31 December 2003: For Southern Downs cattle, lamb and dairy producers, oats can provide an excellent winter feed option to carry them through to their next summer forage season. Pacific Seeds’ managing director and Clifton farmer, Chris Bazley said the company's oats varieties do well in both irrigated and dryland situations and are ideal either for grazing or making hay or silage.

The wisdom of putting feed aside as hay or silage when the season permits has never been more valid with feed supplies still low from ongoing drought.
"Oats are one of the better forage crops for winter planting," Mr Bazley said.
"As far as maintenance and inputs go, it can be superior to many pasture species."

Other advantages are also a factor, particularly the reduced risk of bloating, and a choice of oats varieties offering different planting times, allowing growers to stagger maturity to fill feed gaps and offer flexibility of management to meet end use requirements.

"For example, Taipan (a Pacific Seeds variety) is an ideal variety to plant early when soils are warm enough that they may effect the germination of other varieties."
"They're also good for direct drilling in minimum till situations and are good as a companion crop in cover crop situations."

Mr Bazley said there will be some changes to the varieties available from the company in 2004.
"Pacific Seeds continues to invest heavily in oats research and development, in line with this we've narrowed our range down to three varieties for 2004, Taipan, Warrego and Barcoo, and we have a couple of new varieties which will be trialed this year," he said.

"Taipan is renowned for it's ability to strike fast and hang on in tough periods, it's also able to withstand higher soil temperatures than most oats varieties (up to 29 degrees C). Warrego is a good all round performer, with quick early growth and high dry matter production. Barcoo hates the heat and is ideal for a later plant, producing well through winter and into spring."

Of the new varieties being trialed in 2004, Mr Bazley said they are currently being grown in Tasmania and will appear in trial sites as the winter season progresses.
"We will have them spread out around the country side for graziers to see how they perform in the paddock in their area."

In previous years, the seed company has marketed the variety Gwydir, which has been discontinued in 2004. Mr Bazley said there have been numerous inquiries from customers why the line is no longer being produced.

"This has been brought about by continuing production problems where low seed yields have forced the price of Gwydir to a point where, when combined with its small seed trait and significant levels of dormancy, it was felt that newer varieties such as Taipan and others in development will provide a better option and reliability of seed for both customers and Pacific Seeds."

Availability of oats seed in 2004 will be able to be confirmed by the end of January. "We are currently holding excellent orders from our agent network and are at the point of grading our oats seed," Mr Bazley said.
"We will be in a position to confirm final availability by the end of January, but please get orders to agents so everyone can work out what stocks are available."

Pricing of oats seed is also a factor for growers every year. "Pacific Seeds understands the tough environment that faces many of our primary producers and are working at maintaining the cost of seed at competitive prices where graziers get value for money."

Caption Vary's Brookestead agronomist, Kevin Loveday with Pacific Seeds forage breeding team member Stefan Kempff at an oats trial site at Pittsworth. Kevin has been holding an oats trial at his property, in conjunction with the QDPI for the last five years.