Sonya Olykan, Annamaria Mills, Richard Lucas, Malcolm Smith, Derrick Moot
{"title":"Legume yield and persistence when sown in grass and herb pasture mixes in Lees Valley, South Island High Country","authors":"Sonya Olykan, Annamaria Mills, Richard Lucas, Malcolm Smith, Derrick Moot","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3652","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3652","url":null,"abstract":"Four experiments were established to identify suitable companion species for legumes grown in the intermontane Basin of the Lees Valley, North Canterbury (400 m a.s.l.). This location experiences long cold winters, has soils of low pH and high aluminium, with low water holding capacity and severe summer soil moisture deficits.
 In Year 1, the ryegrass mixtures yielded 4550±290 kg DM/ha more (P<0.05) than the timothy mixtures (3440 kg DM/ha) and the dryland mixture total yield was 4370 kg. The average white clover yield of 1800±210 kg DM/ha was not different among all treatments and represented 43% of total DM, compared with only 8% for sub clover.
 Total yield in Year 2 was higher (P<0.05) in the dryland- and ryegrass-based mixtures (~4400±330 kg DM/ha) than timothy (2650 kg). White clover yield across the mixtures was 930±90 kg DM/ha and 29% of the total DM. Sub clover did not re-establish.
 White clover yields peaked in October-November of both years with growth rates of ~16 kg DM/ha/d. The start of the summer dry period, from late September onwards, resulted in a decline in white clover spring growth rates and lower yields.
 In the Caucasian-herbs experiment, yield in Years 1 and 2 were 2700±250 and 2830±230 kg DM/ha/yr respectively. In both years Caucasian clover yields were lower when grown in herb-based mixtures compared with a monoculture (Year 1: ~400 versus 1800±270 kg DM/ha, Year 2: 920 versus 1750±210 kg DM/ha). The herb content of the mixtures declined over time.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":"25 4","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136347540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Craig Phillips, Patricia Johnson, Federico Tomasetto, Kathryn McRae, Tony Van der Weerden
{"title":"Predicting facial eczema risks in a changing New Zealand climate","authors":"Craig Phillips, Patricia Johnson, Federico Tomasetto, Kathryn McRae, Tony Van der Weerden","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3650","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3650","url":null,"abstract":"Facial eczema is a major concern for New Zealand farmers due to its economic impact and animal welfare implications. The disease occurs when animals ingest sporidesmin, a mycotoxin produced by spores of the fungus Pseudopithomyces chartarum. Spore production is related to weather conditions; thus the incidence and severity of facial eczema varies between years, with thedisease commonly occurring from late summer through autumn in the North Island. We developed a simple model to estimate climatic suitability for P. chartarum sporulation and ran it using climate data for 2008-2021 to compare its estimates with spore counts from the same years. Model climatic suitability estimates had significant linear correlations with an index of exposure to spores derived from spore counts at both national and local scales. Model results were also consistent with a documented outbreak of facial eczema. Using predicted future climate data from the Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2 and two emissionsscenarios, the model suggested climatic suitability for P. chartarum sporulation will increase with time in many New Zealand regions, particularly in the southern North Island and eastern parts of the South Island. However, it could remain relatively static in some other areas, thus the degree of change in climatic suitability for P. chartarum sporulation is predicted to vary between New Zealand regions.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1042","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Laura Keenan, Annamaria Mills, Malcolm Smith, Hamish Brown, Sarah McKenzie, Derrick Moot
{"title":"Predicitng yield of irrigated red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) pastures in response to temperature.","authors":"Laura Keenan, Annamaria Mills, Malcolm Smith, Hamish Brown, Sarah McKenzie, Derrick Moot","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3666","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3666","url":null,"abstract":"Two datasets from red clover monoculture pastures grown in Lincoln, New Zealand, were analysed to generate coefficients to predict red clover yield. The mean annual production of established red clover was 17.0±0.48 t DM/ha, with a maximum mean growth rate of 125±9.36 kg DM/ha/day (spring Year 2). In the establishment year irrigated red clover grew at a constant rate of 7.30±0.14 kg DM/ha/°Cd (Tb = 3 °C) throughout the year. In contrast, there was a splitline linear response in Years 2 and 3, which differed between years and decreased after the second week of January. Specifically, the growth rate in Phase 1 was 7.70±0.38 kg DM/ha/°Cd in Year 2, which was 16% higher than the 6.60±0.28 kg DM/ha/oCd in Year 3. The difference probably reflected increased competition from weed grasses as red clover content declined from >95% to ~75% of total annual yield. After January, red clover grew at 3.05±0.35 kg DM/ha/°Cd, in both years. This lower rate occurred in the mid-January-July period, and probably reflected a change in partitioning of assimilate to red clover roots in response to a decreasing photoperiod. The coefficients reported here for red clover need to be validated from other datasets. However, they provide easily transferable coefficients that can be used to estimate red clover yield under nonlimiting conditions for other locations. These could be integrated into feed budgeting software to assist onfarm decision making.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1040","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Suzanne Keeling, Mhairi Sutherland, Derrick Moot, Katherine Dixon, Angela McFetridge, Nathan Odgers, James Millner, Joan Ropiha, Cameron Ludemann, Adam Barker, Daniel Brier
{"title":"Hill Country Futures - Resilient farmers and resilient forages for the future","authors":"Suzanne Keeling, Mhairi Sutherland, Derrick Moot, Katherine Dixon, Angela McFetridge, Nathan Odgers, James Millner, Joan Ropiha, Cameron Ludemann, Adam Barker, Daniel Brier","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3644","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3644","url":null,"abstract":"A thriving hill country farming sector is crucial for New Zealand’s economy and its regions. However, it faces numerous challenges, such as increased regulations, and changing societal expectations. To ensure the longterm success and well-being of farmers, farm systems, the environment, and rural communities, support is essential for building lasting resilience. To address some of these challenges, the Hill Country Futures Partnership programme was initiated, receiving $8.1 million funding over five years. This programme, cofunded by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, PGG Wrightson Seeds, and RAGT New Zealand, concluded in 2023. During the programme, the farming community were actively engaged, and a collaborative research approach was employed involving B+LNZ, farmers, universities, Crown Research Institutes, and consulting agencies. The programme consisted of interconnected workstreams with a focus on resilient farmers and future-oriented forages. It generated a wide range of resources, including easily accessible extension materials, tools, and scientific publications, covering social, environmental, and technical aspects to support New Zealand’s hill country farming systems. And it showed how a collaborative approach, inclusive of researchers and farmers with diverse backgrounds and expertise, can help create a more resilient hillcountry future.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 637","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
David Stevens, Mike D. Rollo, Ronaldo E. Vibart, Jane Chrystal, Brian Speirs, Rob Davison, Andrew Burtt
{"title":"Implications of changing birth and slaughter dates of finishing sheep and beef cattle on greenhouse gas emissions","authors":"David Stevens, Mike D. Rollo, Ronaldo E. Vibart, Jane Chrystal, Brian Speirs, Rob Davison, Andrew Burtt","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3662","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3662","url":null,"abstract":"Significant variables in the calculation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are estimates of birth date and slaughter date, as these alter the amount of time on-farm and hence feed used for animals destined for slaughter. Analysis of Beef + Lamb New Zealand Economic Service farm survey data calculated average birth and slaughter dates for both finishing sheep and beef cattle at a regional scale, from 1990-2019. Data were then used to calculate the potential GHG emissions related to lambs and slaughter cattle, and changes over time, and were compared to current national inventory calculations. There was no significant change in sheepmating date over the 30-year period, with a median lambing date of 10 September. Beef cattle mating date became later over the 30-year period. These resulted in calving dates of 20 September for the 1990-2000 period, and 25 September for the 2010-2019 period.The proportions of lambs slaughtered by February (early) or October (late), categories used by the National Inventory, have shifted from 84 and 16% respectively in 1990 to 78 and 22% recently. The ages at slaughter of 1–2-year-old heifers and steers were approximately 24 and 35 days younger in 2019 than in 1993 (528 vs 552 days of age at slaughter for heifers and 520 vs 555 days of age at slaughter for steers). The changing proportion of lambs slaughtered early and late had a small effect on total emissions. Later birth dates and earlier slaughter dates have reduced the individual emissions from 1–2-year-old cattle, but individual emissions from oldercattle and bulls have changed little over the 27-year period examined.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1037","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Roshean Woods, Dawn Dalley, John Edwards, Glenn Judson
{"title":"Fodder beet: know what you are feeding for a nutritionally balanced diet for dairy cattle","authors":"Roshean Woods, Dawn Dalley, John Edwards, Glenn Judson","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3639","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3639","url":null,"abstract":"Fodder beet’s (FB) high soluble sugar and low crude protein content provide environmental benefits but also nutritional challenges, making it a unique crop in New Zealand dairy systems. Knowledge of dietary nutrient content is important to inform both mineralsupplementation and type of supplementary feed to offer. This will help ensure nutritional requirements for dairy cows are met, maximising the likelihood of positive outcomes for animal health and production. A database containing 694 samples of FB leaf andbulb tissue was compiled from monitor farm data, research projects, and cultivar evaluation trials with the objective of determining the variability in nutritional content. Descriptive statistics were used to highlight the range and variability in FB leaf and bulb nutritional composition between regions and cultivars. Our results reinforce that FB bulbs (which usually make up 70- 90% of the crop DM) are typically low in crude protein, fibre, phosphorus, calcium, and sulphur, but are high in soluble sugars. The variation in nutrient content between cultivars, and within cultivars both between and within regions shown in this study highlights the importance of paddock-specific feed analyses, and the limitations of textbook values, particularly whole crop values which do not differentiate between bulb and the more nutritionally valuable leaf.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1033","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186063","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lisa Box, Jamie Ward, Irena Obadovic, Katherine Tozer, David Stevens
{"title":"Developing a multiagent framework to explore the implications of fencing waterways using virtual fencing on New Zealand hill country farms.","authors":"Lisa Box, Jamie Ward, Irena Obadovic, Katherine Tozer, David Stevens","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3657","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3657","url":null,"abstract":"Hill country farms in New Zealand are faced with having to exclude cattle from waterways to limit their negative impact on water quality. Virtual fencing technology offers the potential to control the access of each animal to its physical environment and, meet the requirement of excluding stock from waterways. Understanding farmer willingness to uptake virtual fencing technology requires exploring farm system changes that would occur when moving from using conventional fences to virtual fencing. This paper describes the investigation of a multiagent framework to explore potential futures that may be created by the application of virtual fencing technology. Compared to conventional fencing, virtual fencing of beef cattle on hill and steep land is a financially viable option to exclude cattle from waterways. Compared to no fencing of waterways, virtual fencing reduced farm annual profitability by 9% and 17% for rolling and steep farms respectively, whereas conventional fencing reduced profitability by 14% and 93% respectively, severely reducing the profit of steep hill country farms. The results from this study used industry sheep and beef production, farm size andstock number averages and therefore are preliminary and indicative only.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1050","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Co-benefits and trade-offs of water quality mitigation measures on greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand dairy systems","authors":"Chris Smith, Tony Van der Weerden, Diana Selbie","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3667","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3667","url":null,"abstract":"As part of government climate change policy, New Zealand dairy farmers will be encouraged to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through a proposed pricing mechanism. With integrated farm plans on the horizon, farmers need information on how mitigations for water quality will impact GHG emissions. Using a typology approach that captured the main production attributes and drivers of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses to water we assessed the impact of 12 current N and P contaminant mitigations on GHG co-benefits or trade-offs. Four of the mitigations had a co-benefit effect, with most of these being N mitigation measures.Trade-offs were detected for two water quality mitigations (stand-off pads and deferring effluent application), resulting in an increase in estimated GHG emissions. The remaining six water quality mitigations tested, either had a minimal impact, or had both a tradeoffand co-benefit. Our data provides pastoral farmers and rural professionals with information to guide initial conversations on options to reduce losses to water and air for developing integrated farm plans","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1049","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bia Oliveira, Ignacio Lopez, Lydia Cranston, Peter Kemp, Danny Donaghy
{"title":"Using leaf regrowth stage to define defoliation interval for diverse pastures of complementary species (Lolium perenne L., Bromus valdivianus Phil., Dactylis glomerata L. and Trifolium repens L.)","authors":"Bia Oliveira, Ignacio Lopez, Lydia Cranston, Peter Kemp, Danny Donaghy","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3642","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3642","url":null,"abstract":"Diverse pastures of complementary species (DPCS) comprise species that fulfil different agroecological niches, resulting in growth asynchrony and complementarity of functional roles. It is expected that DPCS have a greater capability to tolerate and performunder increasingly extreme climate events, providing a potential alternative for New Zealand pastoral systems. In the present study, DPCS comprised Lolium perenne L., Bromus valdivianus Phil., Dactylis glomerata L., and Trifolium repens L. The leaf regrowth stage [LS; L. perenne (2.5-3.0LS), B. valdivianus (3.5-4.0LS) and D. glomerata (3.5-4.0LS)] is proposed to be an applicable method of defoliation management for DPCS due to a potential overlapping of the defoliation interval. The seasonal and annual herbage mass accumulation and botanical composition of DPCS and their respective single-grass and T. repens pastures under the LS criterion were assessed. The annual yield did not differ among pastures (average 20.26 t dry matter (DM) ha- 1). However, significant differences were found within seasons, with DPCS exhibiting asynchronous growth among species that reduced the seasonality of herbageaccumulation and invasion by volunteer species. Lolium perenne, B. valdivianus and D. glomerata were shown to be complementary grass species, presenting growth asynchrony and an overlapping defoliation interval that optimised production, indicating that defoliation based on LS criterion is a suitable management for DPCS.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 996","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135185938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gustavo Pereira Valani, Aline Fachin Martíni, José Ricardo Macedo Pezzopane, Alberto Carlos De Campos Bernardi, Patrícia Perondi Anchão Oliveira, Miguel Cooper, Alec Mackay, Estelle Dominati
{"title":"Condition of the soil resource and provision of ecosystem services from a Brazilian Oxidic soil under conventional and integrated livestock-based systems","authors":"Gustavo Pereira Valani, Aline Fachin Martíni, José Ricardo Macedo Pezzopane, Alberto Carlos De Campos Bernardi, Patrícia Perondi Anchão Oliveira, Miguel Cooper, Alec Mackay, Estelle Dominati","doi":"10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3656","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.33584/jnzg.2023.85.3656","url":null,"abstract":"Integrated crop-livestock-forest systems promote soil health and deliver more ecosystem services (ES) compared to conventional livestock systems, although most studies on the subject poorly describe the soil component of these systems. This preliminary studyassessed the condition of the soil resource and its role in the provision of ecosystem services from a Brazilian Oxidic soil under conventional and integrated livestock-based systems. Five systems were studied from pasture only to partial and fully integrated croplivestock-forest systems. All are located on one of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) Research Farms. Data for the quantification of the soil resource and ES for each of these livestockbased systems were retrieved from previous studiesand used to quantify soil health, the provision of food and fibre and climate regulation, as well as report their impacts on receiving environment. Soil organic carbon content, a key component of soil health, was higher in the most integrated system. Soil-based grass yields were lower in integrated systems due to competition for resources from the trees or space taken by crops but had the highest overall provision of food and fibre. Carbon sequestration by trees in the integrated systems offsets enteric methane emissions from beef production, and this ES contributes to mitigating climate change. Future studies should include analysis of all the naturalresources and a wider range of soil-based ecosystem services, along with impacts on receiving environmentsto provide a more complete picture of the performance of integrated livestock-based systems.","PeriodicalId":36573,"journal":{"name":"Journal of New Zealand Grasslands","volume":" 1038","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135186058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}