14 research outputs found
Pastoral agriculture, a significant driver of New Zealand’s economy, based on an introduced grassland ecology and technological advances
The New Zealand economy is export-driven and heavily reliant on the productivity of the pastoral sector. The transformation of native forest and tussock grassland ecologies to temperate grasslands occurred rapidly with the arrival of Europeans. However, this transplanted ecology required the development and use of plant, microbial, animal and management technologies for successful grassland farming. These have enabled New Zealand pastoral agriculture to compete effectively in international markets, without subsidies. The extensive list of plant-based and associated microbial-based adaptations, and the management strategies that have enabled the development of highly productive grasslands are described and reviewed. Credible science is required to inform the debate on the environmental impacts of pasture production to avoid misinformation proliferating. This needs transparent and objective integrity from the science community using funding that seeks no defined or preconceived outcomes. Critically, much of the success of New Zealand pastoral farming has been due to the willingness and ability of farmers to use, adapt, adopt and integrate new ideas and technologies into their farming systems. Historic, current and future challenges, and threats that impact on the productivity and sustainability of pastoral agriculture are described and the means to achieve further technology development to manage these is discussed
Legumes, herbs or grass for lamb performance?
Paper presented at the 58th New Zealand Grassland Association Conference, 21-24 October 1996, Oamaru.Lamb performance was evaluated for three
consecutive summer–early autumn periods on
ryegrass (Lolium perenne), white clover (Trifolium
repens), chicory (Cichorium intybus), plantain
(Plantago lanceolata) or lotus (Lotus corniculatus).
Lamb liveweight gains, fasted liveweights at
slaughter and hot carcass weights tended to be
highest on legumes and chicory and lowest on
plantain and ryegrass. Greasy wool weights were
significantly higher on lotus and white clover than
on chicory, plantain and ryegrass. Greasy wool
weight was significantly related to fasted liveweight
(R²=0.94–0.99). Protein (%) in herbage accounted
for 83–92% of the variability in animal performance;
food intake accounted for 57–69% of the
variability and was negatively correlated with
hemicellulose and cellulose (R²=97.2 and 80.9%,
respectively). Thus quality of feed was more
important than intake alone in determining animal
performance.The authors would like to thank the Meat Research
Development Council and the Foundation for Research,
Science and Technology for funding
Pasture species effects on carcass and meat quality
Paper presented at the 58th New Zealand Grassland Association Conference, 21-24 October 1996, Oamaru.Increasing concerns about food quality and animal
fat in the human diet have promoted research into
the effects of different forage species on carcass
quality and fat content. This trial investigated the
effect on carcass composition and the intensity of
sheep meat flavour and odour of five different pure
pasture species: Grasslands Lancelot plantain
(Plantago lanceolata), Grasslands Puna chicory
(Cichorium intybus), Grasslands Huia white clover
(Trifolium repens), Grasslands Nui high-endophyte
perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and Grasslands
Goldie lotus (Lotus corniculatus). Although pasture
species did affect meat quality and fat content,
there appeared to be an inverse relationship with
carcass weight: larger lambs had more fat, which
was related to difference in body size and relative
maturity rather that pasture species. Pasture species
also influenced muscle ultimate pH, sheep meat
odour, foreign odours, and flavours, but did not
affect sheep meat flavour.The authors would like to thank the Meat Research
Development Council and the Foundation for Research Science and Technology for funding
Uptake and residual value of 15N-labelled fertilizer applied to first and second year grass seed crops in New Zealand
This study was established to quantify the uptake of ¹⁵N-labelled nitrogen (urea) applied in the first and second years of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and browntop (Agrostis capillaris L.) seed crops, and the availability of the residual fertilizer N to a subsequent wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop under field conditions in Canterbury, New Zealand. Total recovery of ¹⁵N-labelled nitrogen fertilizer was approximately 100% when fertilizer was applied to the grass seed crops in spring. At harvest in year 1, grass straw and seed contained 34–47% and 6–15% of the applied N respectively; 27–35% remained in the soil (0–150 mm depth). Recovery of ¹⁵N in straw and soil was higher in fescue and ryegrass than in browntop, but recovery in roots was lower. At harvest in year 2, most of the 15N was present in the soil (30–37%) with only small amounts in the seed (0·7–1·0%), straw (3·6–4·9%) and roots (5·2–12·7%). In year 3, 2·5–3·5% of the residual ¹⁵N was recovered in the wheat and 18–26% in soil. Losses of ¹⁵N were minimal until ploughing after the second harvest, when there was an apparent loss of 11–35% of the fertilizer N applied. Losses were not directly associated with the fertilizer but indirectly following release of fertilizer N previously immobilized in plant roots and soil microorganisms. Small losses also occurred directly from autumn-applied N, probably through leaching. Despite these losses, overall there was an accumulation of fertilizer N in the soil organic pool, suggesting that ryegrass fescue and browntop seed crops have a role in contributing to the N fertility of the soil
Pasture response to fertiliser inputs under dairy grazing
Paper presented at the 58th New Zealand Grassland Association Conference 21-24 October 1996, Oamaru.Conversion of sheep and beef farms into dairy
units has resulted in research on appropriate
fertiliser rates and pasture species to achieve
maximum productivity in minimum time. An onfarm
trial involving five different mixtures of
pasture species (based on fescue, prairie grass, an
improved mixture, farmer mixture or original
pasture), three rates of nitrogen as urea (0, 50 or
100 kg/ha of N applied half in March and half in
August) and four rates of superphosphate (0, 250,
500 or 1000 kg/ha applied annually in March) was
established in Canterbury on a Waimakariri sandy
silt loam with border-dyke irrigation and an Olsen
P of 5 pg/ml. The trial was grazed by dairy cattle
as part of the general rotation; plots were not fenced
individually. Pasture growth rates were measured
pre- and post-grazing using a calibrated pasture
probe. Botanical dissections ,were made seasonally
and soil samples were taken annually. Pasture dry
matter production was greatest from the prairie
grass, “improved” mixture and the original pasture, reaching 13,000, 11,000 and 16,000 kg/ha in years one, two and three, respectively; production from the fescue increased with time; the ‘farmer’ mix
performed poorly. Nitrogen at 50 kg/ha was
generally sufficient to produce maximum yield
increases. Increasing superphosphate increased
production; this effect decreased with time. Change
in Olsen P reflected superphosphate inputs and
after three years of differential superphosphate
application the Olsen P status was 8, 14, 27 or 42
(corresponding to 0, 250, 500 or 1000 kg/ha
superphosphate).The Foundation for
Science and Technology and the Technology for Business
Growth programme
Effect of pasture species on internal parasites of lambs
Paper presented at the 58th New Zealand Grassland Association Conference, 21-24 October 1996, Oamaru.Increasing resistance of gastro-intestinal nematode
parasites to anthelmintics and consumer resistance
to the possibility of residues in animal products
have prompted research on the effect of pasture
species on nematodes and animal performance.
Lambs (either infected with high rates of gastrointestinal
nematodes or maintained nematode-free)
were grazed on pure swards of chicory, high- or
low-endophyte ryegrass, cocksfoot, tall fescue,
lucerne, lotus, white clover or plantain. Infected
lambs that grazed chicory had lower faecal egg
counts and adult nematode populations, and higher
carcass weights, than lambs grazed on plantain or
the grass species; lambs that grazed legumes
generally had intermediate counts, populations and
weights. When kept parasite-free, carcass weights
were up to 48% greater than in the nematode infected
treatments. On farmlets run over 3 years,
substituting 30% of the ryegrass area with lucerne
or replacing the ryegrass with a multi-species mix
consisting predominantly of bromes, tall fescue,
phalaris, timothy and red and white clover, had no
effect on gastro-intestinal nematode larvae, lamb
faecal worm egg or adult nematode numbers. It is
concluded that a diet of pure chicory affects internal
parasite populations but the small proportion
included in the farmlet studies had no effect.We wish to thank MRDC for funding Project 1 and
AGMARDT for funding Project 2