Farm Tech

PasturePlan

‘Cleardale’, Ben Todhunter & Donna Field

Location: Rakaia Gorge.

Farm size & type: 1161 ha. Sheep and beef cattle breeding and finishing.

Topography: Foothills of the Southern Alps. Altitude: 420 m. North facing.

Rainfall: 900 mm/yr, evenly spread through the year.

Climate: Exposed to westerlies. Summer dry.

Soil type: n/a.

Fertiliser regime: Varies across farm. Cultivated pasture (4-yr ryegrass) gets 300 kg/ha sulphur super 19S in autumn, with the tussock block (100-yr ryegrass) gets 175 kg/ha sulphur super 29S biannually.

Stock numbers: 9,300 su. Merino and halfbred ewes, with stud flocks of each and a small English Leicester stud. Angus cattle, including a stud herd.

Carrying capacity: n/a.

Plot descriptions: (a) 4-yr ryegrass. (b) 100-yr ryegrass (tussock block).

Detailed description: n/a.

Farmer's comments: "I'm in the business of growing grass and the more information I know about that, the better." (Ben Todhunter)

Results published: Canterbury Farming

Local Meat & Wool Innovation contact: Alan Marshall, tel 03-325 6911, cell 025-329 399, alan.marshall@mwi.co.nz