Intensive beef production on irrigated lucerne : a systems modelling study

Abstract

This bulletin reports on the first stage of a project initiated at Lincoln College in 1971, to study the feasibility of intensive beef production based on irrigated lucerne. As such it is a problem in the design and evaluation of a new farming system.

The first stage of the project involved developing a computer model to study the proposed system, and to provide guidelines for the establishment of an actual field trial. The second stage of the project will be concerned with the establishment and operation of the real system.

The work to date has been primarily designed to provide information - for research workers rather than potential commercial operators. Thus, while the physical and financial results presented here may be of considerable general interest, it must be remembered that they are derived from a mathematical model - not from a real system. In time these theoretical results will be supplemented by results from the field trial, and it will then be possible to give more informed advice to farmers contemplating adoption of the system.

A primary objective in presenting this report is to illustrate the role that a systems modelling exercise can play in making initial decisions on the design of field experiments. As far as the authors are aware this project is the first in New Zealand to follow the "systems research approach" to the study of a new farming system.