Stampede CM142: A New Benchmark in Perennial Ryegrass Performance
From Autumn 2026, New Zealand farmers will have access to a new generation of perennial ryegrass that resets expectations around performance, persistence, and animal safety.
Stampede CM142 is the result of more than a decade of targeted breeding and endophyte development by Cropmark Seeds and is now available from Catalyst Performance Agronomy
From the 2026 harvest, Catalyst will be able to supply Stampede CM142 - aligning genetics, endophyte technology, and agronomic expertise under one system. This integration allows better technical support and supports the follow-through from breeding to on-farm performance.
For farmers, that means access to a premium cultivar backed not just by trial data, but by people who understand how it needs to perform in real paddocks.
Bred for New Zealand, Tested Under Pressure
Stampede is a diploid perennial ryegrass, bred in New Zealand for New Zealand conditions. Its development spanned more than 10 years and focused on producing a true all-rounder for intensive pastoral systems.
Key agronomic traits include:
- Late heading date
- High leaf-to-stem ratio
- Strong rust tolerance
- High tiller density
- Excellent late-season and cool-season activity
This combination delivers dense, digestible forage that holds quality through spring and maintains growth when pressure is highest.
The CM142 Endophyte Advantage
At the core of Stampede is CM142, a novel epoxy-janthitrem producing endophyte developed to solve a long-standing industry trade-off: insect protection versus animal safety.
Unmatched Animal Safety in an epoxy-janthitrem endophyte
CM142 has been through rigorous animal safety trials and has proven the following:
- A very low risk of ryegrass staggers was observed in lambs grazing Stampede CM142. Symptoms were observed only in 17% of lambs after 6 weeks.
- In comparison, 92% of lambs grazing Standard Endophyte grass rapidly developed staggers symptoms with much greater severity.
Importantly, CM142 does not produce lolitrem-B or ergovaline, the alkaloids commonly associated with staggers and heat stress.
Market-Leading Insect Control
CM142 delivers insect protection that matches leading epoxy-janthitrem endophytes, the endophyte has been submitted into the national Endophyte Insect Control Summary with the following claims:
- (4-star) control – Argentine Stem Weevil
- (3-star) control – Black Beetle
- (4-star) control – Root Aphid
- (3-star)
control – Porina
(4 stars represents the highest level of protection; some ratings provisional as testing continues)
The result is strong pasture persistence without compromising livestock health or performance.
Consistent Production, All Year Round
National Forage Variety Trial (NFVT) results place Stampede CM142 in the upper quartile of all commercial perennial ryegrass varieties tested.
These trials include North Island sites north of Taupō - regions with extreme insect pressure - providing confidence that Stampede performs where failure risk is highest.
Key performance highlights:
- Strong summer growth
- Reliable autumn recovery when feed demand is critical
- Excellent cool-season vigour for winter and early spring feed supply
Built for Tough Summers and Fast Recovery
Stampede CM142 has shown exceptional resilience through dry, high-pressure summers. Its robust genetics establish a strong plant footprint, while the CM142 endophyte reduces insect pressure and aids the plant in development and longevity..
This combination supports:
- Deeper root development
- Faster recovery post-drought
- Greater pasture longevity under grazing pressure
Proven across NZ and Australia
Stampede CM142 has been evaluated across a wide range of environments, management systems, and climatic zones, including:
New Zealand trial sites
- Northland, Waikato, Central Plateau, King Country
- Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki
- Canterbury (multiple sites)
Australian trials
- Stampede CM142 has been trialled and sold into the Australian market into some of the toughest, harshest environments.
- This extensive trial network underpins confidence that Stampede is a genuine, system-ready performer – capable of performance in imperfect conditions.
Where Stampede Fits
Stampede CM142 is suited to a wide range of pastoral systems:
- Dairy: High-quality, palatable feed supporting milk production
- Sheep & Lamb Finishing: Nutritious forage with extremely low staggers risk
- Beef Systems: Dense, persistent swards under rotational or set-stocking farm-systems.
- Mixed Livestock: Versatile performance across stock classes
- Intensive Grazing: Rapid regrowth and strong pasture recovery
Availability & Support
Stampede CM142 seed will be available through Catalyst Performance Agronomy
Farmers will be supported with:
- Establishment and grazing guidelines
- Endophyte management advice
- Integrated pasture programs, including fertiliser and crop protection options
- On-farm technical support from Catalyst’s nationwide agronomy team
Stampede CM142 is not an incremental improvement - it represents a step-change in perennial ryegrass technology.
Elite genetics. Market-leading insect protection. Industry-leading animal safety.
Backed by people who stand behind it in the paddock.
The Stampede is coming - and it’s built to go the distance.