Koga Tetraploid Annual Ryegrass

Koga is a unique forage ideally suited for producers desiring high-quality, late-season, highly vegetative ryegrass. Koga is a great forage for demanding livestock and can be grazed, harvested or used as a cover crop.

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A Unique Forage

Koga tetraploid annual ryegrass is a very unique forage ideally suited for producers desiring late-season, highly vegetative ryegrass. Koga produces high-quality forage especially useful for demanding livestock, such as dairy and beef cattle. Koga may be safely grazed by all livestock, as well as harvested for stored feed. It can also be used as a cover crop.

Two men in a kneeling in a field of Koga Ryegrass

Cows grazing on Koga Tetraploid Ryegrass

Vegetative & Tender—For Longer

Koga’s growth curve is notably later than many annual ryegrasses. This means Koga remains vegetative, tender and lush longer.

Koga for the North

Northern producers can plant Koga in either the fall or spring. Koga has shown good winter hardiness, staying dormant through the colder winter months, but becoming very productive in late spring and providing extended production ideal for high demand livestock and late stored feed production. Koga may also be planted in the spring in regions with limited growing seasons. Koga should remain vegetative for longer than many other annual ryegrasses.

Koga Tetraploid annual ryegrass in a field

Field of Koga tetraploid ryegrass in Alabama

Koga for the South

Southern producers who are transitioning to another summer annual crop and have need of late grazing or stored feed should find Koga very useful. A hay producer in North Carolina said this about Koga: “How loud can you say Koga!? I made 75 dry round 60-inch rolls on ten acres!”

Producers overseeding permanent warm-season pastures should be aware that Koga’s late growth might hinder or damage re-emergence of warm season species. See our other Forage Ryegrasses for varieties more suited for early harvest.

Winter Hardiness

Koga has exhibited very good winter hardiness as exemplified in this data from University of Kentucky where severe incidents of freeze injury struck forage plots two years in a row.

University of Kentucky

Winter/Freeze Injury

Lexington, KY

2018-2019, 2019-2020

	2018-19 Yield Trial	2019-2020 Yield Trial
Variety	Winter Injury - Feb 6, 2019¹	Early Freeze Injury (%) - Dec 9, 2019²
Koga	1.8	3%
Marshall	1.8	4%
Winterhawk	2.0	2%
Gulf	2.8	70%
Feast II	4.5	59%
LSD	2.5	18%

Koga's Forage Quality

University of Tennessee

Forage Quality

Greeneville, TN

2018-2019

April 22	CP	ADF	NDF	TDN
Koga	18.02	33.24	59.37	63.79
Average*	14.32	31.35	52.33	65.77
May 29	CP	ADF	NDF	TDN
Koga	10.2	44.90	67.59	51.57
Average*	8.98	42.05	66.01	54.55

Koga's Yield Data

Ohio

Ohio State University

Forage Yield (Tons DM/A)

South Charleston, OH

2017-2018

Variety	11-May	29-May	19-Jun	Season Total
Koga	3.45*	1.18*	1.19*	5.86*
Winterhawk	2.78	0.79	0.71	4.30
Kodiak	2.77	0.68	0.66	4.12
McKinley	2.59	0.63	0.54	3.78
New Dawn	2.57	0.69	0.61	3.89
Sheriff	2.06	0.66	0.39	3.13
LSD P=.05	0.37	0.3	0.12	0.50

Tennessee

University of Tennessee

Forage Yield (Tons DM/A)

Crossville, TN

2017-2018

Variety	10-Apr	2-May	29-May	Season Total
Koga	1.88	1.07	1.77*	4.72*
Kodiak	1.55	1.24	1.45	4.23*
Winterhawk	1.54	1.77*	1.41	4.73*
Ribeye	1.76	1.48*	1.36	4.59*
Nelson	2.53	1.11	1.27	4.91*
Jumbo	1.73	1.38*	1.27	4.38*
Angusta	1.72	1.26*	1.25	4.24*
Fria	2.17	1.50*	1.16	4.83*
Jackson	2.22	1.20	1.11	4.53*
Credence	1.56	1.30*	1.10	3.97
Maximus	1.67	0.73	1.03	3.42
GRAZER	1.67	1.37*	0.93	3.97
LSD	ns	0.52	0.31	1.04

Kentucky

University of Kentucky

Forage Yield (Tons DM/A)

Lexington, KY

2021-2022

Variety	December 3	April 30	May 9	June 6	Total
Marshall	0.91	1.84	1.01	1.00	4.75*
Winterhawk	0.87	1.78	1.06	0.96	4.67*
Grazekeeper	0.74	1.66	1.10	1.13	4.63*
Meroa	0.81	1.71	1.08	0.98	4.58*
Koga	0.81	1.66	1.03	1.02	4.52*
Dexter	0.65	1.46	1.06	1.06	4.24*
FrostProof	0.80	1.32	0.89	0.80	3.80
Feast II	0.62	0.71	0.98	0.87	3.17
Gulf	0.80	0.63	0.91	0.79	3.13
LSD	0.21	0.33	0.16	0.23	0.70

University of Kentucky

Forage Yield (Tons DM/A)

Lexington, KY

2019-2020

Variety	November 6	April 1	April 28	May 21	June 8	June 25	Total
Meroa	1.16	0.64	1.04	0.84	0.62	0.27	4.56*
Dexter	0.93	0.69	0.98	0.83	0.58	0.33	4.33*
Koga	1.15	0.64	0.99	0.4	0.54	0.23	4.25*
Marshall	1.07	0.72	0.92	0.76	0.45	0.30	4.22*
FrostProof	0.98	0.70	0.81	0.77	0.38	0.29	3.93*
Grazekeeper	0.61	0.73	0.84	0.8	0.53	0.25	3.76
Feast II	0.90	0.36	0.83	0.82	0.45	0.29	3.64
Gulf	1.09	0.27	0.77	0.63	0.39	0.21	3.36
LSD	0.37	0.14	0.24	0.18	0.15	0.11	0.57

Koga in Multiple Locations

Enhance Your Seed

We provide an array of seed enhancements, including bio stimulants, macro and micronutrients, water absorbents, fungicides, and colorants. These are available for all seed types and uses.

Planting Instructions

Prior to Planting

For optimal performance, prior to planting, obtain a soil test. Amend soil according to recommendations and fertilize after planting according to recommendations and use.

How to Plant

Koga can be drilled or broadcast into either a prepared seedbed or an existing sod bed. For prepared seedbed, lightly disc and pack well. For existing sod bed, reduce existing sod height as much as possible.

Fertilization

Application of fertilizer (following soil test recommendations) throughout the growing season and/or use of legumes will provide maximum forage tonnage and root growth.

Seeding Rate

New Pastures

25–35 lbs/ac

Overseeding

10–15 lbs/ac

Planting Dates

Koga can be planted throughout the year. However, maximum utilization will be obtained by planting in the fall as soon as adequate moisture is available. If planted at other times of the year, performance will be limited.

Planting Map

Planting Depth

1/8"-1/2"

Optimal pH

6.0-7.0

Germination

5-10 days

Fertilizer

Application of fertilizer (per soil test results) throughout the growing season and/or use of legumes will provide maximum forage tonnage and root growth.