There are various management tools available to aid production of quality feed and to help maximise dairy milk production.
Ross McLay of CRT in Richmond, has been involved in the grain and seed industries for over twenty years in the Canterbury, Manawatu and Nelson regions. He has worked for eight years at CRT and this has enabled him to share his experience and extensive knowledge of fertilisers, chemicals and grain seed to pastoral and dairy farmers, and enhanced the development of a fertiliser and seed program well suited to Nelson conditions and soil types.
The program uses tall fescue based pastures instead of the traditional ryegrass based pastures. Ross has developed a seed mix that includes Torpedo tall fescue, Kahu timothy, Sustain and Prestige white clovers, G27 red clover, Chico chicory, Otaio lucerne and Tonic plantain. In addition, Nitrosol is utilised as the sole fertiliser on the pasture aiding the health of the stock and increasing milk production.
Advantages of the mix is an increase in production and a herbal content providing essential trace elements and minerals to the cows diet, which are often lacking in the alternative ryegrass/ clover pasture, plus the added advantage of no endophytes.
Warwick King runs a dairy farm on the northern outskirts of Nelson and over recent years he has been using these new management tools to help maximise his milk production on the farm. His land borders the boulder bank, is predominantly un-irrigated, and flat, and so can subsequently flood in the spring, sometimes several times. The farm's soil type is peat and clay.
The inclusion of lucerne supplements pasture that would otherwise be short and dry during the hot summer periods, providing a highly nutritious feed which could be turned into silage or cut for hay. " What am I going to do with all this feed," Warwick commented.
The results speak for themselves with approximately twice as much land out of pasture and in maize as comparable operations, without forfeiting any milk production. Coupled with better stock health, and the resulting significant reduction in vet bills, there is ultimately more milk in the vats.
Ross McLay is available instore at CRT Richmond, and on farm, to advise farmers of the new program.
