Common Equine Pasture Forages: Perennial Ryegrass

It normally is considered to be less winter hardy and slightly more digestible than other forage grasses, such as timothy and orchardgrass, but newer varieties appear to survive satisfactorily, especially when grown in mixture with legumes.

Characteristics

• Bright green bunch type grass
• Smooth, narrow, very glossy leaves
• Claw like auricles at the base of the leaves
• Seed head consists of a long narrow spikelet
• Grows best in cool, fertile, well-drained soils
• Varieties occur as diploids or tetraploids
• Tetraploids have larger leaves, a higher % sugar in the forage, and more open growth habit
• Diploids have faster growth and greater persistence

Attributes

• Quick germination and rapid establishment
• Good species for overseeding
• Long growing season
• Higher tolerance of wet soils
• Very high forage quality that is palatable to all livestock species, including horses
• High tolerance of frequent grazing

Limitations

• Poor winter hardiness
• Low drought and heat tolerance
• Low persistence - only survives several growing seasons

Management

• Can be successfully seeded in spring (April or May) or late summer (before August 25 in southern PA)
• Can be no-tilled into pastures if existing vegetation is grazed or mowed very short or suppressed chemically
• Seed at a rate of 4-8 lbs. per are when seeded alone
• Seeding with white clover will supply some nitrogen for the ryegrass
• Fertilize and lime based on a soil test
• Maintain soil pH between 6 and 7
• Graze in spring when perennial ryegrass is 2 to 3 inches in height
• Established grass can be continuously grazed but yield and persistence will decline if the grass is grazed less than 1.5 inches.
• Allow 7 to 10 inches of regrowth between grazing periods

Perennial Ryegrass Leaf

Perennial Ryegrass seedhead