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For hay producers, the difference between a good cut and a premium bale often comes down to one thing: the right lucerne variety.
Kim Sizer, a hay grower based in Tamworth, struggled to find a balance in lucerne variety to support her hay-focused operation. Kim supplies both horse and cattle markets, which have significantly different demands in the type of hay required.
"I've tried everything from very summer-active to highly winter-active varieties," Kim says.
"The winter-actives grew quickly and gave yield, but the quality wasn't there for the horse market. The summer-actives had excellent quality but didn't give the consistency I needed."
Searching for the ideal variety to service all her customers, Kim finally came across DLF Seeds' Stamina® GT5.
"It hit the sweet spot," she exclaimed.
"Stamina® GT5 is the compromise between quality and yield. We still get winter growth while keeping the prime quality horse buyers expect."
Paul Sippel, Sales Agronomist with DLF Seeds, covers north-west New South Wales and the Hunter Valley. He spends much of his time working with hay producers from irrigated flats to broadacre country, helping them get the most out of their lucerne.
"GT5 was bred to give growers that balance between yield and quality," Paul explains. "It produces consistent cuts without sacrificing the leaf retention and colour that hay buyers demand. That's why it works so well for hay-focused operations like Kim's."
"Kim produces small squares, round bales and silage alongside wheaten hay, teff grass, sorghum and millet. Her GT5 paddocks have delivered up to 22 tonnes of dry matter per hectare, a result that convinced her to replant the same variety," Paul says about Kim's operation.
"I'm ruthless with lucerne stands," Kim says. "We rotate every three years as the cost of replanting is minimal compared to the return from a productive stand. GT5 regrows quickly, holds quality and has strong disease tolerance, even in challenging conditions."
Quality is key for Kim's customers. "Horse buyers demand colour, leaf and consistency. GT5 delivers on all three. It doesn't bolt straight to flower after rain or stress, and it continues producing through the season. It's perfectly suited to this region," she says.
Alongside the GT5, Kim could consider the "Warrego GT6 and Torrens GT8, which offer an exceptional opportunity for hay production," Paul explains.
"Many growers don't realise it, but these varieties deliver outstanding performance and quality for hay growers, not just grazing."
Warrego GT6 stands out for its winter dormancy and exceptional leaf-holding capacity.
"When you're cutting for hay, leaf retention is everything," Paul says. "Warrego keeps its leaf even if cutting times are extended. It handles raking and baling without losing quality and resists bleaching in the windrow. That means bales with the vibrant green colour that horse and cattle buyers want."
Torrens GT8 offers seasonal flexibility. "It wakes up earlier in spring and stays active later into autumn, providing an extra cut at either end of the season. That could be an early silage cut or a final hay cut before winter, giving producers options and keeping quality consistent."
Paul's advice for growers is simple: align cutting cycles with the variety's dormancy.
"Winter-active types can be cut more frequently, sometimes every 24 days in summer, while winter-dormant types need longer intervals - around 30 to 34 days - but they make up for it with bulk and quality," he says.
Both Paul and Kim agree that leaf retention is the central ingredient that makes lucerne in hay so valuable.
Whether it's Warrego GT6's winter dormancy, Torrens GT8's seasonal flexibility or Stamina® GT5's balanced performance, DLF Seeds' lucerne portfolio proves its strength beyond grazing.
"Lucerne is incredibly resilient, shown by DLF Seeds varieties," Kim says. "It can be pushed or exposed to disease and it still comes back. Matching the right variety to your system is what unlocks real quality."
DLF Seeds, forage lucerne seed is available from your local rural retailer. For your nearest stockist or to find out more, contact your local DLF Seeds Sales Agronomist here.
