Crop, hogget mating proves worth

The Dills manage 1138 ewes on their 493ha farm in the Kaipara Flats, an hour north of Auckland.

With 78% of the farm being steep, and in an area known for high facial eczema and pneumonia, keeping sheep healthy and minimising lamb losses has sometimes proved a challenge.

They're focusing on getting bigger, healthier two-tooths to give ewes a better chance of having a long, productive life.

"We think it will have a massive impact on the ewe's lifetime performance," Steve told a recent Beef + Lamb New Zealand field day held on their farm.

"Stronger two-tooth ewes should cope with animal health issues better."

However, topography and climate mean mid-summer pasture quality in the region isn't good, and often comes with high quantities of fungal toxins and parasites.

The Dills' solution has been to grow a summer crop of Titan, a rape/kale hybrid, to guarantee that sheep get the feed they need to remain healthy.

The crop, which was selected because of its aphid resistance and shorter adjustment period, was direct drilled into pasture for establishment.

While he's a fan of no-till sowing, he says it is essential to do everything properly to avoid disappointment: where they missed one application of spray before planting, weeds grew at the same speed as the crop and reduced the gains.

"Don't cut any corners... If you do then it's going to really cost you."

The Dills combine cropping with regrassing, helping boost pasture growth into the future. Kamo and Extreme ryegrasses are autumn-sown post crop with Kopu clover and plantain stitched into the grass in spring to make sure animals get good quality feed.

Ewe lambs go onto the crop at 27kg in February and come off at 37-38kg before going to the ram.

Other lambs then go onto the remaining crop to be finished.

The crop has been very successful at helping the health of the sheep with facial eczema eliminated and faecal egg counts and pneumonia incidents cut right back (see p38).

They're also now getting two-tooths to a breeding weight of 60kg.

Crop costs, at $16,832 for 12ha in 2010, are not cheap, they acknowledge, but part of the strategy, and to help cover that extra cost, has been to start hogget mating.

Over the past two seasons it's proved profitable.

Of 220 ewe lambs put onto crop, 160 reached a weight of 36-38kg and were sent out to the ram on May 1. From these, 170 lambs were weaned at an average of 12kg, and finished over winter, earning the farm $22,100 – a net return after cost of crop of $5268.

But even without that margin, Steve says they'd continue with the cropping.

"This is an investment in the future of the flock and the farm."