Project looks into CSAs

A recent Beef+Lamb field day was held at the Sheep Wintering project – based at Waitahuna, near Lawrence in Otago. This research aims to understand the significance of contaminant losses and the effectiveness of good management practices for sheep wintering that will enable farmers to make evidence- based land management decisions.

Funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries and managed by NZ Landcare Trust, the project is sponsored by Beef and Lamb NZ, Ballance, Horizons Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Otago Regional Council and Environment Southland.

“Research on the impact of sheep on winter crop had not been quantified,” explains project manager Craig Simpson. “This research project is built on the work undertaken by AgResearch at Telford examining the impacts of wintering cattle on crop.”

Water samples from runoff events were captured throughout each year, with most samples being captured post-grazing. As a result, it has been found that the risk period for contaminant runoff extended beyond the winter season into spring.

To ensure the research fully captures this data, MPI has approved an extension to the project to ensure that the final year of field data collection can be maximised and confidently predict the risk periods.

The project has, so far, highlighted that protecting the critical source area (CSA) by retaining it in grass cover effectively reduces the runoff of sediment and other contaminants.

The final results of the project are expected by early 2023.

Research Objectives

- 3-year paired catchment study

- Benchmark contaminant losses from sheep grazing on winter forage crops

- Assess the full impacts of leaving critical source areas (CSAs) in the grass in contrast to cropping critical source areas

- Major funder – MPI, Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund

- AgResearch undertook research (project managed by NZ Landcare Trust) on the property of Ronald and Carol Alderton

- Final research results are expected in early 2023