Ok, what’s next?

Date: 2011-01-09 | Category: Dairy

Deal with any factors that might have accelerated the decline of the old pasture.

Before renewing pasture it is essential to determine the factors behind the decline of the pasture to be replaced.

These need to be rectified, either before establishing new pasture or as part of the management of the renewed pasture:

Before renewal
Poor drainage:	drainage [could also reduce flood risk]
Poor fertility:	soil testing & capital fertiliser application
Low soil pH:	addition of lime
Soil compaction:	aeration by subsoiling, cultivation
At renewal
Insects and slugs:	seed treatment or granular insecticide particularly with spray-drilling; monitor and apply molluscicide if required
After renewal
Weed invasion:	herbicide application
Poor fertility:	soil testing & fertiliser application
Insects:	insecticide application
Environmental conditions
Desirable plants die through a combination of stresses related to moisture extremes:
Dry/Drought:	plant hardship, increases insect and weed pressure
Wet/Flood:	plant hardship, leading to weed invasion
Pugging:	damaging desirable plant population in wet conditions, leading to weed invasion
Overgrazing:	grazing plants close ground level in dry conditions, affecting their recovery and persistence
The natural conditions are impossible to control but it is possible to reduce their impact:
Dry/Drought:	destocking, irrigation
Wet/Flood:	destocking, drainage
Pugging:	remove/spread out stock in wet conditions, use of sacrifice paddock or feeding pad
Overgrazing:	destocking polices, additional supplement on hand, sacrifice paddocks