This week we really welcome El Niño – strong westerlies and warm temperatures. Prof Moot spent the weekend in Marlborough and visited ‘Bonavaree’ (Fraser Avery’s farm). There the ewes and lambs are happy munching on lucerne and the tagasaste, which can provide emergency feed during a drought, was in full flower. The Wither Hills have … Read more
Posted on behalf of the DPR Group. The AgYields National database has been created as an open access repository for pasture and crop data including flowering dates, grain and pasture yields and mean daily growth rates in different New Zealand locations. The data can be used by farmers, consultants, students and researchers. There were several … Read more
Professor Moot spent two days last week (mid March 2023) with farmers interested in growing and grazing lucerne near Taupo and Pukekawa. Spring sowing after weeds had been controlled was a focus of the days. In particular, the opportunity to use glyphosate this autumn on Californian thistles (Cirsium arvense), browntop (Agrostis capillaris) and other rhizomatous … Read more
Posted on behalf of Prof Derrick Moot (Dryland Pastures Research Group) The Dryland Pastures Research Group are thinking of their east coast NI farmers – and we are feeling a long way from being able to help. So, we have put together some practical considerations for when the focus goes on pasture renewal on silt … Read more
Posted on behalf of the Horehound Biocontrol Group Kia ora koutou, This Christmas message is not the one you would like to read nor the one I was hoping to write. Nevertheless, it is the one I have and the facts cannot be ignored. No sign of the plume moth We have not found any … Read more
Posted on behalf of Prof Moot Ode to 2022, a Covid year to review, our deadly virus really off the front page No longer we fuss, no masks to discuss, gone once protesters took center stage They erected tents, cried sinners repent, the mob gathered in Parliament’s garden Turned on the hose, to those who … Read more
Posted on behalf of Prof Derrick Moot. The photos below are from a sub clover drilling of a 400 ha area in Middlemarch in March 2022. A lack of autumn rain meant the germination did not occur until May. Fortunately, sub clover seeds are capable of sitting in the ground and waiting for rain if … Read more
Posted on behalf of the Horehound Biocontrol Group The clearwing moth is established. Or is it? We thought the clearwing moth was now well established at two sites. One in North Canterbury and one in the Mackenzie Basin. It looked like these populations were ready to start being redistributed to new sites. We were truly … Read more
Posted on behalf of Prof. Derrick Moot A nice problem to have – Matt Iremonger at Willesden Farm on Banks Peninsula is facing a different problem from the summer dry he encounters most years. This years rainfall has flushed lucerne back into production and Matt comments – “ 6500 lambs on 150 ha – stocking … Read more
Posted on behalf of Prof. Derrick Moot. Many east coast areas of New Zealand have had 20-100 mm of rainfall in the last week or so with more forecast. This unusual mid-summer situation has messed up my holiday – but more importantly can lead to some management issues that need to be considered for lucerne … Read more