Pasture solutions that are good for cows, business and the environment
- 1. Neil Moss BVScPhD Dip Vet Clin Stud SBScibus www.sbscibus.com.au
- 3. To introduce you to our pasture program at Lemongrove To show you around a little To discuss what we are trying to achieve and how we are going about it To present some data and to discuss some of our early findings
- 4. Background- most coastal dairy pastures in kikuyu-ryegrass rotation ◦ Produces forage for most months of year ◦ High but variable yielding system ◦ Retains drought and weed resilliance of kikuyu base ◦ Resistant to wet weather and pugging But! ◦ Needs resowing every year ◦ Highly dependent on nitrogen ◦ Shallow rooted ◦ Moderate summer feed quality
- 5. Background ◦ Attempts made 10-15 years ago to replace kikuyu with perennial rye based pastures Poor persistence Grass weed invasion Poor summer productivity Endophyte issues Poor growth in dry periods Maybe we have been looking at the wrong perennial pasture options?
- 6. Could work well if we can establish and maintain them Much lower requirement for nitrogen Could have a different growth curve to grass based pastures Many are tap-rooted ◦ Deeper moisture and nutrient extraction Could have excellent pasture quality in warmer months May form part of a pasture portfolio-risk management benefits
- 7. But! ◦ May have problems with broad leaf weeds ◦ Risks with water-logging ◦ Would need enough area for a constant rotation ◦ May not produce enough feed ◦ May need cultivation to establish effectively ◦ May not produce enough feed in winter ◦ Persistence issues? There is a need to know more!!
- 8. Started to look at new options 7-8 years ago with innovative clients on the MNC
- 10. Apparent success needed to be backed with data Lemongrove Research Farm applied successfully through Caring for Country grant to allow a quantitative field study into these pastures Project commenced beginning 2011
- 11. We new that timing was important We had stabilised a preparation strategy and sowing method We had a good indication of the shape of the pasture curve and had looked at ways to address is deficiencies We were achieving some fantastic feed quality with responses in the vat We were using substantially less fertiliser
- 12. Treatment and control paddocks selected ◦ Treatment – oats followed by legume/herb pasture ◦ Control- traditional kikuyu rye pastures Soil tested Preparation and sowing program defined Get started!
- 13. Pasture growth Nutrients applied Changes in soil chemistry Feed quality Milk production (anecdotal) Chemical use Soil moisture
- 14. Knockdown herbicides in summer prior to crop- prefer 2 sprays Remove trash if necessary Direct drill forage oats in late February Control broadleaf weeds, graze, fertilise ◦ Targeted >3 grazings before spraying out again in late winter Spray out late winter Sow pasture mix in Late July/August
- 15. Direct drill with disc seeder in early August Mix ◦ 8.5kg/ha Stamina GT6 Lucerne ◦ 4kg/ha Bulldog red clover ◦ 1.5kg/ha Kopu II white clover ◦ 1.5kg/ha Will ladino white clover ◦ 2kg/ha Tonic Plantain ◦ 2,5kg/ha Puna Chicory
- 17. Kill out oats Direct drill new seed mix
- 26. 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 2000 6000 8000 4000 0 Date 20/02/2011 9/04/2011 16/04/2011 2/05/2011 7/05/2011 30/05/2011 1/06/2011 29/06/2011 30/06/2011 2/08/2011 7/08/2011 31/08/2011 24/09/2011 18/10/2011 9/11/2011 12/11/2011 4/12/2011 6/12/2011 5/01/2012 6/01/2012 24/01/2012 31/01/2012 14/02/2012 21/02/2012 treatment cumulative yield cumulative yield control
- 27. total 16413 15310 grazings 11 13 average 1492.091 1177.692 yield since crop online 8134 6407
- 28. Components: Treatment Test 1: Control Test 1: Treatment Test 2: Control Test 2: % NDF 30.7 46.3 30.4 51.4 % Crude Protein 32 24.1 33.1 27.5 % Ash 13.33 11.34 11.35 10.41 Lignin % NDF 12.4 3.9 16.8 5.6 % Calcium 1.23 0.58 1.37 0.53 % Phosphorus 0.45 0.42 0.45 0.43 % Magnesium 0.36 0.3 0.36 0.26 % Potassium 3.28 3.13 3.18 3.16 % ADF 23.6 26.3 23.1 26.7 % Lignin 3.8 1.8 5.1 2.9 % NFC 25.2 18.6 27.6 14.4 Relative Feed Value 214 138 217 123 ME (MJ/kg) 11.63 10.8 11.76 10.97 ME CPM (MJ/kg DM) 10.16 8.58
- 29. Treatment control Urea kg/ha N kg/ha kg/ha N kg/ha urea 445 204.7 urea 1115 512.9 pasture pasture boosta 240 55.2 boosta 110 25.3 259.9 538.2 N units since N units since July 55 July 287.5
- 30. Retain legume/herb stand for next 12 months Continue summer grass control (Chem) and broad leaf (machinery) Oversow with PRG in Autumn 2013- aim for 2 years from this
- 31. Need to control broad leaf weeds in oats in Y1 Need to be careful being too aggressive with annuals oversowing- lost plants in winter 1 with this Need to control grass weeds better in summer 1 and 2- need to be prepared to take annual rye out in late November Need to be careful with N use and grazing management of ryegrasses when oversown ◦ Shading and competition risk Water-logging is major risk- drainage critical Need to improve effluent application