Yield and botanical composition of
lucerne, cocksfoot or ryegrass based
pastures over six years
Acknowledgements
• Meat & Wool NZ Ltd/ Pastoral21
• The Cocksfoot Growers Association
• Lincoln University
Objective
To quantify annual yield and botanical composition from
lucerne, cocksfoot and ryegrass based pastures
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Materials & Methods
• RCB
• RG/Wc
• CF/Sub
• Luc
• 6 replicates
– 0.05 ha plots
Established autumn 2002
Grazed by Coopworth ewe lambs/hoggets
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Annual DM yield (t DM/ha/y)
Results - Total Annual Yield
RG/Wc
15
10.5 t/ha
10
8.3 t/ha
5
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
0
Jul02 Jan03 Jul03 Jan04 Jul04 Jan05 Jul05 Jan06 Jul06 Jan07 Jul07 Jan08 Jul08
Date
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Botanical composition - RG/Wc
Total yield (t DM/ha/y)
15
Year 1 Year 2
10
1.5
t/ha
Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
Ryegrass
White clover
4.0
t/ha
5
0
2.3
t/ha
7.4
t/ha
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
Year
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Botanical composition - RG/Wc
Total yield (t DM/ha/y)
15
10
Year 1 Year 2
Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6
Ryegrass
White clover
Weeds
0.4 t/ha
4.1 t/ha
5
0
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
Year
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Annual LW production (kg LW/ha)
Results - Annual LW production
1200
RG/Wc
900
600
300
Year 2
0
Jul03
Jan04
Year 3
Jul04
Jan05
Year 4
Jul05
Jan06
Year 5
Jul06
Jan07
Year 6
Jul07
Jan08
Jul08
Date
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Results - Annual LW production
•Annual grasses
•Taprooted dicot weeds
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Annual DM yield (t DM/ha/y)
Results - Total Annual Yield
RG/Wc
15
CF/Sub
13.0 t/ha
10.0 t/ha
10
5
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
0
Jul02 Jan03 Jul03 Jan04 Jul04 Jan05 Jul05 Jan06 Jul06 Jan07 Jul07 Jan08 Jul08
Date
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Botanical composition - CF/Sub
Total yield (t DM/ha/y)
15
3.7
t/ha
1.5
t/ha
10
0.2
t/ha
2.5
t/ha
Cocksfoot
Sub clover
Weed
5
0
4.7
t/ha
8.4
t/ha
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
Year
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Accumulated annual LW (kg/ha)
Annual LW production
1200
RG/Wc
900
600
300
0
Jul03
Year 2
Jan04
Year 3
Jul04
Jan05
Year 4
Jul05
Jan06
Year 5
Jul06
Jan07
Year 6
Jul07
Jan08
Jul08
Date
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Annual LW production
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Annual DM yield (t DM/ha/y)
Results - Total Annual Yield
15
RG/Wc
CF/Sub
Luc
18.5 t/ha
10.0
t/ha
10
5
0
Jul02 Jan03 Jul03 Jan04 Jul04 Jan05 Jul05 Jan06 Jul06 Jan07 Jul07 Jan08 Jul08
Date
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Botanical composition - Lucerne
Total yield (t DM/ha/y)
20
0.8 t/ha
Lucerne
Weed
15 <0.1 t/ha
10
5
0
17.3
t/ha
9.6
t/ha
2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
Year
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Accumulated annual LW (kg/ha)
Annual LW production
1200
900
RG/Wc
CF/Sub
Luc
600
300
0
Jul03
Year 2
Jan04
Year 3
Jul04
Jan05
Year 4
Jul05
Jan06
Year 5
Jul06
Jan07
Year 6
Jul07
Jan08
Jul08
Date
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Annual LW production
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Conclusions
• Lucerne:
– Highest DM and LW production
• RG/Wc: >8 t DM/ha/y
– sown species 94% to <50%
• CF/Sub: best grass based pasture
– Sub clover >3 t/ha/y (86% desirable spps in Yr 6)
• Cocksfoot pastures with sub and white complement
lucerne in summer dry environments with unpredictable
rainfall
Source: Mills et al. 2008
Lucerne issues
Lambing time
• Average 23% higher but 3-weeks later
• Ewes and lambs on lucerne pre-weaning?
• Increase flexibility of lucerne management
- “graze at 10% flowering?”
Growth:
is dry matter accumulation as a result of light
interception and photosynthesis
Development:
is the ‘age’ or maturity of the regrowth crop e.g.
leaf appearance, flowering
Growth and development are both influenced
by environmental signals
The Canopy:
the energy capture device
Above ground growth rate
(kg DM/ha/d)
Vegetative growth
120
Jan
80
Spring
Feb
40
0
Autumn
July
0
8
12
16
Mean temperature (oC)
Source: Moot et al. 2003
Tap root dry weight (t /ha)
Partitioning to roots
42-day
3.5
28-day
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
A
S
O
N
D
J
F
M
A
Month
Source: Moot et al. 2003
28-day
rotation
42-day
rotation
Photo: E.I. Teixeira
Seasonal grazing management
Early autumn (Feb-April)
• drought ⇒ graze standing herbage
• allow 50% flowering
• long rotation
⇒ build-up root reserves for spring growth
and increase stand persistence
Shoot yield (t DM/ha)
Dry matter production in spring
1.2
42-day
28-day
0.8
0.4
0
July
August
September
Source: Moot et al. 2003
Photo: ‘Bonaveree, Marlborough
First paddocks grazed in autumn are
first paddocks used in spring.
Lucerne development
A) Vegetative
• Leaf appearance at successive nodes
morphology
• Constant in Thermal time
• 35 °Cd in winter – summer
• delayed in autumn (40 - 60 °Cd)
Photo: H.E. Brown
Photo: H.E. Brown
Photo: H.E. Brown
Photo: H.E. Brown
Herbage mass (t DM/ha)
Dryland Lucerne - Ashley Dene
4
3
Non-grazed
Grazed
2
1
0
28 Aug
25 Sep
23 Oct
Date
20 Nov
18 Dec
Source: H.E. Brown
Seasonal grazing management
Late autumn/winter (May-July)
• hard grazing once growth stops (frost)
⇒ decrease aphid population
• spray for weeds 10-14 days after winter graze
grazing/spraying June
nodes developing at low temperatures
Lucerne development
B) Reproductive (flowering)
• Long day plant
flowers earlier in summer than spring/autumn due
to photoperiod
• Time of flowering is also temperature dependent
e.g. 380-550 °Cd as photoperiod changes (14.5-16.5 h)
Photo: K.M. Pollock
Implications for seasonal grazing management
Spring
• 1st rotation aided by root reserves to produce
high quality vegetative forage.
• can graze before flowers appear (~1500 kg
DM/ha) ideally ewes and lambs but
Never lamb on or set stock lucerne
Photo: ‘Bonaveree, Marlborough
Lambing (set stock) on grass paddocks
Photo: ‘Bonaveree, Marlborough
Once priority stock go onto lucerne…. They stay on it!
Photo: ‘Bonaveree, Marlborough
Doug and Fraser Avery “Bonavaree”
1100 ha 25% lucerne (55% of easier country)
Seasonal grazing management
Spring/summer (Nov-Jan)
• Priority is stock production (lamb/beef/deer)
• graze 6-8 weeks solely on lucerne
• 5-6 paddock rotation stocked with one class
of stock (10 day max.)
• allowance 2.5-4 kg DM/hd/d – increase later
in season
Photo: D.J.Moot
Photo: D.J. Moot
Photo: D.J. Moot
Summary
• Spring is animal priority
– can graze before flowering or buds (2000 kg DM/ha)
• Ewes and twin lambs pre-weaning
• Autumn/winter is time for the plant
• Always 7-10 day rotation – spring, summer
and autumn
• High quality feed for high value stock
• Never set stock lucerne
They grow
healthier with
lucerne…
References
Mills, A., Smith, M. C., Lucas, R. J. and Moot, D. J. 2008. Dryland pasture yields and
botanical composition over 5 years under sheep grazing in Canterbury. Proceedings
of the New Zealand Grassland Association 70, 37-44.
Mills, A., Smith, M. C. and Moot, D. J. 2008. Liveweight production from dryland
lucerne, cocksfoot or ryegrass based pastures. In: Global Issues, Paddock Action.
Proceedings of the 14th ASA Conference, 21-25 September 2008, Adelaide, South
Australia phttp://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2008/concurrent
/managing_pastures/5830_millsa.htm.
Moot, D. J., Brown, H. E., Teixeira, E. I. and Pollock, K. M. 2003. Crop growth and
development affect seasonal priorities for lucerne management. In: D. J. Moot (ed).
Legumes for Dryland Pastures. Proceedings of a New Zealand Grassland
Association Inc Symposium held at Lincoln University, 18-19 November 2003,
201-208.