Greatest Scope For Improvement

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31030, 9 April 1966, Page 10

Greatest Scope For Improvement

“The tussock grasslands of the South Island offer a greater potential for improvement than any other class of country in New Zealand,” says Mr J. G. H. White, senior lecturer in plant science at Lincoln College, in a Canterbury Chamber of Commerce agricultural bulletin. He foresees the high country grazier becoming a farmer.

“Sufficient technical knowledge is now available to allow development to proceed, and some farmers have already achieved marked success. Very careful thought must be given to the economic, technical and social problems involved, however, before a farmer start; on largescale development “The easiest part is likely to be the actual over-sowing and topdressing as this can be done largely by a number of calls on the telephone. Much greater thought should be given to using the feed

that is grown; the area topdressed should be directly related to the stock available to graze it, and should be fenced off. Far too much feed is allowed to become rank, go to waste and smother out the clover.

“Vigorous clover must be maintained by management so that nitrogen fixation continues at a high level and associated grasses are encouraged. The more rapid the recycling of nutrients through the animal the more rapid the build-up in soil fertility and the greater the consequent production. “Large increases in feed supply in spring, summer and autumn pose problems in winter feeding. Topdressing will shorten the winter by many weeks, but autumngrown clover cannot be saved for winter feed because of frost damage, and July and August are still critical months on many tussock runs, particularly where stock numbers have been increased.

This problem can be overcome by growing lucerne hay, brassica crops or feed oats, coupled with the encouragement of vigorous winter-grow-ing grasses which stand frost

“A runholder In the tussock country may thus find himself changing from being a grazier to being a farmer —over-sowing, topdressing, fencing, shepherding, making hay, growing crops, changing his breed of stock, producing fat lambs—in fact changing his whole way of life. But the reward for this in financial gain, personal satisfaction and overall increase in production in New Zealand may be immense.”