Best Variety of Orchard Grass?

Hey HayTalk friends,

 

I'm in northern VA and make small squares for horse customers.  I probably could start a topic on varieties and breeds of the horse customers themselves, but this topic is on what is the best variety of orchard grass.  I have both WP300 and Persist.  A neighbor of mine has a field of Potomac.   When we both entered our hay in the county fair, my WP300 won best hay in show, beating out his Potomac. A couple years ago, our local COOP stop selling the WP300 and started selling PERSIST.  A couple of things are different between the two.   In the hotter summer, Persist seems to "rust out" and growth slows whereas there is no impact to the WP300. Second cutting is everything in the horse hay business.  The WP300 stays green as poison even after baled.  It doesn't get as sun bleached even to the point of getting as dry as a popcorn fart  (8-10%).  I think Persist is a newer developed variety and everybody is raving about it still. But my experience is telling me different. 

 

It is hard to get a straight answer or one that is not motivated by profits from a seed salesman.   Anything anyone has to share on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

 

-Farmer Mark

Best Variety of Orchard Grass?