Pastures with AR37 produce more drymatter and through better persistence, pasture quality should be higher meaning stock have a better feed supply on offer. With its improved persistence, the risk of feed deficits should also be reduced. For areas such as Northland and Waikato, ryegrass with AR37 provides the ideal option for superior pastures, where pastures with current endophyte options struggle against insect and weed invasion.
Ryegrass with AR37 has been tested by AgResearch for liveweight gain in sheep, and animal performance was the same as ryegrass without endophyte, and AR1 ryegrass. Sheep performance is considerably better with AR37 than standard endophyte. The incidence of dags is as low with AR1.
DairyNZ have completed a four year trial looking into dairy performance on AR37, click here for link for new DairyNZ data.
Although AR37 does not produce lolitrem B it can cause ryegrass staggers. Trials have shown that on average the frequency, duration and severity of ryegrass staggers is less than for standard endophyte. However on occasions, sheep (and potentially other animals) grazing AR37 ryegrass may be severely affected for short periods. To date no ryegrass staggers have been reported on dairy cows grazing AR37 ryegrass.
Due to the fact the no trial work has been undertaken on deer and horses, pastures with AR37 are not currently recommended for deer and horse grazing.
Another key benefit of AR37 is that it does not cause heat stress or flystrike, which can be associated with other endophytes that hold high levels of ergovaline.
