RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE NUTRITION FORAGE AND ARABLE HORTICULTURE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT DAIRY MANAGEMENT
Plan 365 is a technical guide aimed at helping shareholders learn about best practice and the latest advancements in rural technology.
Relationship reaps rewards
The quest to find the best products is only half the battle for dairy farmers. Receiving the appropriate technical advice can be the difference between maintaining and boosting production.
Barry and Rochelle Harvey from coastal Taranaki are dairy farmers who have found technical support to be a valuable tool in improving their production. Barry and Rochelle usually winter close to 300 cows and have been using NRM products for close to 5 years.
“We’re using NRM now because of their technical support,” Barry explains. We use NRM through the milking season – we don’t feed a lot unless the spring weather is inclement, so the main focus is
farming through the summer dry.”
That focus requires forward thinking, which is where NRM Feeds Specialist Maree Collins comes into it. Barry describes Maree as a “proactive resource” and a vital link in planning ahead.
“We have been working with Maree only this season but she knows what she’s talking about. She’s good to bounce ideas off,” Barry says. “When you’re working on the farm, you tend to be hands-on and focus on the day-to-day operations and she’s a bit more up to date on what’s happening on the theory side.”
Maree says the NRM Feed Specialist role is interesting and challenging, as they strive to help people identify problems or potential areas for extra performance.
“This can vary from chooks that aren’t laying, to kid goats that are not growing enough, a pony that is getting too fat or dairy cow nutrition,” Maree says.
“With Taranaki being a very strong dairy farming area, most of my work is with clients like Barry and Rochelle. I aim to find out what they want to achieve in their farming operation.”
Maree says not everyone is the same and most farmers have different focuses.
For some clients the focus is on animal health, while others aim more for profit or to lessen environmental impact.
“At NRM we use the Dietcheck programme. This can help identify any imbalances in a cow’s diet and how these affect their performance and profit,” Maree says. “We can then tailor-make
blends using our Blend Calculator, or add in additives to pellets, to optimise health and production. We really do try to look at the whole picture.”
Barry says while it is hard to quantify in monetary value Maree’s work, he finds it extremely valuable.
“Because she and NRM are part of Farmlands, the employees I’ve dealt with think we are the owners. As a true cooperative, they are trying to do their best for you and the outcomes.”
For more information, talk to your local Farmlands representative. Article supplied by NRM.
Four legs, first response
“You see mounted police right throughout the world – but you hardly ever see an ambo on top of a horse.”
Corey Milnes is passionate about helping people. As the founder of the Mounted Medics, he has made it his goal to have Mounted Medic volunteers on horseback, as a first response at events where terrain hinders more traditional emergency vehicles.
A completely volunteer team, the work of the Mounted Medics mirrors Corey’s own work. A jockey for 15 years, Corey became involved as a St. John volunteer. He is now a first responder, currently training to become an EMT.
“In 2011, after the February earthquake I was heavily involved in first response. I took a break from the front line and started doing horse events,” Corey explains.
“We had a two-day event at Birch Hill –the ground was wet and I was running around with a little pack on day one. I asked if I could bring my horse along on day two. That was where the seed was planted.”
The Mounted Medics were established that same year. Helmed by Corey and his wife Kayla, they attended eight events in the first year. During the second season in 2012, a training programme was established for new Mounted Medics members. By creating a sustainable and robust training programme, an increase in volunteers allowed the number of events covered to increase.
“Primarily, the events we covered were pony clubs and eventing. By the end of 2012, we had attended 20 events and had four members join us,” Corey says.
“Things have progressed from there – in 2013 we did 30 events and by the end of 2014 we had done another 30 events, plus added 10 members.”
Varying levels of training means the Mounted Medics have volunteers ranging from advanced paramedics to first responders. Primarily covering the Canterbury area from Kaikoura to Rolleston, events covered include A&P Shows, Cup and Show Week in Christchurch, pony clubs, One Day Events and eventing competitions, as well as the Springston Trophy since 2011.
“This year we are looking at getting into hunting. There are commemoration events for World War I and II horses and
there will be a fully mounted ANZAC Day dawn service, which will be quite a nostalgic tie to the World War I and II Mounted Medics,” Corey says. “We will also be busy attending the pony clubs and eventing ODEs during 2015.”
When not busy at horse events, Corey says the Mounted Medics do a lot of PR work for St. John and sponsors of the Mounted Medics, which includes McMillan Equine Feeds. The Mounted Medic Unit has had interest from all over New Zealand and Mounted Medics have started the training pathway in Nelson. This unit should be able to attend events in 2015.
To find out more or find out on how to donate, visit www.stjohn.org.nz or contact Team Leader Corey Milnes on 027 225 3396.
Article supplied by McMillan Equine.
A bright future ahead
Success is a family affair for the Burnett-Grant sisters, with Hannah and Briar jumping their way to national and international glory as a result.
The Taupo-based pair are the newest members of Team Fiber Fresh, joining current member Sam McIntosh (who rides for Team Audi based in The Netherlands) and top New Zealand eventer Samantha Felton. Hannah and Briar represent showjumping’s top up-and-coming talent and prove that age is no barrier to success or ambition. Briar (14) and Hannah (21) have already enjoyed a number of significant milestones at both national and international level. Both have represented New Zealand against Australia, with Briar also representing New Zealand at the 2013 World Championships in Mexico. Briar won her first Horse of the Year title at the age of 10 in the Pony 6 Bar
Competition – only the second rider to ever win at such an age – clearing a height of 1.60m. She began competing in the Pony Grand Prix Series a year later, winning and placing in nearly all of her events.
At the 2013 Horse of the Year, on three different ponies, Briar won the Pony of the Year and the 1.25 Pony Championship Stakes and was also third in the Speed Pony of the Year. At the 2014 Horse of the Year, she placed third in the Pony of the Year, third in Junior Rider of the Year and fifth in the Speed Horse of the Year against adults.
Hannah has also had a number of successes, winning the NZ Junior Rider Series in 2010 and was also crowned National Champion the same year.
Last season saw Hannah place third in the 1.30m Horse of the Year Championship Class on her 6 year old mare Cormina Obolensky.
An essential ingredient of the sisters’ success comes down to nutrition and the health of their horses, with the pair long-time users of Fiber Fresh’s high nutritional fibre.
“We read an article in a magazine about a Fiber Fresh feed aiding with healing and preventing ulcers in horses and decided that was the way to go. We’ve been using FiberProtect for years now and it’s a product we’re really behind –the horses perform so well on it and they always look fit and healthy.”
Fiber Fresh feeds are designed to achieve maximum performance and complete gastrointestinal health in horses, resulting in healthier and betterperforming animals, by providing unique, moist forage feeds that are specifically developed to suit horses’ mono-gastric digestive systems.
The moist, high nutritional fibre generates energy from natural volatile fatty acid production in the hindgut, meaning horses are able to obtain more nutrients, get more energy from less feed and retain more available energy for training and performance.
With clear nutritional philosophies, as well as passion and work ethics to match, the Burnett-Grant sisters have a bright future ahead of them. Hannah’s showjumping goals include winning Lady Rider of the Year and competing at World Cup level, while Briar has clear Olympic goals in sight.
For more information, talk to the knowledgeable team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Fiber Fresh.
| Kabo Silver, Briar Burnett-Grant, Hannah Burnett-Grant and Cormina Obolensky.
Salt – when is enough, enough?
“Salt of the earth” and “worth his salt” – common phrases that emphasise the value we have traditionally placed on salt. Common salt is sodium chloride (NaCl) but it is the sodium part that is considered essential, as diets normally contain enough chlorine.
Sodium is found throughout the body, present in all cells and fluids and plays a critical role in enzymes, bone formation and nerve function. Sodium is critically involved in maintaining the body’s fluid and ion balance. Levels in the body are carefully controlled by the kidneys – any surplus being excreted in the urine.
Sodium is lost in milk, urine, sweat (the loss increases in high temperatures and during exercise) and faeces (especially when animals suffer from diarrhoea).
High producing cows and those with mastitis or high somatic cell counts will lose more sodium in the milk than they can conserve by recycling or reducing losses elsewhere.
Most supplementary feeds, including palm kernel expeller, lucerne, red clover, maize silage and cereals are a poor source of sodium and fast growing, well fertilised grass tends to be low in sodium, compared to clover-rich swards. Lactating cows and growing stock have responded positively to supplementary sodium in New Zealand trials, so whilst grazing ruminants are unlikely to suffer extreme sodium deficiency, it is worth making sure that a simple salt deficiency is not holding back your stock and profitability. The National Research Council put the sodium requirement of
lactating dairy cows at 2.0-3.4g/kg DM compared to 0.9-1.8g/kg for sheep and 0.7-0.8g/kg for heifers.
Potassium fertiliser can depress soil sodium and increase leaching losses. Apart from a narrow coastal strip reaching perhaps 5km inland, which receives salt laden sea spray, most of New Zealand pasture is considered low to deficient in sodium. Salt deficiency depresses food intake and is associated with rough coat, listlessness, reduced milk production and liveweight gain or even weight loss.
Salt is very palatable and animals will seek it out if they are deficient. Salt can be added to fertiliser, water, mixer wagons and supplements. Salt is so palatable, it provides a good companion for other minerals like magnesium, which is bitter to taste. But it is a double edged sword, as too much salt can limit the intake of supplements, unless water is available to wash it down. A belt-and-
braces approach to salt supplementation,
but providing some free access as well, seems a legitimate approach given the vagaries of supply, availability and demand. If the craving for salt cannot be satisfied, animals can develop a depraved appetite and can be seen licking each other, chewing wood or licking soil but often it is more timely and effective to simply make salt available and let intakes indicate how impoverished the animals are at any time.
Over consumption of salt by ruminants is not normally a problem, provided drinking water is freely available but has been associated with udder oedema in heifers and excess levels should be avoided in springer diets.
For more information, talk to your local Farmlands representative.
Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Farmlands Nutritionist.
| Heat stress and panting increases sodium losses.
Autumn - it’s tagging time
Autumn is a busy time in the tagging calendar for beef and deer farmers. To avoid inconvenience, the best advice is to order your tags early and to allow for a few spares to be kept on hand.
Weaners, both cattle and deer, must have a minimum of a single NAIT tag when moving to sale. Tags must be applied before the weaners move to sale. It is advisable to order and apply “Birth type” tags for weaners. You can change the year code to the year of birth, to ensure the number range starts at 1 each year. This provides an easy, visible audit of animals tagged in that year and also provides the possibility of performing manual NAIT transfers. The most economical option for weaners moving to sale is the “FDX” technology.
Replacement livestock, both cattle and deer, require a single NAIT tag to meet legal requirements within 180 days of birth or first movement. For future convenience, it’s best to order “matching management” tag sets. These consist of a “birth type” NAIT tag pre matched and packaged, complete with a set of management panel tags. The panel tags can be ordered in any of the 10 colours and has the option of adding a property/ stud name. This is easy to order and can provide the following advantages:
• Coloured year age marking provides easy visual identification of age groups.
• Coloured tags can provide ownership ID - at a glance identify
stock that have wandered onto neighbouring properties.
• The large, black LaserPlus numbers on the management tags provide a lifetime of field identification for your cows or hinds, especially at calving or weaning time.
• Property or stud name above the animal number provides absolute identification.
For animals moving to slaughter, whether culls or prime stock, the most convenient way to comply this group of animals is by applying FDX, low cost Traka tags. The Traka tags come in a bulk bag and don’t require any matching to the animal. Always order extra Traka tags, these never expire and are handy to move animals in a hurry!
When choosing tags between HDX High performance or FDX low cost, the choice is yours. However, there are proven advantages in using EID as a management tool. It provides increased accuracy, speed and labour savings when used for things like weighing,
drafting and general animal records.
• HDX = it is our best advice that you purchase HDX tags if you are intending to utilise the EID technology on-farm, especially with a panel reader. HDX tags are slightly more expensive, however the extra cost is quickly outweighed by the gains in performance.
• FDX = if you are not intending to use the EID technology, i.e. the animal is moving direct to slaughter or is simply being NAIT complied, FDX tags are cheaper and will provide minimum compliance!
Applicators, Once you have the best tags for your situation, please take care to ensure you have the right applicator. The correct applicator is vital to ensure the tags are retained in the ear and the person applying the tag is as safe as possible.
Always remember, when applying all tags, ensure the female tag is on the front/inside of the animal’s ear.
Article supplied by Allflex.
Protecting ewes and this spring’s lambs starts now
The most obvious risk of clostridial disease in animals at this time of year is in fast-growing youngstock that are being fed lush feed or crops where sudden death due to Pulpy Kidney is of most concern. But a good clostridial vaccination programme also involves other stock classes. You have the opportunity now to ensure the benefits of vaccination are maximised by ensuring all of your ewes are set up for pre-lamb vaccinations and stock such as rams and young beef animals are also protected.
Hoggets
The use of 5-in-1 vaccine MULTINE® at weaning and 4-6 weeks later in ewe lambs ensures protection from the most common clostridial diseases over the periods of high risk for lambs. If these hoggets are then mated, they should be given a booster vaccination pre-lamb, to ensure they are protected through lambing and to provide protection to their suckling lambs via colostrum.
Two-tooths
Never-mated Two-tooth ewes commonly do not receive any clostridial vaccinations
between weaning and pre-lambing (>1 year between the first shot and the first booster). This is not sufficient - the recommended interval between the sensitiser (first shot) and the first booster is 4-6 weeks. Leaving it significantly longer than this risks a poor response to vaccination and could leave animals at risk of disease. To get the best response to vaccination, give a booster prior to mating, to ensure these ewes are correctly set up ahead of their pre-lamb vaccination.
Bought in ewes
Remember that the vaccination history of bought-in stock may not be known. Prior to joining is a great opportunity to give these animals a MULTINE or NILVAX® sensitiser – they can then fit in with the main flock booster shot pre-lamb. Rams
It is recommended to give rams an annual 5-in-1 clostridial booster, such as MULTINE, as these are valuable animals that are well worth protecting. Fighting that may occur around mating leaves rams susceptible to clostridial wound infection, so as well as being convenient timing, it makes sense to vaccinate pre-tupping.
Beef cattle
When you are buying MULTINE for the sheep flock, consider the beef cattle too. Ensure young beef stock clostridial vaccinations are completed. Blackleg and Sudden Death Syndrome are most often seen in young, fast-growing cattle. Both diseases progress rapidly, so that often the first sign is dead stock. An initial course of two vaccinations 4-6 weeks apart will provide protection – and MULTINE 5-in-1 covers the five common clostridial diseases.
Article supplied by Coopers. Register pursuant of the ACVM Act 1997, No. A0934, A0935, A3977.
| Ensure you have a good clostridial protection programme in place for all stock.
| NILVAX is a 5-in-1 clostridial vaccine that also contains levamisole, which generates a superior immune response in hoggets, ewes and rams.
| MULTINE provides proven protection against five key clostridial diseases and is available in plain and selenised.
An autumn parasite management programme avoids the perfect storm
Autumn and early winter can be a challenging period to control internal parasites. The perfect storm can be created — with peak numbers of larvae on the pasture, providing a high challenge for young stock that have not developed tolerance to the effects of parasites. Lingering warmth and increased rainfall speed up larval development further, contributing to pasture contamination.
A drenching programme needs to be combined with smart on-farm management decisions. Reducing the impact of parasites on stock has to be balanced with minimising the development of resistance to drenches. Drenching young stock but still allowing them to be continually exposed to heavy larval challenge is counterproductive with limited production benefits. In autumn, 85 to 95 percent of the worm population is on the pasture, so drenching stock is only part of an effective parasite control strategy. Pasture rotation with older animals grazing after young stock, mixed grazing with older animals or mixed species (such as cattle and sheep) can be used to mop up heavy larvae pasture contamination for younger stock. Intensive grazing and grazing young stock on paddocks that lambs were weaned onto should be minimised. The autumn period also provides additional risks for development of drench resistance because of the large number of parasites surviving and
developing. Drench programmes need to ensure susceptible worm populations remain on-farm. Ensuring a minimum of 28 days between drenching and selective drenching within a flock (using refugia) helps maintain this. Reducing the risk for resistance can also be achieved by using combination active oral drenches. Long-acting products should be avoided in young stock, as the lengthened exposure time of parasites to the active(s) can increase selection of resistant parasites. Drench resistance should be investigated using faecal larval cultures. Seek advice from your animal health adviser on how to do this. Drench selection should be based on what works on the worms on your farm. Regular drench checks based on faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) provide the peace of mind that you are selecting an appropriate drench.
A combination oral drench is recommended in young stock as it will provide production benefits and help reduce the development of resistance. Preventative drenching programmes in young stock may be nearing completion at this time of the year. Continue to monitor stock for signs of parasitism as heavy worm burdens can still develop, especially with a mild autumn. Periodic faecal egg counts should be used to identify critical times where additional drenching is required for all age groups.
Remember, if you see clinical signs of parasitism, your worm control plan is not working. Seek advice to maximise the return on your investment while achieving sustainable, productive farming. Article supplied by Coopers.
Worm larvae on pasture by season
Level of worm larvae on pasture
Edge has it all
At the heart of the Edge story is the combined power and unique properties of the doramectin and levamisole molecules. The doramectin active is the most widely used injectable endecticide in the New Zealand market for many years, because of its efficacy against Ostertagia and ability to dramatically reduce this parasite’s negative effect on production. Levamisole on the other hand, being a short acting chemical, is highly effective against macrocyclic lactone (ML) resistant intestinal parasites, typically Cooperia.
The big three production limiting parasites in cattle each impact on their host in different ways. Ostertagia, by its burrowing and hibernation ability in the stomach, can cause severe pathology vastly disproportionate to its numbers. Trichostrongylus uses a numbers game, which builds over the winter when immunity is compromised by lowered feeding levels. Cooperia builds in the autumn, aided by its drench resistance ability documented NZ wide. Not to be forgotten is Dictyocaulus (lung worm), which can spring up when least expected and cause parasitic pneumonia and deaths often seen where MLs are removed from drench programmes. All of these parasite effects can be prevented and growth rates restored when Edge is used strategically in calves in the late spring period to control Ostertagia and autumn for Cooperia. Treating yearlings for type two Ostertagiosis (and especially
dairy heifers in early spring leading into mating) is critical for achieving good reproduction and reaching calving liveweight targets.
Recent registration trials in New Zealand support these efficacy claims with a meat withhold period of 21 days, shorter than most competitor products. The superior aspects of injection technology delivers a consistent dose, higher and more predictable peak blood levels and elimination of weather, dirt and licking, which influence efficacy and promote parasite resistance, which is why Edge has it all.
The new free-flow injector makes the delivery of a 1ml /20kg body weight dose under the skin of the neck accurate,
EDGE INJECTIONS 500ML TWIN PACK
• Combination injection for cattle.
• Effective against all important internal production limiting worms.
• Contains the trusted active doramectin together with levamisole for enhanced protection.
quick and easy.
Now sheep can have it all as well.
Edge in sheep, like cattle, has recent trials demonstrating >99.9 percent efficacy to all common sheep gastro-intestinal parasites found in NZ with no safety issues. This high efficacy, combined with double actives over commonly used single actives, will dramatically reduce development of drench resistance, being very important in sheep. The only difference from cattle is a longer meat withholding period of 42 days and the requirement to use a shorter needle (3/8 inch) when injecting under the skin of the neck.
Edge in sheep is suitable to treat mated hoggets and ewes 2 weeks pre-lamb, to help these stock classes limit the impact of parasites over lambing on body weight loss and lamb survival and ultimately reduction of the post-parturient egg raise. This reduced contamination has a flow-on effect for ewes and lamb productivity through spring but mostly the following autumn.
Article supplied by Bayer.
Don’t get caught short against Barber’s Pole
Barber’s Pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is an important cause of lost production in both lambs and sheep, especially in the summer and autumn months. The adult worm is a prolific egg producer and when conditions are right, numbers can increase rapidly. Even in small numbers, Barber’s Pole worms can have an important impact on the health and productivity of ewes and lambs.
Barber’s Pole worm sucks blood from the sheep. This causes anaemia and can result in sudden death due to acute blood loss. When rain occurs, eggs accumulated over a dry period will develop into larvae and be ready to infect sheep, all at the same time. Sheep are then faced with an enormous larval challenge on the pasture they are grazing, which can lie hidden until the debilitating effects of this parasite are felt.
It is important not to be complacent with this parasite. Ensure your animals
CYDECTIN SHEEP ORAL PLAIN 15L
• Larger dose volume (1ml/5kg) allows accurate dosing, even in young lambs.
• Kills ostertagia and Barber’s Pole for longer.
• 35 days persistent activity against Barber’s Pole worm.
• 21 days persistent activity against ostertagia
are performing to their maximum this Barber’s Pole season, by treating them with an effective product with persistent activity and using a planned approach to parasite management.
Cydectin products are ideal to ensure sheep are protected against Barber’s Pole. With Cydectin Oral Drench for Sheep, stock are protected from Barber’s Pole worm for 35 days and with Cydectin Long Acting Injection for Sheep, they can be protected for 91 days.
When animals are free from parasites for longer, greater production can be the result. A New Zealand trial1 showed that lambs treated with Cydectin Oral grew at least 60 percent faster and with a total weight gain of 64 percent more than if treated using a product with no persistent activity.
By including Cydectin products into your parasite management programme, you protect your sheep from worms for longer, enabling better feed conversion and maximising growth.
For more information, talk to your friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Zoetis.
1. Murphy A, NZ Journal Ag. Research 1994 vol 38: 221-224.
CYDECTIN LA INJECTION 500ML
• 91 days control of Barber’s Pole worm (Haemonchus contortus)
• 112 days control of Teladorsagia ostertagia (small brown stomach worm).
• 42 days control of Trichostrongylus colubriformis (black scour worm).
Fertigating broad acre crops
As many of you read this article, the irrigator(s) will likely be operating somewhere on the farm. If it is just water being applied then you may be missing an opportunity to increase yields. In fact, each irrigation is an opportunity to increase yields.
Fertigation is the application of soluble fertilisers through irrigation systems. Such technology is commonplace throughout the United States and Australia but is still in its infancy here. However, fertigation is starting to gain traction, as the advantages become apparent.
In a typical fertigation programme a lesser amount of base fertiliser is used. That is because the subsequent fertigation applications will provide an accurate amount of immediately available nutrient, exactly when required by the crop. This accurate and timely “spoon feeding” means that less fertiliser is used overall, which is very appealing for regions where fertiliser inputs are recorded. In contrast, the practice of applying large base rates followed by side dressings lends itself to potential wastage, leaching and volatilisation. Overall, the combined approach of a base dressing plus fertigation provides for a much more sustainable way of growing.
The fertilisers used in a fertigation system are the same as those used in greenhouses to grow lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers etc. They are
crystallised fertilisers that rapidly dissolve in water. They are free of impurities and have an N:P:K rating, just like solid fertilisers. Farmlands’ choice of soluble fertilisers is the Campbells range, due to the cost effectiveness and high quality. Growers simply dissolve the nutrients in a tank, which then either feeds into the main line or is positioned with the pivot. From there a dosing system will draw the nutrients into the system and through the irrigator.
Aside from gaining more efficient use of the nutrients being applied to a crop, the real advantages come from tailoring nutrition programmes for the stage of growth. For example, we know that the nutrition requirements of any crop (carrots, potatoes, wheat, etc.) are different during establishment, flowering, grain filling and maturation. Therefore, being able to tweak
programmes as the crop develops is critical for enhancing yield. Our work last year with potatoes and carrots showed we could increase marketable yield by about 10 percent, whilst also improving the quality attributes of both crops. For potatoes, the specific gravity was significantly increased. Soluble fertilisers are a cost effective and accurate method to deliver the required nutrients to plants. Farmlands Horticulture has the skilled personnel to advise on fertigation systems and products to achieve improved performance from your crops.
For more information on this exciting and innovative product, please contact your local Farmlands Horticulture Technical Advisor.
Article supplied by Mark Daniels, Field Manager, Farmlands Horticulture.
Apply inoculants and don’t miss out
This autumn, farmers across the country will be asked if they want silage inoculant applied to their maize crops at harvest time. Using best-practice management techniques, including inoculating with a tested and proven inoculant, is the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on the benefits you get from incorporating maize silage into your farm system.
Why use an inoculant?
A good silage fermentation minimises the amount of feed lost through shrinkage, spoilage and/or heating. It maximises silage energy content, which means you get more milk or meat for every tonne of maize you ensile.
When you apply a quality Pioneer® brand inoculant at harvest, millions of the right bacteria are distributed through the crop. They control the fermentation, which results in:
1. More feed due to lower stack losses from shrinkage, spoilage and/or heating.
2. More energy as the result of a more efficient fermentation and/or less heating.
3. More milk or meat for every tonne of maize you ensile.
Don’t miss out on feed energy
When silage heats it loses valuable feed energy, which could have been used by the cow to produce milk. Maize silage contains a high concentration of starch and sugars, making it prone to heating at feed-out time.
A paper presented at the New Zealand Grasslands Association conference1 compared the performance of three commercially available silage inoculants. Pioneer® brand 11C33 inoculated silage stayed cooler 55.5 hours longer than the untreated control. There was no significant difference between silage treated with other products and the untreated control.
The Pioneer® brand maize silage inoculant range includes products that improve fermentation, as well as others that help keep silage cool at feed-out time.
Product solution Product benefit
Pioneer ® brand 11C33
Maize silage specific inoculant
Pioneer ® brand 11CFT
Maize silage specific inoculant
Pioneer ® brand 1132
Maize silage specific inoculant
Pioneer ® brand 1174
Multi-crop inoculant
• Improves animal performance over Pioneer ® brand 1132.
• Improves fermentation quality and reduces heating at feed-out time.
• Silage can be fed out up to 1 day in advance*.
• Reduces fermentation and feed-out losses.
• Improves fibre digestibility.
• Allows reduction in concentrate and protein supplementation.
• Silage can be fed out up to 1 day in advance*.
• Helps improve fermentation, retain nutrient content and enhance maize silage digestibility.
• Improves animal performance over Pioneer ® brand 1174.
• Helps improve fermentation, retain nutrient content and enhance silage digestibility.
* While 11C33 or 11CFT inoculated maize silage can be fed immediately after harvest, maximum aerobic stability gains will be made when it is fermented 30 days prior to feeding.
Contact your local Farmlands representative to order your inoculant today.
Article supplied by Pioneer Seeds.
1. Kleinmans et al, 2011. Using silage inoculants to improve the quality of pasture and maize silage in NZ. Proceedings of the NZ Grassland Association 73: 75-80.
Setting a new standard for sheep and beef
A new perennial ryegrass, bred to spread and help cover the ground, is under close evaluation on a highly productive summer dry beef and sheep unit in Hawke’s Bay this season.
Manager Mike Fraser runs Kiwikawa Station with an eye to mitigating climatic and market risk as much as possible, destocking for summer by marketing most of his stock between August and early January.
Characterised by regular summer dries with the occasional severe drought thrown in for good measure, it’s not an easy environment for perennial ryegrass. Pasture persistence and ryegrass staggers are major issues and while 20ha is renewed annually through crop, young pastures can be prone to regression.
That’s why Mike sowed 9ha of Rohan SPR last autumn. With its dense spreading habit, he wants it to prevent the likes of old ryegrass, browntop, rats tail and sweet vernal taking hold between the drill rows.
“I’m hoping it will persist and fill the gaps before the ‘villains’ figure out what is happening.”
The paddock was direct drilled in April after oats and a glyphosate spray and given 350kg/ha of 30 percent pot super. Establishment was excellent and as of mid November it had been grazed five times with 900 hoggets, with the
aim of leaving 1,500kg DM/ha residual after each grazing.
“It is very early days — how it comes through the summer and kicks away after the autumn rain will be key,” he says. “If it spreads like browntop I will be thrilled and will get really excited if it is looking good after 5 years.”
Mike’s had plenty of time to work out what suits Kiwikawa, which he has managed for the Lowry family of Taupo for the past 17 years. A former MAF Research Station Manager, his philosophy is ‘show me the science based evidence and I will use what I consider the best of it’.
Well fed pasture, never overgrazed or allowed to get rank, grazed by well bred animals that are quiet and appealing to look at keep him enthused about farming and he enjoys the challenge of juggling a diverse and complicated stocking mix, designed to optimise the farm’s strengths.
Kiwikawa winters 7,000 stock units with a ratio of 70:30 cattle to sheep.
“I have shifted it over the years, as we used to manufacture our very own droughts when we farmed a lot of ewes,” Mike says.
Cattle include 200 recorded Angus cows, plus replacements, sale bulls, finishing heifers and Taurindicus heifers for live export. Sheep include 200 recorded Romney ewes and 1,200
commercial ewes, which are mated to terminal rams, plus replacements.
Rohan SPR is a new ryegrass from Agriseeds, bred specifically to provide persistent, resilient, easy care pasture for sheep and beef. It has unusually fine leaves, very high tiller density and a unique ability to spread across the ground after it is established.
Agriseeds Pasture Systems Manager, Graham Kerr says Kiwikawa Station is an ideal example of the environment Rohan SPR was developed for.
”Rohan is not a silver bullet - like all ryegrasses, it needs reasonable soil fertility and shouldn’t be bared right out in extended dry periods. But we do think it has the genetics to set a new standard in persistent ryegrass for sheep and beef farmers.”
To find out more, talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store today.
Article supplied by Agriseeds.
| Farmlands TFO Daniel Gardner with Farm Manager Mike Fraser.
Pasture eaten per hectare key to farm profitability
After more than 40 years of dairy payouts both high and low, Paeroa’s Kim Reid is in no doubt of the most economic way to farm 370 Jersey cross cows.
“We don’t buy in any feed. We manage with what we’ve got. It’s the most economic system for us and it always has been,” he says.
It wasn’t called System 1 when he started farming but the Reid property has long been self contained, with turnips and maize used to compensate for summer pasture deficits — grass silage and hay cut every spring, all cows wintered at home and young stock grown out on a separate block across the road. Comprising 150ha, the home farm has a history of good soil fertility and while production is very much ‘in the lap of the gods’ these days, as of mid November the family was on track for their budget of 110-115,000kgMS.
Brian McMillan, Farmlands TFO for Paeroa/Ngatea, says Trojan perennial ryegrass is an ideal fit with the Reids’ system — and that’s why he first recommended it 3 years ago.
The popular diploid cultivar is tough enough to withstand climatic extremes, including the recent dry summers, while still producing the DM/ha to stand the Reids in good stead year round.
Normally, Kim renews 10-12ha of the farm into new pasture each year,
direct drilling perennial ryegrass and clover into ex crop paddocks, which are well prepared in spring.
This year he’s opted out of summer turnips and is only growing maize, so 4ha will be renewed in autumn but that will still take his total area of Trojan to 38ha.
Brian says Kim’s attention to detail during establishment is one reason he gets such consistently good results from new pasture.
“We get in as soon as it won’t pull out by the roots and graze it with yearlings immediately,” Kim explains. “We don’t let it get too long in the first year and keep it well under control.”
The whole farm is helicopter sprayed for broadleaf weeds every winter, to ensure all pastures remain clean and productive. Good management throughout the year is critical, especially during the all-important spring period when paddocks are producing so much ‘you can hear them growing’.
“We have to make silage with the sort of growth we get in spring time - we
can’t handle it otherwise,” Kim says. A tendency towards dry summers and less reliable autumns likewise means spring pasture management and performance sets the farm up for the whole year, so there is a lot of emphasis placed on monitoring residuals.
“We’re careful to keep the grass under control, so we don’t waste it. We record kg DM/ha in the winter and early spring then we usually use the eye-o-meter.
“The most important part of measuring ahead is what the cows leave behind them. That’s the secret — if you keep an eye on that you will get your levels ahead right.”
Agriseeds Pasture Systems Manager Graham Kerr says Kim is right on the money in his system. “We know the single biggest driver of farm profitability is – and always has been – pasture eaten/ha. Kim’s emphasis on growing pasture and grazing it well with a focus on post-grazing residuals are key in achieving this.”
To find out more about using Trojan to maximise your productivity this year, talk to Farmlands today. Article supplied by Agriseeds.
| Farmlands TFO Brian McMillan with Kim Reid.
Ultra high pasture performance, despite the insects
Tony and Maureen Luckin own the well known and highly respected Leithlea Jersey Stud at Okato in coastal Taranaki. They milk 238 pedigree Jersey cows on 82 hectares effective.
Tony, a Farmlands shareholder, works in closely with Farmlands Technical Field Officer Neil Jans for his farm inputs. When it comes to pasture seed, Tony is a firm supporter of the Cropmark Seeds range, having used several of their varieties successfully on his property over the years, including Matrix, Revolution, Zoom and more recently Ultra Enhanced® perennial ryegrass.
Tony has been very impressed with the all-round performance of Ultra. It is his perennial grass of choice on the property. Each year since 2009, Tony has sown around 4 to 6 hectares of Ultra mixed with Chico chicory and Demand white clover.
The paddocks sown are generally out of either turnips or maize and had effluent applied by irrigator.
Ultra’s fast establishment is one aspect Tony likes. “I am very impressed at how quickly the Ultra establishes. It is up and going very quickly.”
Tony is also impressed with Ultra’s ability to withstand insect pressure. Insect pests can be a serious issue in coastal parts of Taranaki. In particular, grass grub and black beetle can cause significant pasture damage from time to time in the region.
“I have an issue with both grass grub and black beetle on my property. They can really destroy pastures and limit their persistence. However I find that by using a high tillering ryegrass such as Ultra, my pastures are tolerating the insect attack much better,” he adds.
Tony finds Ultra to have very good yearround yield performance. In particular,
he likes Ultra’s ability to produce well over summer and hang on through summer-dry conditions, when feed can be short in coastal Taranaki. Adding Chico chicory and Demand white clover to the mix helps maximise the quality of the pasture and maintain that quality over the summer.
Tony’s Jersey herd responds well to the Ultra pasture mix and milk production increases whenever these paddocks are grazed.
“Ultra appears to be a very palatable grass. The Ultra paddocks look like they have been mowed when the cows come out. They clean the paddocks up well, which to me shows they like this grass and if the cows are happy, I’m happy,” Tony says.
“I’m really impressed by the traits of this grass and how it’s handled the insect pressures and climatic conditions on this farm. Until there is a better grass available, I will keep on using Ultra.”
Tony’s faith in Ultra is supported by its superior performance in the seed industry trials, including the National Forage Variety Trials and DairyNZ’s Forage Value Index. Ultra is a diploid, late heading perennial with high tiller density, with low aftermath heading and good disease resistance.
Ultra Enhanced ryegrass is available through all Farmlands stores.
Article supplied by Cropmark.
Barrier Combo™ pasture standing up to the insect pressure
When dairy farmer and Farmlands shareholder Murray Hawkins moved from his Horowhenua property to farm on the foothills of the Kaimai Ranges, near Matamata in the Waikato, he was “blown away” at how difficult it was to get new ryegrasses established — and for them to persist long-term.
The region’s pastures face higher insect pest pressure, from a wider range of insect pests than Murray was used to in the Horowhenua. Add to that the Waikato’s summer droughts and it was little wonder that pastures struggle to persist. “I wondered what I had got myself in for,” Murray says.
In conjunction with the local Farmlands Matamata seed specialist, Pete Smart, Murray tried many of the top varieties on the market with various endophyte combinations but nothing would persist more than a season without needing to be cropped and re-grassed.
“The grasses would just pull and open up. So we would have to go back in and stitch in more grass and by the second year, we were looking at re-grassing or going through with a crop. I felt that I was almost better off planting annuals,” Murray says. Pete and Murray went back to the drawing board and decided to sow Matrix. Matrix had been used in the region for a number of years and has managed to persist well under high insect pressure. “I thought we would try
something that has been around for a while and see how we got on. Matrix is a nuggety, tough variety,” Pete says. Murray planted two paddocks out in Matrix and three seasons later, it is still going strong. “It’s the only grass we have managed to get to persist more than 2 years,” Murray says.
With the success of Matrix in mind, when Murray needed to plant out 15 hectares of new grass in the autumn of 2013, he and Pete decided to try Cropmark’s newly commercialised ‘Barrier Combo’. “Matrix has done so well that I was more than happy to try another Cropmark grass,” Murray says.
Containing the new GrubOUT® U2 endophyte, Barrier Combo has improved tolerance to a wide range of insect pests including black beetle, grass grub, porina, field crickets and Argentine stem weevil. Black beetle
in particular is a serious pest in the region and responsible for significant pasture loss.
Murray direct drilled 6 hectares on his dairy farm and a further 9 hectares at the run-off and is thrilled with the results. “The Barrier Combo has been in for almost 2 years now and has endured two awful droughts. It has performed brilliantly,” Murray says. “I’m really happy with how it has performed.”
Murray plans to work the Barrier Combo into his re-grassing schedule this autumn and put it in all his paddocks coming out of crop. “Barrier has done well and the cows like it, so I will definitely be using it again this autumn.”
For more information, talk to your local Farmlands representative. Article supplied by Cropmark.
| Murray Hawkins (left), with Pete Smart, Farmlands seed specialist in a paddock of Barrier Combo pasture.
New ryegrass and endophyte for the north
Farmers who are constantly looking for new developments that can help improve the production and persistence of their pastures will be keen to try a new ryegrass and endophyte combination for the first time this autumn.
This is particularly true in the upper North Island, where farmers in recent years have been frustrated with the sudden loss of ryegrass in pastures, leading to decreased pasture production and increased pasture renovation costs.
Many reasons for this have been put forward but it is generally agreed that the problems stem from repeated summer and autumn droughts and fluctuating populations of the insects African black beetle and Argentine stem weevil.
It is therefore important for persistence that farmers sow perennial ryegrass that has good grazing tolerance, as
well as an endophyte that provides protection from these two insects. Improved grazing tolerance is beneficial because during droughts pasture covers and residuals end up lower than ideal for ryegrass. The more plants that survive drought, the better the production and persistence. One of the main ways that plant breeders improve grazing tolerance is to select for high tiller density and ground cover.
DLF Seeds' plant breeders in New Zealand have been busy breeding such ryegrass plants for 10 years, alongside DLF Seeds' own endophyte research programme that has been operating for 14 years. This has resulted in the availability of the diploid perennial ryegrass ‘24Seven’, which contains a novel endophyte called ‘Edge’.
“24Seven is a ryegrass that produces a dense and leafy pasture, which quickly develops excellent ground cover,” says Pedro Evans, plant breeder. “This gives us confidence in its ability to persist. The endophyte ‘Edge’ has been independently tested by scientists in New Zealand, is proven to provide tolerance to black beetle and stem weevil and does not affect the health or performance of animals (tested with sheep).”
Trial results show that 24Seven has total growth at least as good as the best modern commercial cultivars tested. Despite the late heading date, its winter and spring production is
still very good - second out of nine of the latest commercial cultivars when tested over 3 years.
Another benefit of 24SevenEdge for many farmers is its very late heading date. It will not start producing any stem until very late spring, 24 days later than mid-heading cultivars. Having at least part of a farm in 24SevenEdge is therefore very valuable, because quality will be retained for longer and less stem is produced for the rest of the season compared with earlier cultivars. The improved leafiness of 24SevenEdge is clearly observed when comparing it side-byside to other cultivars in trials.
24SevenEdge is highly recommended for all high-performance farm types, including dairy farms, where its tolerance to insects and grazing will be greatly appreciated in future years.
24Seven Edge can be ordered now through your Farmlands Technical Field Officer.
Article supplied by DLF Seeds.
| 24SevenEdge (right) provides better ground cover than typical ryegress (left), 30 months after planting in the same trial.
| Pedro Evans, DLF plant breeder in a 24Seven trial.
Each farm is different – but sugar grass works for Paul’s herd
Rural contractor Paul O’Rorke sees the different pasture and crop varieties chosen by farmers and is careful to follow their directions rather than impose his own view – unless he’s asked for an opinion.
Then he can tell them what works on his farm. “It’s up to the farmer to talk to their merchant or advisor about what to put in,” says Paul, who owns a high producing dairy farm in Taranaki.
“Obviously I can say ‘I’ve got that grass at home and I really do like it’ but I’m not going to say you should be planting high sugar grass.”
He first planted Aber High Sugar Grass (AberHSG) 6 years ago and after AberDart tried AberMagic (both perennials but the latter with even more sugar). AberHSG pasture now covers a third of the O’Rorke family’s 180 hectare farm at Opunake.
“We sow annual grasses for winter growth in areas going back into a crop but all our permanent pasture is going into AberMagic and clover. We have not gone back (to other ryegrass varieties).”
His first paddock of AberDart is still growing strongly and was sown after advice from Farmlands Opunake Technical Field Officer Neil Jury, who had supervised a comparison of different ryegrass varieties grown at a demonstration site at Pungarehu.
“AberDart’s performance was in the top two of the perennial varieties at that time,” Neil says.
He said farmers are aware of AberHSG’s potential and there has been a steady demand.
“They try it and then tend to plant more because the cows love it, gives great regrowth, handles all weather, appears to have great persistence and tillers out well into a dense sward.”
Paul plans to sow the new AberHSG perennial AberGreen as part of ongoing pasture renewal, which is that essential to a feeding strategy enables his herd of 550 Friesian cows to produce about 450kg milksolids per cow in a season – well ahead of the 344kg milksolids per cow average for Taranaki herds in 2012/13.
The cows also graze fodder beet, turnips and brassica and are fed maize kibble (dried and crushed kernels), palm kernel and molasses at the dairy.
“Every farm is a little different. Some grasses work well on some farms and other grasses don’t like being hammered as hard, so it’s all about comparing apples with apples for each situation,” Paul says.
“If a client asks about the sugar grass I tell them our cows like it, they eat it down and I am happy with it. But, you know, it might not be the be-all-andend-all for their farm.”
Paul says those farmers who try sugar grass will plant more for reasons that are probably similar to his own experience – the cows find it palatable, they graze each break clean and the regrowth is densely tillered and fresh.
Farming for 15 years, Paul relies on sharemilkers Geoff and Deanne Batchelor to run the farm while he is focused on rural contracting.
“We are ticking all the boxes and must be doing a lot of things right.
“I can’t say I am seeing more milk but the cows like the sugar grass and graze it hard, so they are eating more and seem happy and content.
“We are definitely not considering topping or under-sowing. The cows are doing all the work.”
For more information, talk to your local Farmlands representative. Article supplied by Germinal Seeds.
| Sharemilker Geoff Batchelor (left), rural contractor and farm owner Paul O’Rorke and Farmlands TFO Neil Jury discuss the close grazing and regrowth of AberMagic, sown March 2013 in previously stony ground.
Providing a strong Base
James and Carolyn Houghton farm a high producing dairy unit near Te Awamutu, Waikato. With support from their local Farmlands Technical Field Officer Angus Petersen, they are having great success with Base tetraploid perennial ryegrass from PGG Wrightson Seeds' grass portfolio. “Farmlands is able to source exactly what we need,” James says.
“We put in our first Base paddock 5 years ago. It just seems to grow well all year round as we continue to push up production. It’s very easy to manage and hangs on during drought. We have trialled other tetraploids, including three different varieties in one paddock but Base suits us best here. We are trying to generate high production, without having a negative impact on the environment,” James says.
The 106 hectare farm milks 430 Crossbred cows, producing well above the national average at 2,100kgMS/ha and more than 500kgMS/cow.
Running a high stocking rate, the Houghtons require a high performing grass, with Base tetraploid perennial ryegrass covering 60 percent of the farm. They supplement with maize silage and palm kernel.
“We have a feed mixer wagon and monitor exactly what we are feeding and try to utilise grass as much as possible. This season we won’t top any pastures, as running four cows/ha on tetraploids we can grow good grass” James says. Base tetraploid perennial ryegrass has topped total yield in the latest New Zealand National Forage Variety Trial (NFVT) Summary. The latest results from the New Zealand Plant Breeders and Research Association (NZPBRA) showed PGG Wrightson Seeds' Base tetraploid perennial ryegrass delivers the highest total annual yield, topping both summer (1st December - 28/29th February) and autumn (1st March – 31st May) seasons too.
Base tetraploid perennial ryegrass provides farmers with the whole package. Many nutritional challenges on New Zealand farms are simply a “vitamin G” deficiency, i.e. not enough grass. Growing more pasture using Base, a modern, high performance tetraploid ryegrass, will help improve your stock nutrition by providing the highest total yield possible, maximising meat, milk and wool production.
Exceptional pasture quality is a ‘must have’. Stock enjoy the benefits of more pasture from high yielding Base, the quality benefits of a tetraploid ryegrass and improved late spring pasture quality. Heading 22 days later than mid-season Nui, Base holds its lush, leafy quality later into spring. Being selected for reduced aftermath heading also means easier summer management of Base pastures. Base was selected from ryegrass plants that survived under challenging drought conditions – just the sort of ryegrass you need for your pastures. Base AR37 delivers endophyte benefits of improved dry matter yield and tiller density, plus control of more insect pests than pastures containing standard endophyte or AR1 endophyte.
For more information on Base perennial ryegrass, contact your local Farmlands Technical Field Officer. Article supplied by PGG Wrightson Seeds.
| Farmer James Houghton in his Base paddock.
Lucerne and grass mixes key to station operation
The use of Seed Force lucerne and grass mixes is providing David Prebble with a good, hardy dry land product that delivers high growth rates for finishing lambs.
David, who is Stock Manager for Simon and Liz Croft on their Omarama sheep and beef station Clay Cliffs, aims to finish all stock.
Clay Cliffs is run in conjunction with the Crofts' other property, Berwen Station and is a dry land operation running 3,400 breeding ewes and 240 beef cows.
All stock is fattened on Seed Force products - either SF Greenland Rape and Italian grasses or lucerne grass mixes - particularly on the wetter country. The SF Force 4 lucerne is mixed with SF Finesse Q tall fescue, SF Boston plantain and SF Rossi red clover and David is pleased with the results.
There is 60ha planted in straight lucerne but the move is towards the mixes, with 300ha planted in it this year. Last year the lucerne mixes averaged 78 kilograms of dry matter per day, David says.
“They grow quicker and end up with more dry matter and you can stock up higher (on the mixes).
“Last year we averaged 260 grams a day with the lambs. All my lambs last year were gone by the end of March - that’s what I’m aiming for. I like to have feed available to give the ewes a flush before going to the ram.”
The lucerne grass mixes have really ticked all the boxes for him. “We get
better dry matter and better growth rates with the lucerne mixes, so that’s why we have gone that way in a big way. It’s a highlight for me, the lucerne grass mixes. It’s a fantastic product.”
Trying to fatten lambs as quickly as possible means his aim is to grow a good dry land product that’s hardy and produces good growth rates in spring, so lambs reach weight and are gone.
“Hardiness and longevity is the key and getting the growth rates in the spring.”
The other benefit of the lucerne grass mixes is that they are relatively low maintenance, minimising the risk of weeds and receiving just a maintenance application of fertiliser in winter or early spring each year.
“I’ve worked on a few places and I’ve seen probably the best results on this place - that SF Force 4 lucerne is amazing. It tries to keep growing at any time of the year.”
Of the SF Finesse Q tall fescue, he says it seems to hold its quality in spring, is easy to manage and is really palatable for the sheep.
David also finds the Seed Force service second to none. “I’m pretty impressed. Seed Force has done a good job here. It’s great working with Liam - I’ve learned a heap, he teaches you so much,” David says.
“We also work closely with our Farmlands TFO Rowan McKenzie but we see Liam about once a month. The support and service provided between Seed Force and Farmlands is fantastic. They have brilliant advice on things like chemicals and spraying paddocks out. They’re one of the better companies to work with, from what I’ve experienced.
“Having guys like that alongside you is pivotal to any farming operation. It’s good advice that’s second to none.”
For more information about building resilient pastures on your property, talk to your local Farmlands representative.
Article supplied by Seed Force.
| David Prebble from Clay Cliffs together with his Farmlands TFO Rowan McKenzie.
Optimum soil fertility for new pasture
Renewing pasture can deliver multiple benefits, including improvements to pasture yield and quality, the opportunity to increase production and a decrease in animal health issues. However, it’s a significant investment, so it’s important to do it well, so that you maximise the gains you get from your new grass.
Planning plays a big part in successful new pastures, as does selecting the right cultivar for your farm and managing it correctly. First, though, you need to identify why the previous pasture failed. There could be many reasons for thiscommon problems include compaction, poor drainage, low pH, poor fertility and weeds and pests. These issues need to be resolved if your new pasture is to thrive – ideally you want to sort them out before you sow a short-rotation winter ryegrass but if not then definitely before your new permanent pasture goes in.
A soil test will identify if your paddock’s soil fertility or pH are below par. You need to carry it out well before sowing, as this will give you time to correct any deficiencies. In particular, it takes several months for the pH to adjust after additions of lime. If you need to add lime, the rule of thumb is that 1t lime/ha will raise the pH by around 0.1 unit. Aim for a pH of 5.8-6.0.
Correcting nutrient deficiencies is less time-consuming. Your target is to have an Olsen P of 20-30 (or 35-45 if you are
on pumice or peat soils), Quick Test Mg of 8-10 and sulphate sulphur of 10-12. Quick Test K levels should be 7-10 (ash and pumice soils), 6-8 (sedimentary soils) or 5-7 (peats). The best fertiliser to achieve this will depend on the exact deficiency you are facing but often a product from the Superten range will suit.
A starter fertiliser is recommended at sowing, to give young plant roots easy access to essential nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. This will help them to establish strongly and out-compete weeds. Ideally, starter fertilisers are drilled with the seed (in a separate box). If this isn’t possible then broadcast the fertiliser and incorporate it into the soil before sowing.
DAP (drilled at a rate of 150-200kg/ha)
is an ideal starter fertiliser, as it contains both phosphorus and nitrogen. An alternative is Cropzeal 16N – this can be broadcast at 250-350kg/ha, or it can be drilled, in which case lower rates (200-250kg/ha) will be required. Make sure that the starter fertiliser doesn’t touch the seed, as this would increase the risk of seed burn.
To select the best fertiliser policy for your new pasture, talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.
The kings of spring
Early spring is a critical time for feed in many production systems. Having grasses at the top of their game during this period can add huge value.
Recently, Farmlands Rangiora based TFO Jenna Sutton and Agricom’s Northern South Island Manager Mark Kearney visited Agricom’s Marshdale Beef and Dairy Support Research Unit, to see the grasses dubbed "the kings of spring” in action. Marshdale is a 70ha beef finishing and dairy support farm near Oxford in North Canterbury. The farm is split into a number of farmlets operating on a range of forages. In a slow spring, extra grass growth doesn’t come easily. The majority of grasses used on-farm today are very good late-heading cultivars. In cooler environments, vegetative growth between September and October is dependent on day length, temperature
and often dependent on nitrogen use. However, it has become very obvious at Marshdale that this is not the only way to generate extra dry matter in September/October.
After running cattle through winter on kale and fodder beet, spring liveweight gain in both beef and dairy cattle is very dependent on the amount of dry matter on offer. Easton Max P tall fescue and Request AR37 mid-heading perennial ryegrass farmlets are demonstrating just how important heading dates are to extra spring growth.
The Easton tall fescue is early to head. It can be up to 10 days earlier than standard mid-heading ryegrass varieties, with the first seed heads from Easton emerging in early October. Although this does provide a challenge for managers to maintain quality, the flush of growth at this time provides additional feed
at a time where it is most valuable. At Marshdale, early September grazing is now routine, with the confidence that grass growth rates will accelerate with the onset of reproductive growth. Request, while not quite as early as Easton tall fescue, also provides greater carrying capacity through September and early October compared to later flowering ryegrasses.
Another new product showing great promise at Marshdale is Savvy cocksfoot. Savvy is a very high yielding, soft leaved cocksfoot and is being trialled as a pure cocksfoot and clover mix under irrigation for beef or dry stock systems. Here Savvy has been a standout for total carrying capacity and per-head performance through the spring and early summer, surprising lots of onlookers. This work challenges the historical perception of cocksfoot created largely by dry land sheep trials run through summer for liveweight gain. This work with cattle highlights that when you combine good plant genetics with appropriate management and a little nitrogen, you can really express the quality potential of this new cocksfoot. For more information, talk to your local Farmlands representative. Article supplied by Agricom.
| Marshdale Farm Manager Kerry Ford pictured with Farmlands TFO Jenna Sutton.
Grow forage brassica yields
Insect damage can reduce forage brassica production by more than 3,000kg/ha of dry matter, costing more than $500/ha in lost feed. Seed treatment insecticides can provide early season protection and assist with crop establishment but a foliar insecticide may be required as soon as 2 to 3 weeks after sowing, if pest pressure is high.
Until recently, the main insecticides used for forage crops have been organophosphates, which are unpleasant to apply due to their smell and toxicity and often require multiple treatments, due to their relatively short residual activity. Ampligo insecticide from Syngenta offers growers new chemistry that can replace organophosphates in most situations, with longer lasting activity and no unpleasant smell.
Ampligo controls a wide range of insect pests, including nysius, cutworm, leaf miner, aphids, white butterfly, diamondback moth and soybean looper. Ampligo has a low use rate of just 100ml/ha, which means fewer empty containers to dispose of and less bulk to handle, compared to traditional organophosphate insecticides. Nysius was a major issue this season prior to Christmas, with many crops mainly affected at the seedling stage. Direct drilled crops are generally more at risk, where decaying trash becomes a food source for nysius. Depending on
the season, aphids and/or caterpillars can cause significant damage to forage brassica crops during the summer months, if left untreated.
Ampligo is best applied as soon as insects or damage first appears then at 2 to 3 week intervals or as indicated by pest activity. It pays to spray early before pest numbers increase, as aphid populations can multiply very quickly in high temperatures and larger caterpillars will already have caused some damage — and bigger caterpillars are harder to control.
If targeting aphids in a dense crop, the addition of Pirimor® or Dovetail® are recommended with Ampligo, as they have fumigant activity to help reach aphids under leaves or within the crop canopy.
Spray coverage is important, therefore
use a minimum of 200 litres of water/ha on young plants, increasing to 300-400 litres/ha of water on dense and mature crops. Always use a non-ionic wetting agent to improve coverage and for aerial applications use 100 litres of water/ha.
Field trials have shown a programme of Ampligo can increase forage brassica yields by more than 3,500kg of DM/ ha versus untreated crops damaged by insects, with healthy margins over chemical cost. Don’t allow insect pests to become established in your forage brassica crops this season.
Ampligo has a 14 day withholding period for grazing stock and is available in 1L and 5L containers, enough to treat 10 and 50 hectares respectively. For more information, talk to your local Farmlands representative. Article supplied by Syngenta.
Strong relationships the key
Phil Hunter, who dairy farms at Totara Flat, north of Greymouth, rates the service he gets from Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Farmlands.
Phil runs 425 Friesian/Friesian cross cows on a milking platform of 200ha, situated on river silt soils. Although fertile, these soils dry out quickly in summer and can also get very wet, so Phil relies on his summer turnip crop and winter swede and rape crops to tide him over, when pasture growing conditions are less than ideal.
He appreciates the support he gets from local Ballance and Farmlands staff. “Paul Turner from Ballance is an extremely good guy,” says Phil. “He has been here for about six years now and has been great for Ballance on the West Coast. He is always calling in and will always go out of his way to give you a hand and advice. If you have any issues, you just give him a call and he will get it sorted.
“He helps us with our crop fertilisers as well as sorting out what to put on pastures. He’s good at knowing what the crop needs and he‘s good organising to get the fert to you. You just leave it in his hands and you know it will get done.
“Farmlands are great, too. We use them for advice, on crops and grasses mainly and we use the retail store for
all our farm purchases. Matt Gaunson runs a very good shop and is an extremely good guy. When it comes to fencing or dog biscuits, you name it, Farmlands has got it.
“They have certainly helped us out when we’ve had bugs in our crops, too. You can go down there and see the crop’s not doing any good and something is getting at it but you don’t know what. Then they rock on up, have a good study and you get told it is something you have never heard of or seen before, like Nysius but it is here now, so you have to live with it and deal to it. So they are good in that respect.”
Phil plans to stick with Ballance and Farmlands, “They have done a good job for me and you never change a winning shot. If it is working, you leave it well alone.”
To find out more, talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store today.
Southland Drainage
Stu Cameron and wife Brooke have recently purchased a 715 hectare property around Mokoreta in Southland, with the intention of developing it initially into a 1,200 cow dairy farm. The Camerons have been dairy farming for around 10 years and this acquisition fitted with their long-term business plan of growing their operation.
The Mokoreta property is currently a dry stock farm, running 5,000 ewes and 50 cattle. The land is rolling hill country, with lots of slow running wet ditches. Soil types are heavy clay on the upper parts of the farm, with loamy type soils on the flats closer to the main creek.
Stu is at the beginning of the conversion process, with the dairy shed just starting to be built, raceways being developed and stock water infrastructure being designed and installed. Farmlands Invercargill has been heavily involved with technical advice and material supply to the Camerons' conversion project. In house designer for Farmlands in Southland, Ken Stewart, was involved in both the stock water reticulation and farm dairy
effluent developments. “The stock water scheme was designed around a 63mm Greenline mainline, taking into account Stu and Brooke’s 5 year plan to increase the herd size to 1,700 head,” Ken says. “Further projects will include putting a reticulated stock water system into the more rolling country, which will be used as the run-off block.”
Stu was acutely aware that improving soil conditions through better land drainage would also be key to the success of the project. Running a dairy platform definitely puts more stress on the land than a sheep and beef operation. “We needed the ability to bring more land into production, by being able to fully utilise paddocks for grazing,” Stu says. To this end smoothbore Nexus drainage pipe was installed by Stu and a local contractor. To date 300 coils of Nexus have been installed - 110mm diameter Nexus running from the paddocks into ditches, with 160mm Nexus in the ditches. “After a recent 150mm downpour, the water was flowing like a fire hydrant from the 160mm pipe at the outlet,” Stu says.
So why choose Nexus, rather than corrugated-bore Novaflo product?
Stu posed this question to Bevan Rees, the local Iplex Pipelines representative, on a recent visit to the farm. “It was a simple decision really,” Stu says, “I’d used both products on the old home farm, which had a sandy type soil. The Novaflo would silt up from the day it was installed, sometimes up to a quarter full, reducing the volume of water coming out the pipe, while the Nexus didn’t seem to be affected at all.” “Stu makes a good point,” Bevan says. “The smooth-bore of Nexus creates less turbulence in the pipe, giving increased water velocity compared to corrugated-bore Novaflo. This has a cleaning effect, flushing out soil that has entered the pipe. This increased velocity also allows the pipe to move more water, increasing the drainage efficiency. I definitely believe that more farmers would choose Nexus, if they thought in terms of the volume of water removed from the soil profile and capital development costs - Nexus versus Novaflo.”
For more information on the benefits of land drainage or other rural pipelines, talk to the experienced team at your local Farmlands store . Article supplied by Iplex Pipelines.
Finish-it foliar fertiliser
Finish-it is a high potassium foliar fertiliser with trace elements.
Potassium helps in regulating the movement of water within the plant, aiding photosynthesis, sugar development in fruit and the plant’s ability to cope with stress. The critical time for Finish-it is leading up to harvest, when plants are under significant stress from crop load, moisture and overall plant health. Typical symptoms of moderate potassium deficiency are yellowing of leaf margins of older leaves, as the potassium is transported out of these to meet the demands of new growth and fruit.
Crops require potassium in order to synthesise proteins and regulate the opening of the stomata. As a result, potassium deficiency can cause poor growth for next season’s bud breakleaves and other tissue can also appear burnt and stunted.
FINISH-IT 10KG
• A fully soluble powder for the correction of Potassium deficiency.
Top fruit crops, the likes of grapes, apples and kiwifruit, have a high demand for potassium and regular applications are necessary in order to help promote good tree and vine health, negating potassium deficiency and promoting increased brix levels and good fruit pressures at harvest. In fact, more elemental potassium leaves the orchard or vineyard at harvest than any other element.
Finish-it also contains a growth stimulant, Triacontanol. This is a growth stimulant found in plant cuticle waxes, known to enhance photosynthesis to promote higher yields and healthier plants.
Application rate
3-5kg per hectare with a minimum of 200L of water.
Always read the label carefully before use and consult your Farmlands for more information.
Finish-it products are tested and found to be free of amino alcohol’s and quaternary ammonia compounds. Products are stamped, displaying the product has been certified AA and QAC free.
For more information, contact your local Farmlands store or Technical advisor.
Article supplied by Grochem.
