Major new dryland farming research project

Lincoln University launches major new dryland farming research project

Lincoln University research that will "push the boundaries" of productivity
and profitability in dryland farming will be launched with a public field day at
Silverwood Farm, Hororata, on Wednesday 24 October.

The research, funded by the MAF´s Sustainable Farming Fund with support
from Ravensdown Ltd and Agriseeds Ltd, is responding to a recent survey in
which sheep farmers identified improvement in flock productivity and
profitability as their greatest need.

Lincoln University agricultural scientists and farm management experts
believe it is possible to increase flock productivity on dryland sheep farms
through a combination of -
o More efficient ewes, producing more kilograms per weaned lamb
against kilograms of mated ewe;
o Increased animal and flock performance through improved pasture
quality and feeding value;
o Greater flexibility in farm policies to deal with climate variability.

Two trial units of 87 and 85 hectares, each of 16 paddocks, have been
established at Silverwood and stocked with small framed, high fecundity
ewes at high stocking rates. One unit is based on high intake/high quality
pasture species including lucerne, perennial clovers oversown with annual
grasses - the `switch system - winter forage and permanent pastures; the
other unit is based on intensively managed perennial grass:clover pasture
with one paddock of winter forage and one paddock of lucerne.

Silverwood is a 418-hectare light land farm at Hororata. It is operated under
a charitable trust and has been leased by Lincoln University since 1999.

Lincoln University established a farmer reference group to help define
research priorities for the farm and the dryland sheep system project is the
first big enterprise.

"Farmers in the Silverwood reference group made it clear they wanted to
see research that would `push the boundaries´ of productivity and profitability
in dryland farming," says the project leader Professor Tony Bywater.

"In discussion with Lincoln University staff the farmers identified ewe
efficiency (that is, kilogram per lamb weaned against kilogram per ewe
mated); management of high fecundity ewes; maximising lamb numbers;
alternative lambing times; and feeder lambs versus finishing lambs, as high
priorities for investigation on the animal side.

"On the pasture side, areas regarded as important for research were feed
quality and pasture mixes to achieve high performance levels; annual
grasses plus nitrogen versus annual legumes versus perennial clovers;
winter feeding options; and maintaining high clover pastures.

"Other issues the reference group was keen to see investigated included
risk management options with respect to climate and markets; integration
with irrigated farms; ICT applications in monitoring and decision-making
support; and independent comparisons of competing husbandries and
technologies.

"Above all, farmers wanted detailed monitoring to provide a strong
benchmark on productivity and profit."

There are around 3560 dryland farms on the east coast of New Zealand,
covering some 1.64 million hectares and carrying 12.2 million stock units.

"The main constraint to increased productivity on these farms is the risk
inherent in the highly variable growing environment of a dryland farm," says
Professor Bywater.

"Most farmers adopt a conservative policy, keeping costs down and
maintaining a relatively low stocking rate to reduce the risk of running out of
feed.

"In the Silverwood trials we will be looking at greater flexibility in farm
policies to deal with climate variability. We will stock for better than average
seasons and build in as many flexibilities as possible to reduce feed demand
when pasture production is less than expected."

The field day at Silverwood Farm on Wednesday 24 October starts at
1.30pm. Silverwood is on Leeches Road, 5.75 km west of the Selwyn
sawmill on the road from Hororata to Windwhistle. All interested farmers,
industry representatives and members of the public are welcome. No prior
registration is necessary.

ends

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