Tonic Plantain

Cultivation

Plantain can be managed on a similar rotation length as perennial ryegrass, making it a good fit for the majority of farm mixes.

Specialty crops – pure plantain and plantain clover mixes, will be improved when the first grazing occurs at the 6-8 true leaf stage. Future grazings are best between 18 and 25 days from spring to autumn when plantain reaches 25 cm in height.

In a grass mix, it is recommended to graze as soon as plants pass the pull test and before the plantain (and clover if planted) will be affected by shading from other species, around when plantain has two true leaves. For the second grazing in a mixed sward, graze when the plantain plant has 6 true leaves.

Grazing tip: Palatability of the seed head declines from around 18 days after emergence. If a large amount of seed head is left in the pasture, it can be topped to improve future quality and palatability. If grazing animals reject the plantain feed it may need to a reset by topping as animals will not eat this rejected material.

Key seasonal management decisions

Late Spring/Summer

• Topping may be necessary in December after seed head and again in the autumn to reset quality feed.

• Plantain can be grazed frequently in summer if moisture is not limiting, due to higher temperatures.

Autumn

• Rotation length only needs to be extended by 3-5 days in late autumn.

• In autumn, plantain can suffer from insect attacks such as porina or plantain moth.

Winter

• Over winter, in a mixed pasture, watch that plantain is not overgrazed as dictated by other species with higher winter growth rates than plantain.

• For specialty plantain stands, the rotation over winter can be extended to 40 days+ grazing (depends on winter soil temperatures) with slower growth and taking longer to reach 25 cm grazeable height.