Farm Tech

PasturePlan

‘The Totaras’, Phillip and Vera Northcroft

Location: Whataroa.

Farm size & type: 340 ha. 200 ha effective, with the balance is bush, native grass, scrub and sphagnum moss. Beef finishing.

Topography: Mostly flat.

Rainfall: 4,000–5,000 mm/yr.

Climate: Very wet, particularly in spring.

Soil type: Alluvial river flats.

Fertiliser regime: Former hay paddocks get 370 kg/ha of 20 % potash sulphur super ad one tonne/ha of lime per year. Balance of develop area gets 250 kg/ha of 20% potash sulphur super and half a tonne/ha of lime annually.

Phillip intends to raise pH levels to 5.8 across the farm and phosphate levels up to 20 over the next year. Currently pH range is 5.2–6 and P level range is 11–19.

Stock numbers: 170 breeding cows, 25 replacements plus 'odds and ends'.

Carrying capacity: n/a.

Plot descriptions: (a) Old ryegrass. (b) 2-yr old oversown ryegrass.

Detailed description: n/a.

Farmer's comments: Having done no monitoring previously the PasturePlan is already having a good effect on Phillip – he is also out with his plate meter measuring the rest of the farm instead of just relying on his 'eyeometer'. Phillip has just started a three-year term as a Meat & Wool Innovation Monitor Farm, and is making a big injection of capital fertiliser.

"It's a good indication of how pastures are performing. It's good having hard fact to work with." Phillip will also be doing other comparisons and put cages on other paddocks for his own use.

"The pasture growth rate monitoring goes hand in hand with the monitor farm and I think it is a good idea to get some actual data."

Results published: Canterbury Farming

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