Sowing strategies for slow-establishing pasture species on a North Otago dairy farm
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Date
2000
Type
Conference Contribution - published
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Fields of Research
Abstract
Slow-establishing, high quality, pasture species
are frequently added to standard ryegrass–white
clover seed mixtures in an effort to improve pasture
nutritive value. However, intense competition
during establishment can suppress these species.
Four alternative sowing strategies (Treatment 1:
temporal separation of species (clovers sown in
November 1998 before ryegrass direct-drilled at
10 kg/ha in March 1999); Treatment 2: substitution
of ryegrass with slower-establishing timothy;
Treatments 3 and 4: physical separation (alternate
drill rows) of slower-establishing species from
lower than average ryegrass seeding rates (3.5 kg/
ha or 8 kg/ha)) were used on a commercial North
Otago dairy farm. Total dry matter (DM)
production after 16 months was greater from
pastures initially sown with ryegrass (19.1 t DM/
ha) (Treatments 3 and 4) than when ryegrass
sowing was delayed or substituted with timothy
(15.2 t DM/ha) (Treatments 1 and 2). The
percentage of red plus white clover was similar
in all pastures at 16 months of age and averaged
54%, compared with less than 1% for caucasian
clover. Timothy sown without ryegrass contributed
42% of production (Treatment 2), compared with
7% when sown with ryegrass (Treatments 3 and
4). Ryegrass composition was similar (43%)
regardless of sowing rate (Treatments 3 and 4)
and sowing date (Treatment 1). This on-farm
study demonstrated successful establishment of
red and white clover in all four treatments but
timothy and caucasian clover were suppressed
by the inclusion of low rates of ryegrass.
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Copyright © The Authors and New Zealand Grassland Association.