increase font size
Oilseed rape harvest
AUSTRALIA’S GROWERS are grabbing four-six weeks autumn or winter grazing off oilseed rape crops with no impact on grain yield, CSIRO agronomist John Kirkengaard told growers at Crops 2014.
“It adds to the bottom line and helps pay for the canola crop up front.”
In some of the colder regions growers’ long-season EU-bred winter cultivars sown in February or March are stretching that grazing window to three months “and they’re still getting reasonable yields at the end,” he added.
FAR has been investigating the potential to replicate that here as most growers are using those cultivars anyway.
“There was no significant difference in grain yield from grazing off about 2000kg
of dry matter [per hectare] in late May and June,”
FAR’s Jen Linton told the field day crowd.
“But there was a significant difference [reduction] when we grazed too hard, for too long, beyond stem elongation.”
Due to difficulties sourcing sheep to graze trials in winter 2013, plots were mown instead and “looked really good” coming into harvest, said Linton. However, a windstorm wrecked the trial, thrashing so much seed out of the pods of mown and untouched plots that the data was meaningless. Linton’s hoping similar work this year, including experiments removing just the main raceme, will come to fruition.
“Oilseed rape can compensate very well for defoliation if it has time.”
Grazing with cattle hasn’t been attempted, the concern being they would be too hard on the crop and soil, particularly in wet weather.
OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try harder" report card on the red meat industry regarding its exports to China - particularly when compared to Australia.
More Australian states are embracing virtual fencing technology, opening growth opportunities for Kiwi companies like Halter.
Fonterra says its ongoing legal battle with Australian processor Bega Cheese won’t change its divestment plans.
Recent widespread autumn rain will have triggered the germination of subterranean clover seeds, and the resulting seedlings should be allowed to reach the 3–4 trifoliate leaf stage before grazing, says Beef+Lamb NZ.
OPINION: When I left school in 1962, I worked on our family farm at Tikokino, but learning about farming wasn't a priority at the time because I had other distractions on my mind, such as fast cars and hot girls.
Global trade wars and uncertain tariff regimes could play into the hands of many New Zealand exporters, according to Gareth Coleman ANZ’s Head of Trade & Supply Chain.
The long running trade dispute between NZ and Canada appears to be over.
Herd improvement company LIC has ended the 2024-25 financial year in a strong position - debt-free and almost quadrupling its net profit.
There's been widespread support from the primary sector for the Government's move to put the brakes on local authorities to do any more work on planning changes ahead of major changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA).
Rural health advocates say the Government's decision to establish a new medical school at the University of Waikato augurs well for the rural sector.
People affected by the recent two severe flood events in the Tasman district are weary and exhausted trying to deal with the devastation on their farms and orchards, according to the head of the Rural Support Trust (RST) in the region.
OPINION: Your old mate's ear has been chewed off recently by farmers voicing their displeasure with the National Party, particularly…
OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try…
