For many farmers, growing some maize silage on farm makes good sense. Market prices dictate the type of bought in feed, they may have access feed out carts, feed pads, run short of maize silage when you really needed more…there’s many reasons why farmers have considered planting an extra paddock, or contracting a few more tonnes of maize silage this season. Risk management is certainly important with maize, which is particularly beneficial during challenging seasons. Could planting an extra paddock offset risk of the entire crop yield? So losses in overall yield are made up by having an extra paddock in? Here we’ve listed some reason’s why you might grow a bit more extra maize silage in 2022-23: Reduce your feed costs […]
Tag: Agronomy
Diverse summer crops. Flexibility, Reliability and Regrowth
Spring is a critical time of year, especially for preparing for summer and autumn grazing crops. With Southern Victorian moisture levels largely the early part of the season bodes well for yield potential and quality. Across mixed farming platforms including sheep, beef and dairy premium mixed forage crops have shown their worth across many measures – with improved growth, quality, persistence, palatability and insect tolerance. Peter Notman, dairy farmer at Walcha and owner of Notman Pasture Seeds says results from grazing newer varieties of diverse summer crops have been exceptional, importantly continuing to offer flexibility, reliability and strong re-growth. “Like most regions we cannot get enough grazing tDM and quality off existing ryegrass & clover pasture base over summer to […]
Better results from pasture renewal with a final check
A well-timed final spray-out is essential for effective pasture renovation and cropping success. By targeting weeds and residual plant material, strategic herbicide application helps create a clean seedbed, reducing competition and maximizing the establishment of new pasture or crops. Understanding the best timing, chemical options, and application methods ensures long-term paddock productivity.
Pest protection for emerging seedlings – Insecticide Seed Treatment
Seed treatment is an effective way to protect emerging seedlings against pests, with options available for: Red-legged earth mite Blue oat mites African black beetles Aphids Cutworms Wireworms and Lucerne flea. Why use seed treatment? If you’ve encountered pasture loss in the past due to insect pressure, seed treatment is a worthy consideration. By protecting seedlings against key insects, seed treatment products help maximise plant establishment and early plant development when young seedlings are most vulnerable to pest pressure. Reducing the impact on the soil environment The active ingredient only covers the surface of each seed so that it is always located right where it is needed. The result is a reduction in the amount of chemical needed to protect […]
Spring into action with our Top Crop & Multi Specie Blends
We’ve put together a selection of our Top Crop & Multi Specie Pasture blends that have a proven track record in providing diverse feed options for summer and early autumn: Top Crop Brassica & Herbs Top Crop Millet & Brassica Top Crop Millet & Rape Summer Multi Species Pasture Blend Top Crop Brassica & Herbs High quality summer forage A extremely high quality, easy to manage blend of Chicory, Plantain, White Clover, Leafy Brassica & Forage Rape. Top Crop Brassica & Herbs is an excellent way to increase pasture quality through to early Autumn when you can potential drill perennial grasses back in.This blend combines herbs and clovers with a brassica crop, allowing the brassica to act as a cover […]
Pasture recovery from pugging damage
PETER NOTMAN | 2011 Despite the best efforts of many farmers, with the high rainfall in autumn, winter and early spring periods, soils have become saturated. This has led to severe pasture damage on a large number of farms in south-west Victoria and Gippsland. Recovery will depend on a number of factors, and when planning the recovery strategies best suited to your farm. KEY POINTS Prioritising your main targets early if possible. Don’t take on more than you can manage effectively. Roll as soon as soils begin to dry out – have the roller ready to go Control of weeds and pests essential both pre- and postgrazings of new re-sowings All re-sowing requires appropriate timing. All re-sowing requires good seed […]
Chicory – a proven winner in Gippsland
Chicory – a proven champion. “In the thirteen years we have grown chicory we have naturally had dry years, but the year on year reliability of chicory has been proven to be a real champion” There was often a dramatic need for extra feed during the autumn months, so in 2003 I began planting Chicory. As the farm being mostly red soil it was hard to grow home grown feed at that time of year. Back then we planted full paddocks of chicory at a time from early to mid-September. The chicory grew really well, and with this spring planting and moisture available we would often be grazing within seven weeks of sowing. The chicory was grazed from late spring, […]
Why grow Multi Specie Pasture Blends?
Why grow Multi Specie Pasture Blends? Improve soil and root structure Improve pasture persistence Use water and nutrients more efficiently Interrupt pest and disease life cycles Prevent soil erosion. Improve moisture holding capacity Increase nitrogen with introduction of legume Prepare soil/paddock for following crop High quality forage for livestock Increase production, healthier stock, faster weight gains Managing Multi Specie Pasture Blends Start on small areas and work out which varieties prosper on your property. Observe the results and then make adjustments as necessary. It’s important that with multi specie blends that contain broadleaf species (such as chicory, plantain) that we do not apply any post emergent herbicides such as 2,4D Amine or MCPA. This will suppress or kill they species […]
Ryegrass leaf rust & management
Leaf Rust is a term used to describe fungi that can attack ryegrass, primarily: • Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata) also referred to as leaf rust• Stem rust (Puccinia graminis) Rust can severely hamper the growth of a ryegrass plant as well as reducing the plants nutritional quality (ME) and palatability to livestock. How to identify Ryegrass Leaf Rust Crown (or Leaf) Rust appears initially as yellow dots on leaves, later developing into bright orange circular powdery spots or pustules up to 1mm in length on ryegrass plants. Rust tends to thrive in hot and humid weather. Rust also tends to attack pasture when there are high levels of herbage present. Weaker plants leaves as well as those that are moisture […]
Keys to promoting winter pasture growth
Keys to promoting winter growth Permanent pasture is the mainstay of our pastures in South Gippsland, so maximising the performance of these pastures is of utmost importance. Timing is important in the establishment new pastures as overlooked opportunities & mismanagement can have severe impacts on long term pasture performance heading into late winter and spring with diminished DM/ha returns of quality feed. Walk pastures on a regular basis and assess how far away they are from the necessary grazing, fertiliser and weed/pest control. Common weed infestations include capeweed, chickweed, dock, erodium, flatweed, marshmallow, stinging nettle & thistles. It’s important to ensure herbicide grazing withholds are observed & impact to legumes such as clovers are taken into consideration. New pastures often […]