Pitau and Huia white clovers were sown with two rates of Ruanui, Ariki and Manawa ryegrass on high fertility soil at Invermay Agricultural Research Centre and lower fertility soil at Traquair. Although clover establishment in the Pitau white clover treatments was comparable with, or superior to that in the Huia treatments, the latter tended to have a denser growth habit, particularly during spring. Overall, there was little difference in total annual dry matter production between treatments but clover yields varied considerably in all trials. Huia clover dry matter production was superior to Pitau in the first two years but in later years the position was reversed.
FROM THE first association of man and beast, grass of one type or another has played a very important part in the feeding of farm animals. Over the past twelve to fourteen years, all-grass wintering has been carried out with some success, but during the past four to five years the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has launched a very comprehensive programme of instruction in this form of wintering. In more recent years, Grasslands Division, DSIR, has developed some excellent grasses that are durable under heavy stocking and of high protein value.
BEEF PRODUCTION in the foothills of Canterbury will have an increasing role to play in the meat production from that area. It is important that the mistakes and successes that some of us have made are discussed so that those starting out will be able to benefit from them. This paper covers the progress and problems of one area only, that of Mt Peel Station, which is situated on the south banks of the Rangitata River and covers an area of 7300 ha.
Results are given for trials investigating the effects of inoculation and pelleting on the establishment of white clover oversown in autumn 1971 and 1972. In the absence of inoculation, few plants established. Inoculation at the normal commercial rate increased the pescentage of healthy plants but establishment was still low, Pelleting increased establishment. In both years, a commercially prepared “triplecote” pellet gave better seedling establishment than pellets prepared with methyl cellulose adhesive. In the one trial conducted in 1972, pellets prepared with gum arabic adhesive and coated with lime or Gafsaphosphate/ dolomite were as effective as commercial “triplecote” pellets in increasing clover establishment.
The effect of different grazing systems on the botanical composition of North Island hill sheep pastures was examined in three experiments over a period of four to eight years. In two experiments on steep, developed hill country the effects of mob-stocking did not differ markedly from those of set-stocking. In the third experiment, unimproved and improved pastures were maintained at two heights by hard and lax set-stocking. In Improved pastures, perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) increased under hard grazing and Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) increased under lax grazing. In unimproved pastures weeds increased under hard grazing.
Ammonium nitrate was applied during March or April to an (Ariki) ryegrass/(Huia) white clover sward. The subsequent effects on winter and spring production, clover content and herbage nitrogen content were examined following three frequencies of winter defoliation by cutting and grazing.
To REACH Lake Te Anau 25 years ago, one travelled through miles of bracken fern - grey in colour and harsh in appearance. The surrounding hills seemed inhospitable - and towering above them the erosion-scarred mountains seemed both forbidding in appearance and majestic in size. One experienced a feeling of remoteness, of insignificance, and above all a realization that, when compared with the forces of nature, man was a rather puny creature.
The development of grass wintering of breeding ewes in Southland is described. The changes that have been made are outlined, together with details of hogget and cattle systems. The physical and financial implications of grass wintering are discussed.
NOKOMAI STATION, of some 38 500 ha, lies almost equally within Southland and Otago and is connected through the Nevis Valley.
Established Ruanui ryegrass pasture on Ruapuna and Lismore soils in Canterbury was overdrilled with Ariki or Tama ryegrasses. Other treatments investigated were paraquat spray before overdrilling and application of nitrogen after overdrilling. The Lismore soil was flood irrigated in spring and autumn, but not in summer.
DURING the last few seasons many dairy farmers in Taranaki have noted that winter-grazed paddocks have grown more feed, and of a better quality, than paddocks-not grazed in the winter. These farmers were part of the high proportion which has adopted the winter grazing system commonly known as “block” or “long rotation” wintering.
Grazing animals ingest soil along with herbage, and this ingested soil can be a source of elements to animals over and above amounts contributed by the herbage. The effects of ingested soil on animal nutrition are discussed, particularly in relation to the elements cobalt, iodine, selenium, calcium and magnesium.
IN APRIL 1962, Southland’s first two civilian settlers took up land on the Takitimu Block in the Te Anau Basin. This block is regarded as one of the most favourable in the Basin and its quick response to development now reflects the most concentrated settlement to date.
Lamb growth rates were measured on “long” (> 5 cm) and “short” (< 5 cm) ryegrass and timothy/cocksfoot pastures sown with clovers. Both before and after weaning in December, the growth rates of lambs were similar on “short” pastures but lower on “long” ryegrass pastures than on “long” timothy/cocksfoot pastures. Before weaning, gains on “short” ryegrass pastures were higher than those on “long” but with timothy!cocksfoot the position was reversed. After weaning, “short” pastures of both types produced higher gains than “long” pastures. The main factor affecting lamb growth rate appeared to be the deterioration of leniently grazed swalrds in late summer and autumn.
OVER the last twelve years major progress in Southland has been achieved in pastoral land occupying 557,000 ha which is predominantly above the 460m contour. This area was defined in 1960 by G. J. Watt, then Commissioner of Crown Lands. Mr Watt projected stock numb,ers to 1970, including the area of pastosral land. These projections may have seemed optimistic at the time but the following table shows how far actual stock numbers have exceeded Mr Watt’s estimates.
An experiment was conducted on lucerne (cv. Wairau), growing on a yellow-brown pumice soil low in magnesium. Under a regime of four harvests annually, small but sign&cant yield responses of 4 and 5% were obtained in the third year to additions of 17 and 34 kg/ha Mg, respectively, when the topsoil (0 to 7.5 cm) Mg value in the control plots had fallen to 2 units (advisory scale). Responses were associated with a concentration of 0.09% Mg in herbage cut ,at the onset of flowering. Foliar symptoms of magnesium deficiency were a chlorosis which increased in severity towards the base of the plant.
The effects of different nutrient combinations on growth of Yorkshire fog and white clover were studied in the glasshouse at Lincoln with subsoils from ten high-altitude sites throughout the South Island. There were outstanding responses by Yorkshire fog to nitrogen and phosphorus in combination, and by white clover to phosphorus on all soils. In the presence of these nutrients substantial responses to magnesium, potassium, and magnesium and potassium in combination were obtained on many soils. Copper, boron and zinc generally gave no benefit, and sulphur and molybdenum produced few marked responses. Lime was beneficial on the more acid soils, but on others depressed growth unless magnesium and potassium were also applied.
Eight grasses were oversown on steep north and south aspects at Hunua, North Canterbury, either initially with clovers or three years after oversowing clovers. On the north aspect, cocksfoot established and persisted best but ryegrasses were superior on the south aspect. Here the later sowing was much superior, as by then the original dense cover had disappeared, but on the north aspect time of grass introduction made little difference. Clover introduction resulted in a threefold increase in dry matter production on the south aspect, which produced double that of the north aspect. Ryegrasses raised yields still further, but depressed resident grass production.
Establishing pasture on ploughable land in the Te Anau district by surface sowing has been successful and this method proved less costly than conventional cultivation techniques. Clover must be inoculated, preferably coated and sown as soon as possible after inoculation. It is desirable to coat the grass seed, particularly if application is to be made from the air. At least 1,255 kg/ ha of superphosphate are recommended in the first twelve months, plus molybdenum. The herbage of ,the unimproved land should be adequate to protect the seedlings, yet not too dense to stop the pelleted seed making contact with the soil. Burning is undesirable. An even distribution of seed is essential. These areas will carry 9.5 stock units/ha in the fourth year.
HILL COUNTRY is characterized by its steep slopes, differences in aspect, and variability in microtopography. The soils are often shallow, and erosion through slipping and slumping a serious problem. Because of the steepness of slope, most hill country cannot be cultivated and improvement must be brought about by oversowing and other management practices. New Zealand is characterized by such country throughout its length. However, this discussion will be limited to hill country located in the mild, humid areas comprising the southern half of the North Island.
An overview of the life of Professor J. W. Calder
The results of nearly 30 trials which investigated pasture establishment problems on Te Anau yellow-brown loam soils are summarized. High initial application rates of phosphatic fertilizer and clover inoculation were shown to be of vital importance for good pasture establishment. Excellent grass and clover establishment was obtained by oversowing.
Weed control in high fertility pastures is seen as the correction of errors in management or of the effects of breakdown, through vagaries of climate, of management practices known to maintain clover balance and give maximum animal production. The possibility of build up of excessive soil fertility in low rainfall areas and possible remedial actioil is noted. The present control measures for Californian thistle, docks and barley grass are described. The need for economic assessment of pasture weeds in terms of animal production is noted.
The effect of a fertilizer element on its concentration in grass/ legume herbage depends mainly on (1) quantity applied, (2) the degree of deficiency, (3) whether the added nutrient is “fixed” or leached and, (4) whether the fertilizer changes the proportion of clover to grass. Fertilizers increase concentrations of major elements in herbage much more in the deficiency range than when levels are already high. However, plants appear to lack the ability to restrict intake of the trace elements. In a stocking rate x lime trial, in which lime increased pasture yields, lime responses in animal production were found only at the high stocking rate, indicating a feed quantity, rather than quality effect. This was confirmed by plant analysis.
In autumn-sown greenfeed trials on a Templeton silt loam following cereal1 cropping, the herbage yield from ‘Grasslands Tama’ Westerwolds ryegrass at first grazing in July and the subsequent regrowth to late August was 27% higher than from ‘Grasslands Paroa’ Italian ryegrass. The margin in yield was less where both grasses were spelled until late August. Subsequent regrowth in spring was similar for both grasses where there was one prior grazing in late winter, but growth of. Paroa was less than Tama ryegrass where there were two prior grazings in mid- and late winter. Grazing twice in July and August gave a 27% higher total yield from Tama ryegrass than a single grazing in late August. Yields of both grasses were higher with 67 kg/ha than with 22 kg/ha of nitrogen at drilling. Both grasses responded to further nitrogen Bpplied in mid-winter, Paroas more so than Tama ryegrass. Up to late winter, Amuri oats outyielded Tama ryegrass and C.R.D. ryecorn. Yields from an oats-Tama ryegrass mixture were 25% higher than from Tama ryegrass alone. They gave higher yields than Tama ryegrass alone to mid-winter when the cereal dominated, and provided as good recovery growth as Tama ryegrass alone in late winter and spring. when ryegrass dominated.
THE AREA in which we farm (coastal mid-Canterbury) has light alluvial soils (20 to 28 cm deep) over gravel. The average rainfall of 711 mm is extremely variable and as evapotranspiration rates are often extremely high in the summer months, there are frequent droughts.
Previously published data from Dairy Board surveys reveal declining trends of dairy production, on both a per-cow and a unit area basis, over the past five years, and only a very small ‘average increase over the past twenty years. Reasons are advanced for introducing a feed budget approach to farming. This approach has been extremely useful in intensive stocking trials with dairy cows at the Ruakura Nutrition Centre over the past seven years. Experimental evidence is used to demonstrate the feasibility and desirability of using practised eye appraisal to assess pasture dry matter cover and how, on farms stocked to maximize pasture use, this information can then be applied to meeting the changing needs of cattle throughout the year. Acceptance of this approach has led to improved feeding and productivity of livestock, increased total production, and greater economic returns from dairy farms.
The pattern of defoliation of cocksfoot by Romney sheep at two stocking rates (approximately 36 and 80 sheep/ha) was studied in the autumn. After an autumn “flush” of growth, pasture availability, pasture height and green leaf length showed a rapid then steady decline during the grazing period. The length of green leaf removed per defoliation was closely related to the length of leaf available - i.e.,-the shorter the length available, the shorter the length removed. The proportion of g&en leaf length removed, however, showed little change over the grating period. Tillers were, grazed every 5 or 6 days in the high-stocked treatment and every 7 or 8 days in the medium-stocked treatment. These were generally the taller tillers, particularly in the mediumstocked treatment. Evidence of preferential grazing of different aged tillers was not obvious. However, towards the end of ihe experimental period the youngest tillers in the, medium-stocked treatment were grazed less frequently but more severely than, older tillers. In the highstocked treatment the youngest tillers were less severely grazed than older tillers. Preference for the youngest leaves 0n.a tiller was evident in all treatments. The mean liveweight of sheep incre&ed on the medium-stocked treatment but decreased slightly on the high-stocked treatment. The plant and animal responses recorded are discussed.
The effects of seed source and seed size on germination and field performance were studied in five grasses. Greater seed weights were associated with better germination in Yorkshire fog, cocksfoot and timothy but not significantly so for Chewings fescue and browntop. In cocksfoot, Chewings fescue and timothy, higher seed weights were found in samples collected at altitudes above those generally used for the commercial seed production of the species. Results from field sowings of a range of provenances on an eroded high altitude site in Southland indicated that in most cases seed from local, high country sources gave the best results. This was usually due to high seedling numbers and/or good seedling growth rates.
A survey of the numbers of viable Rhizobium meliloti recoverable from lucerne seed after inoculation by conventional methods with commercial inoculants has been carried out. Several batches of inoculant from manufacturers in New Zealand and Australia have been examined and, although all packs had high viable counts, in a number of cases very few live rhizobia could be recovered from seed one hour after inoculation. It is suggested that poor survival of rhizobia on the seed surface is a cause of reported failures to establish luceme in both conventional sowings and oversowing trials.
Recent investigations into the biochemical functions of selenium, cobalt, and copper are reviewed. From a practical viewpoint ,there is a need for continued investigation into the distribution of the corresponding trace element deficiencies and their interrelationships with internal parasitism.
Survey data on the spring pasture composition of lowland farms with better-than-average levels of animal production indicate that volunteer species make up about 20 to 60% of the herbage dry matter on offer, Reasons for this are suggested.
Wintering without annual crops is discussed in relation to pasture management practices. It is pointed out that the first, and major, problem involved is a mental attitude which alienates winter from the rest of the year. Much of the discussion is devoted to pasture growth and its control in seasons other than winter, as success or failure of any wintering programme is partly determined at these times. The ramifications of this control on subsequent wintering is pointed out. Winter management and mismanagement are discussed in relation to planned pasture use, animal feed requirements, animal treading, and pasture defoliation.
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