Farmers group study grazing

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 13, 28 August 1984, Page 19

Farmers group study grazing

Last week the Valley Road farmers discussion group, consisting of eighteen farmers, met on Mr Richard Godfrey's property. The group has been meeting on a regular basis for the last nine months, since its formation under the leadership of Mr Peter Berry, and local MAF farm advisor Will Wilson. Meetings involve looking around properties and discussing the farm management implemented by the farmer. Richard 's farm has 210 ha (520 acre), in grass, running 1,800 breeding ewes, 60 cows plus replacement heifers. One feature on Richard 's property was the move away from traditional set-stocking to an intensive winter rotational grazing system. Planning for the winter rotation started back in March with feed allocated for flushing and the first part of tupping. Ram tupping harnesses were used to identify ewes marked in 7-8 day intervals at mating. At the end of each tupping interval marked ewes are taken from the mating mob to effectively start the winter rotation on a restricted diet. Chaser rams are run with marked ewes. In excess of 90% of the ewes had been mated in the first cycle (17 days). Following tupping, (the beginning of May), the amount of feed on the property was assessed and a

grazing plan outlined. As a result of this Richard was able to gauge how many grazing days were available in each paddock, and plan the rotation through the winter to lambing. On average, the 1,800 ewe mob were grazed in 2 ha (5 acres) breaks for 2-3 days. Cows were grazed behind the ewes to clean up rough pasture and supplemented with a small amount of hay. Once paddocks are eaten off no stock will graze that area until lambing. Prior to lambing the early lambing ewes, identified by the tupping crayon, are withdrawn from the rotation and set-stocked on paddocks with most feed. Richard is extremely

pleased with the success of the new grazing system. Ewe condition is good, and he has more feed to lamb on than in previous years under the set-stock system. Pasture improvement under rotation grazing is quite evident, with ryegrass/white clover content increasing considerably. One major saving is the redueed use of winter supplementary feed. Although Richard has two crops in, he only used one this year and gave the other to a neighbour to eat off, preferring to keep the stock on a continuous diet of grass. Another feature in the management of Richard's property was a change in lambing date. Tupping was delayed, by two weeks, with rams going out on 14th April. The main reason for the later lambing is to match more closely the feed demanded by stock with the spring growth. Delaying tupping date will result in a concentrated lambing as was evident from using the ram harness. This ensures an even line of lambs at weaning. Group members were most impressed with the success of Richard's grazing system. It was a general feeling amongst the group that rotation grazing overcomes the problem of trying to feed on a continuous diet through the long Waimarino winter, with associated benefits of better stock condition, more feed at lambing and big savings in the use of supplementary feed.