Surviving summer: helping new pastures persist

• Poor grazing management: overgrazing during establishment or early summer can severely reduce tiller numbers. Young pastures need time to develop a robust root system and tiller base. Grazing too hard or too frequently can strip away the plant’s ability to regrow and recover.
• Fertility: a common mistake is adding new paddocks into your generic capital fertiliser requirements. New pastures will outperform existing, lower producing pasture, but only if fed more fertiliser than the rest. So, apply enough fertiliser to feed your expected amount of dry matter growth for that specific paddock, not your average across the farm. Otherwise, it will quickly revert to performing to the average.
• Weeds or residual species competition: without a well-prepared seed bed or control of residual species, your paddock will face competition for light, nutrients, and water. Weeds can quickly dominate, especially during summer when growth rates are high, and hinder the establishment and persistence of new pasture species.

• Maintain tiller density through tactical grazing: tiller numbers are the foundation of pasture persistence. Avoid set stocking, Instead, use light rotational grazing where conditions allow. To protect growing points and encourage tillering, leave a residual of four to six cm. During dry periods, reduce grazing pressure or remove stock altogether to preserve tillers and root reserves.
• Control weeds early: summer is prime time for weed growth. Early identification and control—whether chemical or mechanical—can prevent overtaking of new pastures. Clean pasture allows desirable species to establish and persist.
• Maintain fertility: new pastures require adequate nutrients to build root mass and tiller density. Soil testing and targeted fertiliser applications supports summer growth and prepares pasture for autumn recovery.
• Choose the right endophyte and understand its role: not all endophytes are the same. Some wild endophyte types may protect grasses from insect damage or overgrazing, but you can compromise pasture utilisation and animal performance due to palatability. Instead, balancing persistence with palatability. Novel endophytes offer insect protection without the grazing deterrents of wild types.

Your goal this summer is to maintain a strong tiller base so when the autumn rains arrive, your pasture can respond quickly and vigorously. Your new pasture can transition from vulnerable establishment to resilient productivity with these simple tools: good grazing management, weed control, fertility, and the right endophyte choices.

These are just some ways you can optimise pasture persistence. To get the right advice for your pasture, contact your local PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative.