Now – lucerne for grazing

11-08-2010 | Not Specified

Like most Central Otago farmers the McKnights have grown lucerne mainly for hay and silage.

Now they are moving to lucerne for grazing.

They're still making hay - this year 200 bales of lucerne along with some meadow hay and baleage - but less than in the past, proving Lincoln University plant scientist Derek Moot's point that if you get the balance and feeding right you won't have to cut and carry as much.

The Ida Valley is a lucerne stronghold in Central Otago.

Murray knows of one paddock further up the valley that has been sown out in various lucerne crops since 1922.

Lucerne has been grown at Rough Ridge since the 1950s.

Typically it has lasted for 10 to 12 years and has been grazed once, sometimes twice, then shut up for hay and silage.

Wairau has been grown for many years but now will be replaced with Force 4, Torlesse and Kaituna, which they consider to be more pest-resistant.

Even before joining the project the McKnights had made a conscious decision to grow more lucerne.

The decision was spurred by their own trial of wether hoggets grazing lucerne after shearing in October until sale in mid-November during which time they averaged growth of 350-370g a day.

Also, their farm consultant and former farming neighbour Peter Young encouraged them to pursue Lucerne. At a Meat & Wool NZ Central Otago Monitor Farm programme field day he explained how farm management and systems have been altered to capitalise on the productive potential of the crop.

"The challenge has been to make it work in this environment where there's a long nil-growth period," Young said.

He said the McKnights had worked around climate limitations by altering what was grown, along with stock management and stock classes, to work in with the growth pattern of the lucerne.

During the past three years the area in lucerne has been bumped up from 28ha to 81ha and dryland pasture cut back from 75ha to 30ha.

Young estimates this change has produced 300,000kg or 28% more drymatter.

"The bottom line is you're growing a hell of a lot more feed."

With more lucerne available for grazing earlier in the season there's not the same demand for a summer finishing crop for lambs.

During the past two years the area of rape grown has been reduced from 16ha to 10ha and probably will be phased out. As well, the area of winter fed brassicas has been reduced slightly from 26ha to 24ha.

Strategic watering is crucial to the growing of more quality feed.

The McKnights, shareholders in the Hawkdun/Idaburn irrigation scheme, have reliable water until Christmas but from then on receive water four days out of 11.

Lucerne, new grass and crops are watered with a portable K-line system and the emphasis is on strategic watering to ensure pasture and crop establishment.

Young estimates that with a good strategy in place the lucerne, new grass and summer and winter crops can potentially return 50% of the initial investment within one year.

The McKnights are in the process of putting in a permanent sprinkler system.

They have 7ha in place and are aiming for another 28ha over the next two years.

They've also put in two small storage dams and have more planned.

Their aim is to have one winter crop within reach of a dam.

Last year the annual draft ewes were bred to terminal sires and grazed lucerne on the valley floor after lambing.

They were sent off the property earlier, freeing up the lower country pasture and lucerne for the capital stock that lamb on the hill.

"Now we can graze the lucerne with hill ewes and lambs it's giving us flexibility."

Young has also ushered in a once over winter grazing system.

At a practical level it has meant frequent shifting of electric fences but the effort has been worth it, Murray says.

"It has lifted the weight of our ewes and he's brought back lambing by two weeks so we can get lambs away sooner."

Cattle have been added to the mix to control pasture cover on the valley floor and clean up the hill country as required.

Two years ago they bought 51 Hereford-Angus weaner heifers which they use as topping machines on the irrigation country and on the hill country as required.

This year they've been bred to an Angus bull and depending on the season the offspring will be sold in autumn or carried forward.

"They're still a trial and we don't know what numbers to run ... but there's certainly a place for them."

Collectively the new thinking on lucerne, land use and changes in the class and management of stock are refining the Rough Ridge operation, Young says.

"Blending these changes together is taking the risk and variability out of the system."

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