Regrassing one way to lift output

The main reason dairy farmers should consider regrassing is to grow more dry matter (DM) to increase milk production, according to Kevin Taylor, operations manager at agricultural contractor Gavin Grain.

The issue is particularly important at present, and many Waikato farmers have found their pastures have suffered badly after two seasons of drought. Sowing grass seed has been difficult, with ground going from too dry to too wet.

“Much of the pastures sown within the last two years may have to be renewed, as they have been unable to withstand the harsh conditions and will not perform as they should over the next 10 years,” Taylor said.

A planned approach to regrassing was always preferable, but there were times when emergency measures were required so farmers could feed their cows. His company has done much more direct drilling of grass into existing pasture than usual over the past two years, sowing twice the average area last year.

Dead pasture

“There’s a lot of dead, open pasture around, either from pest damage or drought,” he said. “Some farmers in the area have direct-drilled the whole farm with an annual ryegrass – just to grow some grass.”

While direct drilling has its place and is the cheaper option, Taylor believes it doesn’t have the benefits of cultivation, especially if combined with cropping. The best results come from a planned programme of cultivation so that pasture is renewed every 10 years.

“Some people say they have had the same grass in a paddock for 20 years,” he said. “But I don’t think there will be much of the original seed left, and the pasture will actually have been taken over by native species.”

Weed control

Full cultivation provides better weed control, increases fertility and is an opportunity to reshape rough paddocks.

Taylor said sowing grass with a double seed roller also provides a better seedbed and reduces pulling damage.

While some farmers favour grass-to-grass cultivation, Taylor said most who are regrassing to a plan are growing a crop in between. The old pasture is sprayed out in August and then ploughed, which buries a lot of hard-to-kill weeds such as buttercup. Once the crop has been planted and harvested, the paddock is sprayed again to get rid of any further weeds before the new pasture is sown in March.

While some farmers believe traditional cultivation can increase weed problems by bringing unwanted seeds to the surface, Taylor disagrees. “In any square metre of ground 50cm deep there’s something like 4000 seeds sitting there ungerminated,” he said.

“If a paddock is badly pugged, some seeds will come through anyway.

“We’ll never beat the weeds – we can just try and manage them better.”

For dairy farmers considering a regrassing programme on a tight budget, Taylor said yield is king, as they sought to get as much bang for their buck as they could.

“While direct drilling is half the price of full cultivation, it won’t be as effective.” His advice is to do the full job on a smaller area and work around the farm gradually as part of a long-term plan. Many farmers aim to cultivate/ crop and regrass 10 percent of the farm each year. The keys are planning, efficient use of resources and monitoring:

• Planning
  If using a contractor, talk to them well in advance about what’s required, not the day before. Gavin Grain send out a questionnaire to all its clients each spring asking for details of the areas, types, and timing of sowing they plan to undertake that season. This helps the contractor gear up to be able to meet their needs.
  
  
• Preparation
  Have the farm prepared before contractors arrive. If several paddocks are being regrassed, remove the middle fences where possible to maximise the area. Remove troughs as they cut down area and provide an opportunity for weeds to take a hold. Make sure the drainage is right.
  
  
• Timing
  Work backwards from the date when you want to sow your grass seed next autumn in order to decide when you need to start the process to meet your crop planting date. This will depend on weather patterns, types of soil and the crop and cultivar chosen.
  
  Make the most of free technical advice. Once the decision is made on what’s being sown, speak to the seed companies and/or contractor for advice on which cultivar to plant for the property’s requirements and conditions.
  
  Do a soil sample. Where possible, it makes sense to grow crops on an effluent paddock, as many of the necessary nutrients will already be there. But always test before you cultivate and get a fertiliser recommendation to make sure you’re only applying what you need for the crop you have chosen. If doing full cultivation, it needs to be a six-inch (150mm) plug rather than the normal three inch (75mm) for pasture.
  
  Monitor the crop once it’s in. Too many people forget about it once it is sown until harvest time. Farmers need to walk their crops just as they would walk their pastures to identify any problems as they emerge.
  
  For instance, check the turnip crop at the early stages of cover to identify when to spray, and watch a maize crop for any sign of cutworm or other pests. The crop is a big investment and needs to be looked after just like grass.
  
  Once the new grass is established, avoid pugging if at all possible. Use standoffs or feedpads to protect the new pasture. After the first grazing, inspect new pasture for any requirements such as spraying or fertiliser applications.