, high-quality feed throughout the year due to its robust regrowth capacity. As a catch crop, it delivers above-average yields. Its relatively early heading and exceptional productivity make it an ideal choice for versatile feed.
Annual ryegrass is bred for three purposes:
- Catch crop cultivation;
- Annual cultivation for multiple cropping;
- As ‘nurse grass’ during new planting of permanent grassland for quick ground cover.
Hybrid ryegrass (Lolium Hybridum)
Hybrid ryegrass combines favorable traits from both Italian ryegrass and Perennial ryegrass. It exhibits quicker spring development compared to Perennial ryegrass and yields high production levels for 2 to 3 years under optimal conditions. Additionally, its winter hardiness surpasses that of Italian ryegrass.
Sofial
Sofial
Key features:
- Tetraploid hybrid ryegrass
- High yielding variety
- Fast establishment after sowing
- Excellent dry matter yields, especially in the first cut
- Very good disease resistance
SOFIAL, a widely used tetraploid hybrid ryegrass, seamlessly blends the favorable traits of both Perennial and Italian ryegrass. It is renowned for its health benefits, remarkable persistence, and excellent digestibility. These key attributes are complemented by an intriguing yield, positioning SOFIAL among the top-performing hybrid ryegrasses in the Westyard portfolio.
Other features:
- Internationally proven top variety
- Very high yield potential
- Excellent early spring growth
Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne)
Perennial ryegrass thrives in clay soil and well-moistened sandy soils. While it isn’t particularly drought-tolerant, it still performs admirably in slightly dry conditions. As the latin name perenne implies, given the right conditions, perennial ryegrass can persist and produce good yields over many years. Within this species there is a huge range of performance characteristics, some such as turf type varieties persist under vey low cutting and stand up to extreme wear such as is inflicted in winter sports such as soccer and rugby; whereas others have been bred to produce huge yields of forage for livestock.
Polly
Polly
Key features
- Early tetra ploid perennial ryegrass
- Very good drought tolerant
- Excellent winterhard variety
- High matter yield compared to other varieties
- High figures in persistance
- Silage quality is high
POLLY is a new Westyard variety and listed in the EU in 2024. It has excellent figures and performed very well at our official farm trials in East Germany.
Other features
- For both cutting and grazing pastures
- Excellent spring growth
- Suitable for continental areas
Lulu
Lulu
Key features
- Intermediate/late tetra ploid perennial ryegrass
- Drought tolerant type
- High quality in silage
- Excellent winterhard variety
- High matter yield compared to other varieties
- Stable growth
- High figures in persistance
LULU is a new Westyard variety and listed in the EU in 2024. It has excellent figures and performed very well at our official farm trials in East Germany.
Other features
- For both cutting and grazing pastures
- Excellent spring growth
- Suitable for summer production
Melromi
Melromi
Key features
- Very high dry matter yield compared to other varieties
- Mid early variety
- Excellent rust resistance
- High figures in persistance
MELROMI is an ILVO variety exclusively represented by Westyard since 2018. This new variety is listed in 2017 and has excellent figures on the official Belgium variety list.
Other features
- Tall and firm plants with broad leafs
- For both cutting and grazing pastures
- Suitable in many areas
Roy
Roy
Key features:
- Intermediate tetra ploid perennial ryegrass
- High persistancy
- Good rust resistance
- Very good drought tolerant
- High dry matter yield
ROY is a tetraploid intermediate variety which has a stable production throughout the year, till deep in October. The spring growth starts relatively early, and develops very well. ROY is a break through in persentancy compared to similar varieties developed at that time.
Other features:
- Very tasty variety for cows
- For both cutting and grazing pastures
- Excellent spring growth
Meltador
Meltador
Key features
- Late variety
- Very high dry matter yield compared to other varieties
- On the Dutch recommended list and listed in Belgium and Germany
- Excellent rust resistance
- High figures in persistance and sugar content
MELTADOR is an ILVO variety exclusively represented by Westyard since 2019. MELTADOR shows to produce a healthy crop with an excellent resistance to diseases and especially rust resistance. It is a perfect component is grass mixtures for both grazing and cutting purposes.
Other features
- Suitable in many areas
- Excellent spring development
- High persistance
Timothy (Phleum pratense)
Timothy is a cool-season perennial grass known for its high persistency and cold tolerance. It grows in moist soil, forming erect bunches with smooth, pale green to greyish-green leaves. Its rapid growth allows it to accumulate biomass before stem formation. Timothy is highly palatable and produces quality forage for hay and grazing. It’s often grown with legumes or in pure stands for premium hay.
Comer
Comer
Key features
- Very high dry matter yields
- Early spring development
- Early-mid flowering
- Very good persistance
- Good resistance to leave spots
COMER has a high annual dry matter yield and a good yield in the first cut. The variety has an excellent resistance against leaf spot disease. The very winter hardy COMER has a dense sward.
Furthermore COMER is also listed in the following countries: Germany; France; Switserland and Austria, and shows top results.
Sowing: until early September
Seed density: 15 - 20kg/ha
Seed depth: 1 - 2 cm
Sowing distance: 15 - 20cm
Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis)
Meadow fescue is a highly persistent forage grass that can be successfully grown in a wide range of soils. It exhibits early spring growth and does not require high temperatures for active growth. Additionally, it is very winter hardy and appreciates a high soil moisture content. It also tends to require less nitrogen than ryegrass.
Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan
Key features:
- High yields with balanced yield distribution
- Strong early spring development
- High winterhardiness
- Early-mid flowering
- Very good persistancy
- Recommended throughout Germany
- Top marks for rust resistance (APS 3)
COSMOPOLITAN has a high annual dry matter yield and a good yield in all cuts. It is early to mid flowering and has an excellent resistance to rust. The variety is recommended throughout Germany.
COSMOPOLITAN is a variety of the breeder Saatzucht Steinach, Germany and represented by Westyard since 2018.
Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)
Cocksfoot thrives in pastures on dry soil types. While its field emergence and development may be slower, when managed correctly, it serves as a productive source of cattle feed. For optimal palatability, it should be grazed at a young stage when the vegetation remains tender. Cocksfoot also tolerates cutting well and can yield substantial harvests. Notably, our portfolio exclusively features soft-leaved varieties, which are more palatable than the conventional coarse-leaved varieties.
Dana
Dana
Key features:
- Medium-late heading
- High dry matter yields in summer and fall
- High digestibility
- Excellent persistency
- Very good disease resistance
- Excellent winter hardiness
DANA is variety developed in the breeding programm in the Czech Republicafter. The variety shows a prolonged growing season with high dry matter yields. Due to its intermediate-late heading, Dana shown an excellent forage quality and digestibility.
This variety can be used for both cutting and grazing management or combined in a mixture with lucerne.
If the specific seeds you’re looking for aren’t listed, don’t worry.
Let’s connect for a personal meeting to find the ideal solution for your requirements!
Want to know more about our seeds? Please contact us.
Rob Westerhof
Managing Director
