Farm Tech

Project Name

Project Objectives

The control of Chilean Needle Grass
(00FT82) Reports available in hard copy only

To develop an Integrated Weed Management resource kit for farmers, enabling the identification and management of Chilean Needle Grass using the most appropriate control options.

Caucasian Clover establishment on fertile lowland soils (PDF 32Kb)
(00FT80)

To trial and refine establishment and management techniques for Caucasian Clover so that it can be used to improve post weaning growth rates in lambs.

Workshops on objective feed assessment and feed planning techniques
(00FT79)

To run a series of workshops to help farmers develop skills in feed assessment, animal demand calculation and feed allocation.

Determining the cause of ill-thrift in lambs grazing granite-based soils
(00FT73) ABANDONED

To investigate and eliminate the cause of ill-thrift in young stock, especially weaned lambs, grazing high clover-content pastures on granite-based soils.

Fertiliser field day on comparison of 3 different fertiliser systems (PDF 46Kb)
(00FT72)

To run a field day for farmers in order to present the findings of a three-year trial which investigated the relative profitability of different fine particle and solid fertiliser applications.

Ewe hogget grazing systems (PDF 60 Kb)
(00FT70)

To use Stockpol analysis and a farmer workshop to investigate the feasibility of consistently producing well grown twotooth ewes of high genetic merit, bred in areas prone to summer drought, by grazing them on contract in summer moist areas.

Monitoring Tropical Grass Web Worm populations in the Northland region
(99FT67) NO REPORT AVAILABLE YET

To monitor Tropical Grass Web Worm populations and activity in the Northland region in order to provide for timely and effective control measures when populations attain critical mass.

The development of a feed quality database for use in a feed optimisation model
(99FT66) ABANDONED

To collect data on pasture feed quality (metabolisable energy content, protein %, fibre content etc) throughout lactation for use in a farmer-orientated computer model designed to support feeding and breeding decisions associated with lamb production.

The incorporation of plantain into the diet of lambs to improve performance
(PDF 180KB) (99FT63)

To investigate the proportion of plantain (10, 20 or 30%) required in the diet of lambs to reduce dagginess, limit the effect of internal parasites and improve lamb growth rates.

Improving lamb and hogget growth rates in Merino flocks
(PDF 1087KB) (99FT61)

To monitor and develop management guidelines to improve lamb hogget growth rates in Malborough Merino flocks, thereby improving twotooth ewe liveweights and subsequent lifetime production.

Factors affecting pre-weaning twin lamb growth rates in the Wairarapa (PDF 49 Kb)
(99FT60)

To investigate the management options for maximising the growth rate and weaning weight of twin lambs in the Waiararapa region. It is thought that simply lowering stocking rate and/or improving pasture cover at lambing may not be the most profitable management option.

Establishing fodder crops on steep hill country (3) (PDF 26 Kb)
(99FT52)

To further modify methods, developed in previous trials (97FT08, 99FT30), for establishing fodder crops on steep hills, this time at a cost of less than $200/ha.

A preliminary investigation into the problem of Tropical Grass Web Worm
(99FT43) NO REPORT AVAILABLE

To investigate the potential to control or eradicate Web Worm, which has decimated Kikuyu based pastures in the far north of the North Island. Also, to establish systems to monitor the ongoing occurrence and spread of the problem.

The effect of pasture renewal on pasture endophyte status (PDF 56 Kb)
(99FT42)

To investigate the endophyte status of renewed pastures to determine whether recontamination has occurred and whether the extent of recontamination varies with pasture establishment technique.

A series of feed budgeting seminars
(PDF 324KB)(99FT41)

To run a series of feed budgeting seminars for sheep farmers aimed at addressing the problem of winter feed shortages on South Canterbury farms.

Capturing the benefits of chicory use
(99FT39)

To investigate the costs and benefits of using chicory for lamb finishing, the best grazing and weed control systems for the crop, and methods to improve the persistence of chicory.

The integration of breeding ewes into a beef technosystem (PDF 86 Kb)
(98FT32)

To investigate the practicality of full time intensive rotational grazing of breeding ewes (including the lambing period) and the integration of ewes into a beef technosystem in order to maximise animal performance at very high stocking rates.

Using pasture species for improved animal health and productivity (PDF 45 Kb)
(98FT31)

To compare a new "high quality" pasture sward with existing pasture in terms of pasture production and nutritive value, and the productivity and health of lambs grazing the pastures.

Establishing fodder crops on steep hill country (2) (PDF 35 Kb)
(98FT30)

To modify methods, developed in a previous trial (97FT08), for establishing fodder crops on steep hills.

The relationship between soil temperature, moisture and seasonal pasture production
(98FT28)

To monitor seasonal pasture growth rates, soil temperature and soil moisture in order to correlate environmental conditions with pasture production.

The use of inoculated clover to improve clover production and nitrogen fixation (PDF 30 Kb)
(98FT27)

To determine whether applying inoculated clover seed to North Canterbury hill country increases clover production and improves nitrogen fixation. Also, to investigate whether rhizobia from introduced clover will transfer to existing clover plants.

Controlling post-drought nodding thistles
(PDF 208KB) (98FT26)

To investigate the efficacy and economics of using a phenoxy herbicide/liquid fertiliser combination to control post-drought nodding thistles in the Central Hawkes Bay region.

The nitrogen fixing effectiveness of rhizobia nodulating white clover
(PDF 4993KB) (98FT16)

To assess the effectiveness with which rhizobia nodulating white clover pastures fix nitrogen on Northland sheep and beef farms, and to determine whether or not rhizobia effectiveness is related to perceived "good" and "bad" pastures.

Feed planning workshops (PDF 52 Kb)
(98FT12)

To run a series of workshops to help farmers develop skills in assessing pasture dry matter, feed quality, and stock condition. This should lead to more proactive feeding and pasture management practices.

A guide to the control of nodding and variegated thistles
(98FT11 ) HARD COPY OF BOOK AVAILABLE from Meat NZ / Meat & Wool Innovation)

To produce a comprehensive handbook for farmers in order to improve the awareness and use of appropriate techniques for controlling nodding and variegated thistles.

Establishing fodder crops on steep hill country (PDF 28 Kb)
(97FT08)

To develop methods for successfully establishing fodder crops on steep hills. This should provide an opportunity to improve post-weaning lamb growth rates and renew hill country pastures.

The biological control of Scotch thistles (PDF 31 Kb)
(97FT01)

To investigate the introduction of the Australian Gall Fly into New Zealand for use in the biological control of Scotch thistles.

Financial Benefits of rearing surplus and orphaned lambs (PDF 255KB) (01FT97)

To measure the benefits of removing the weakest lamb from a set of triplets and rearing it artificially using a low-cost farmer-friendly system.

Pasture species tolerance to Tasmanian grass grub

(PDF230KB) (027FT107)

To monitor populations of Tasmanian grass grub to ascertain the tolerance of different pasture species to the past.

Identifying best practices for top swede yields

(PDF 142KB) (01FT99)

To identify the best practices for growing consistently top yielding swede crops

Using pasture species for improved animal health and productivity

NO REPORT AVAILABLE

To compare a new "high quality" pasture sward with existing pasture in terms of pasture production and nutritive value, and the productivity and health of lambs grazing in the pastures