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Dairy Support - Upper North Island

Dairy Support - Upper North Island

Dairy support has three main functions in the support of a high-performance dairy platform:

  1. Growing R1 and R2 heifer replacements (this is the same as beef finishing except there is a mating period at the end of their first year of growth) 
     
  2. Growing supplementary feed for use on the dairy platform or in the support of wintering crops 
     
  3. Growing winter forages to maintain or increase the body condition of cows through their dried off period in June and July 
     

Note: When sowing grass in the Upper North Island, it is essential that a cultivar with AR37 endophyte is selected and insecticide treated seed is used, as insect pest pressure in this region is extensive.

SUSTAINABLE ROTATIONS

Below is a good example of a sustainable rotation that includes some key forage opportunities on a dairy support runoff or farm. 

  • Winter crop – early to mid-November sown SovGold kale 
  • Late winter catch crop – August sown Milton oats for green chop silage 

Diploid perennial ryegrass regenerative pasture phase

  • February/ March sown diploid perennial ryegrasses such as Three60 AR37 or Legion* AR37, Relish red clover, Attribute white clover and Ecotain® environmental plantain mix, or Choice chicory.

Tetraploid hybrid 

  • Grasses such as Mohaka AR37 hybrid ryegrass have a role in short regenerative rotations that may last 2-4 years and are ideally mixed with Relish red clover, Brace white clover and Ecotain environmental plantain​ 

Italian ryegrass 

  • Manta AR37 Italian ryegrass does extremely well in a 2-3 year rotation when it is mixed with Relish red clover and Ecotain environmental plantain

 

 

Fescues 

  • Hummer or Haven tall fescue with MaxP® endophyte used in a 50:50 mix with Oakdon meadow fescue MaxR® endophyte can have a role in unirrigated or partially irrigated runoffs, with longer pasture rotations (>5 years) where challenges from either hot summer conditions or insect pests such as grass grub pose issues

Cocksfoot

  • Savvy cocksfoot in a mix with perennial ryegrasses such as Reason and legumes such as Relish red clover and Titan 5 lucerne provide resilient pastures for unirrigated runoffs, with a focus on silage production and late summer/autumn heifer grazing

 

SUMMER DRY

Summer crops can be sown in mid to late October for summer grazing of young stock and pasture renovation.

These include: 

  • Choice chicory, when sown in October, will be grazed at least three times in summer before resowing back into perennial ryegrass in the autumn 
  • Ecotain® environmental plantain often can be sown in October for a summer crop. These crops can be maintained for a second summer before being resown back into perennial pasture 

 

 

AUTUMN RECOVERY

Often pastures can be degraded through intense summer conditions and undersowing of damaged pasture is a strategic part of  autumn recovery and autumn sown fast feed

  • Legion AR37 perennial ryegrass and Brace white clover are ideal for undersowing into good paddocks where the exsisitng pasture only requires thickening up
  • Mohaka AR37 hybrid ryegrass and Manta AR37 Italian ryegrass are ideal for thickening up damaged summer pasture and help create fast autumn feed
  • Manta Italian ryegrass is ideal for fast feed and 6-12 month extension to pasture life or sowing between maize crops
  • Jivet annual ryegrass is suitable for heavily damaged pastures that will be put into summer crop the following spring or sowing between maize crops

* Legion has been bred, selected and successfully tested as a perennial and will function as a perennial ryegrass. Due to a small number of tip awns Legion is certified as Lolium Boucheanum.

 

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The Al & Juddy Show Management Advice Guide Downloads
Go Farm Grown
  1. Upper North Island
    • Dairy Platform
    • Dairy Support
    • Capital Stock
    • Ewe Lactation & Lamb Finishing
    • Beef Finishing
    • Deer Production
  2. Lower North Island
    • Dairy Platform
    • Dairy Support
    • Capital Stock
    • Ewe Lactation & Lamb Finishing
    • Beef Finishing
    • Deer Production
  3. South Island
    • Dairy Platform
    • Dairy Support
    • Capital Stock
    • Ewe Lactation & Lamb Finishing
    • Beef Finishing
    • Deer Production
the Al Juddy Show

Al & Juddy Show

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