PASTURES AND THEIR IMPROVEMENT IN RELATION TO THE MANAGEMENT OF FOOTHILL FARMS IN CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 53, Issue 6, 21 December 1936, Page 331

PASTURES AND THEIR IMPROVEMENT IN RELATION TO THE MANAGEMENT OF FOOTHILL FARMS IN CANTERBURY.

WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PLOUGHABLE AREAS.

A. H. Flay,

Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln.

The foothill areas of Canterbury consist of a large portion of the province, extending from the Conway River in the north to the Waitaki River in the south, a distance of some 230 miles. This same area varies in width from a few miles behind Methven and Mayfield to some 80 miles in a part of North Canterbury, with much variation between these limits. Except in parts of North Canterbury, the climate generally is more. severe ' and the rainfall higher than on the Plains. There is, of course, much variation. The soil, in general, is second class, but. much variation exists, so that good rich pockets and small flats are not uncommon. . Large areas of tussock and also of third-class land —poor, clay, scrub countryare prominent in certain districts. A rough estimate of the area of the foothill farms in Canterbury is 2,000,000 acres. A typical farm or small sheep-run in this area consists of some medium flat land, a fair proportion .of rolling downs with steep gullies, and possibly an unploughable tussock or scrub ' area. The total ploughable area varies considerably between properties, but on an average might be one-half to three-quarters of the area of the farm, the total area of which might be 1,200 acres. The average carrying-capacity would be . one to one and a half sheep per acre, and a few cattle would be carried. The sheep, in the main, are half-breds, but in many of the wetter and colder districts and on the sour, clay soils Romney sheep are preferred. Corriedales constitute a fair proportion of the sheep of North Canterbury. - Ewe hoggets, are kept each year for flock maintenance. Surplus four- and five-year-old breeding-ewes, fat and store' lambs, some fat ewes, store wethers, cull ewe lambs, and cull two-tooth ewes, together with wool and some cattle, constitute the main source of farm income. In recent times a few specially favoured properties with some suitable land have grown small ■ areas of wheat and rye-grass seed. The production of these crops, however, is a precarious undertaking on account of the risks of .winter flooding and strong winds and wet weather at harvest. • - General Farm Practices in the Area. Apart from the breeding of sheep and the general routine of sheep husbandry, the farm-management centres round the provision of winter feed, spring lambing feed, and some fattening feed. The constant breaking-up of old run-out pastures and the sowing-down of new ones is a very important phase of the management policy. Turnips provide the bulk of the winter feed, green oats and newly sown temporary or permanent ' pasture what lambing greenfeed there is, and rape, kale, and turnips sown with grass or alone the fattening feed. On well-managed properties oat-sheaf chaff and,

to some extent, hay provide the reserve winter feed. There is nearly always adequate summer feed, although in parts , of North ■Canterbury, on ‘ account of the dryness, summer and early autumn feed are often a more acute problem than winter feed. New * pastures are sown each year in the normal course of supplementary-feed production. They are nearly always sown with one or other of the supplementary-feed crops previously mentioned, and are not usually sown with a view to securing a first-class permanent pasture. The success of the establishment of pastures sown in this fashion depends on the seed-mixture used, the soil ■condition at sowing, the strike and vigour of : the supplementary crop, the severity of the grazing when, the supplementary crop is being' eaten off, and other factors which usually are considered not from the point of view of securing first-class pasture, but rather from that of a first-class supplementary crop. The result is that such new pastures, at their best, can only be mediocre. They soon deteriorate to inferior swards, which sweet vernal and brown-top readily invade and soon dominate. The soils in these areas respond to top-dressing with phosphate and lime, a practice which, because of the poorness of the new pasture, can rarely be considered economic. At any rate, systematic pasture top-dressing is rarely practised. Though the best permanent pastures are desired they are secured only occasionally by the chance or “ hit and miss” principle of the use of unsatisfactory seed-mixtures and sowing-down methods. Even when the best seed-mixtures are sown and "chance” good pastures are secured, these are rarely top-dressed and therefore are not maintained. : Present Pastures. The greater proportion of the pastures on the foothill areas are poor, and consist mainly of brown-top, sweet vernal, danthonia, some creeping-fog, trefoil, hair-grass, and other low-producing species. Some volunteer white clover and odd cocksfoot and. rye-grass plants are present in a few pastures. Often dogstail, and occasionally timothy, are to be found. Brown-top and sweet vernal, though, are the dominant grass species, and often form dense turfs of badly grazed and unpalatable roughage. These • pastures . give a low carrying-capacity. . ' Improperly sown new pastures, because of their openness at the start, soon become invaded with these low-producing species. Without manurial treatment the good species that may be sown and that have survived the maltreatment associated with the turnip or- other supplementary companion crop cease to retain their vigour after the first year. Such pastures steadily deteriorate, giving a progressively lower grazing-capacity, and subsequently the brown-top becomes sodbound, with a still lower grazing-capacity. If it were. not for. the cost of renewal and the fact that all the other pastures on the farm are waiting to be renewed, such a deteriorating newly sown pasture could, with advantage, be ploughed, and again renewed in its third or fourth year. The pasture, however, may not be renewed for eight or even more years. . ■ . . .

A low carrying-capacity of a poor-quality feed means low production, and consequently acts as a limit to farm income. Because of this, the pastoral problem on the foothill. areas is most

important, and, provided there is good farm-management generally,, the farmer’s maximum profits depend upon the success with which this problem is handled. An Improved Method of sowing Grass on these Areas. As already stated, turnips are sown for winter feed, green-feed is required in spring, and some fattening feed is usually grown. By a reorganization of the cropping programme to allow the sowing' of turnips alone or with a very light seeding of Italian rye-grass,, the land, after the turnips are eaten off, can be ploughed in the spring, given ideal treatment in the average season, and sown tograss in November-December or January-early-February. On land where annual weeds such as spurrey are troublesome, ideal preparation of the seed-bed should be continued until -February to allow early autumn sowing. The inclusion of |lb. per acre of rape, kale, or chou moellier gives an extra bulk of fattening feed without harming the new grass by smothering or by excessive tramping as when feeding-off a heavy supplementary crop. The grass (and clovers), because of the fallow, the manure used, and the time of sowing, forms a dense sward of desirable species from the commencement, thus giving little' opportunity for the invasion of inferior species. Liberal top-dressing in. the first year, followed by annual top-dressing, together with suitable grazing-management, maintains a first-class sward of high carrying-capacity on any of these areas. The value and importance of sowing in this fashion lies in thefact that a dense complete sward of desirable species is obtained at the outset. If followed up by a regular systematic top-dressing policy such a sward can be maintained indefinitely, whereas a pooropen pasture on this class of ploughable land can never, within, the bounds of practical and economical farming, be improved except by ploughing and resowing. Pasture Species sown : Seed-mixtures. Improved permanent pastures have been secured by sowing various mixtures under different conditions of soil and climate. The' species included in these mixtures have been true or certified perennial, rye-grass, cocksfoot, timothy, dogstail, ordinary red clover, certified white clover, subterranean clover, Montgomeryshire red clover, and lucerne. All of the following mixtures, as well as others not given, have been sown on different farms. On several farms two or three of these mixtures have been used on different fields at different times.

It will be seen at a glance that all permanent-pasture seed-mixtures contain true or certified perennial rye-grass, most of them include cocksfoot, and a very large proportion include wild or certified white clover. Red clover also is very commonly used when sowing down these improved permanent pastures. During the last year or so, with the cheapening of Montgomeryshire red-clover seed, this plant has been used in a few instances. It is anticipated that it may gradually replace red clover as farmers themselves gain more experience of the value of high-pro-ducing permanent pastures and the use that Montgomeryshire red clover can be in these swards. Timothy and dogstail are added to the mixture by some farmers in certain districts. Subterranean clover is being sown in the seed-mixture used on the poorer soils in parts of North Canterbury, and could be used more extensively with advantage. Lucerne is sown in the grass mixture only in parts of North Canterbury, and here it performs the very useful function of giving feed longer into the dry weather than other species. Because cocksfoot is partially smothered by and eaten out in a vigorous ryegrass stand, some farmers have omitted it from their mixtures. On all the better and heavier soils this does not appear to be a disadvantage. Regardless, almost, of soil or locality under Canterbury foothill conditions certified white clover should always be sown. It is the foundation of improved and top-dressed permanent pastures. On the poorer soils subterranean clover should, on at least a large proportion of the farm, be a companion to white clover in soil and pasture improvement. Of the mixtures given, No. 3 and No. 4 are the most commonly used. A few farmers are using Nos. 5,6, and 13. In North Canterbury No. 10, No. 11, and No. 12 are in favour. . No. 1 cannot be recommended for a permanent pasture, and No. 2 is inferior in value to No. 3 unless a good growth of volunteer white clover can be brought about by top-dressing. Dependence on volunteer white clover, however, is definitely not advisable. Manorial Treatment and Grazing-management. Liberal manuring and liming when sowing and during the first year of the life of the new permanent pasture is most important. Common practice is to use 1 cwt. to i| cwt. of superphosphate per acre at sowing-time. Top-dressing is commenced in the first autumn with 1 cwt. to if cwt. of superphosphate and 4 cwt. to 5 cwt. of carbonate of lime. Subsequently about 1 cwt. of superphosphate is applied each autumn, and 4 cwt. to 5 cwt. of lime at two- or three-year intervals. With this manuring on the poorer soils a stage of pronounced weakness is often apparent during the second year of the life of the sward. In one instance, on poor clay soil on one of these foothill farms, 3 cwt. of superphosphate and 3 cwt. of lime (carbonate) were sown with the seed in early February, 1 cwt. of superphosphate and 5 cwt. of lime applied in April as soon as the new sward would carry the drill (used for top-dressing), 1 cwt. of superphosphate applied the following spring, and 1 cwt. of superphosphate applied the same or following autumn, which was last autumn. The pasture, is now one and a half years old. .Itis an excellent sward. The certified white clover and the red clover have developed, the rye-grass has already passed through a slight weakening stage, and the cocksfoot is growing well on this poor soil, which “ would not grow good permanent pasture ” according to

all local evidence. This is on a farm at present carrying half a sheep per acre. The new pasture, the first of the improved type on this farm, has averaged just over two sheep per acre since sowing, as well as producing 20 bushels of perennial rye-grass last summer. The grazing-management has been along the usual lines of judicious controlled grazing the new pasture has neither been punished nor allowed to get out of hand. It has, during the period, been grazed to suit the pasture. A special feature of the grazing-management, however, in the first and second summers following spring sowings and the first summer following autumn sowings is to graze the pasture lightly or to spell it entirely for approximately a two-months period in summer —NovemberDecember or December-January appear the best periods —for the purpose of allowing clovers to develop. The particular pasture in question was shut ' for rye-grass seed on the Ist November, mowed and headerharvested in January, and not grazed until 23rd January, by which time there was a good second growth of red and white clover. The poorer the soil the more important is this treatment on account of the value of clovers in the building-up of the rye-grass of the sward. On really good soils little spelling, if any, may be necessary. This practice of spelling should not be such that growth gets out of hand, but merely sufficient to allow the clovers, which are readily eaten out in a sward of relatively unpalatable permanent rye-grass, especially on poorer soils, to develop freely and become established as an integral part of the new permanent pasture. Importance of Top-dressing. Some farmers have occasionally put this policy of pasture renewal into practice and omitted on one or two paddocks, or, worse still, perhaps, on the first pasture sown the necessary manurial treatment. For the first six months, year, or perhaps eighteen months, according to the quality of the land, the new pasture has been apparently all that was expected, but soon the rye-grass has become hard and unpalatable, ■ clovers have failed to develop, and inferior species have entered readily. Disappointment has been the result, and the policy for improvement abandoned. It has become demonstrated amply that unless a suitable annual top-dressing programme has been conscientiously . followed any policy for pasture improvement on these, soils is only of passing value. Experiences to date are convincing that there is no permanent gain by properly sowing valuable pasture-seed mixtures without fertilizer. Some Benefits from Improved Permanent Pastures on Foothill Farms. Improved permanent pastures of high carrying-capacity mean improvement to the farmer’s property. His assets are increased. The only measure of this increase in assets is the increase in productive value (or net returns). This is very largely dependent upon the area sown to good pasture and maintained as such. Very few farmers, if any, in the foothill area have definitely planned a pasture-improve-ment policy along the lines indicated for more than five or six years, so that assuming an annual sowing-down of 5 per cent, to 7 per cent.

of the farm (and without' capital expenditure little more than this area can be sown down annually) the yearly increase in assets must of necessity be small. There remains a large area yet to be dealt with, and much scope for increasing carrying-capacity, and thus assets, on most of these properties. Over the short period of development mentioned, several properties have increased their sheep numbers by 20 per cent, to 25 per cent., a large number by smaller percentages, and one property by 46 per cent. It is safe to forecast that many of these properties will more than double their carrying-capacity as development progresses. Efficiently managed, improved, and top-dressed pastures also enable more lambs to be fattened on the mothers, and frequently, in consequence, allow a greater total number of fat lambs to be produced than would otherwise be the case. Thus the percentage of lambs sold as “ stores ”is reduced. There is ample evidence of this. Under the improved conditions outlined there is the usual or greater quantity of winter feed for sheep. A greater and longer autumn growth, some and more winter growth, and a greater and earlier spring growth is obtained from improved and top-dressed pastures than from inferior ones. This additional growth in the “ off ” season may be such that, although sheep numbers may be very greatly increased, the provision of additional areas of winter supplementary feed such as turnips is unnecessary, though under these conditions hay or., ensilage, or both, provide the reserve. An extra grass-feed supply in winter is often reflected in an increase in lambing percentage and lambing survival. An increased wool clip per sheep shorn is one of the first benefits of good pasture and adequate feed. It is not uncommon to have increases in lambing percentages of 5 per cent., 10 per cent., and even 15 per cent. The wool clip has been improved on several properties by 11 lb. per sheep (and this half-bred wool, too). In one instance the clip per sheep has been raised from 7I lb. to g| lb. On many foothill farms hogget mortality, due mainly to worms and malnutrition, is high. On one property, by the aid of clean, uncontaminated new pasture used for winter feed along with chaff and hay, hogget mortality has been reduced without drenching over a three-year period from 20 per cent, to 3 per cent. It is not claimed that the improved new pastures were in themselves responsible for this, but the policy of pasture renewal introduced four years ago allowed the hoggets to be grazed on clean feed. On other properties also significant reductions in hogget mortality have been secured. All the above benefits, if not due directly to improved pastures in themselves, are distinctly associated with and very largely dependent upon practising a pasture-improvement policy. There is no other more economical method of securing on these areas the benefits outlined. Financial Aspect. On nearly all foothill farms there is a team or power unit used in the cultivation and cropping programme. The new policy that allows the proper sowing of grass does not usually entail any great increase in the area cultivated each year, but rather a rearrangement of the cropping rotation. There is, however, a little extra surface cultivation

for new permanent pasture. For. a typical farm carrying 1,600 sheep the cropping under ..the old and the new methods might be .compared in the following manner : ' .' ■ ; ' . ? ‘ , New Old. (first few , Years). • ' .... Acres. Acres. •

■ There is really no significant extra team or power-unit costs for cultivation, the • few extra acres being handled usually by the present units at more or less a fixed overhead charge. Grass-seeds may cost an extra ss. to 10s. per acre, or even more, but this cost is offset by a reduced area being sown down and by a smaller seeds account for the saving of green-feed. The manurial costs are, however, increased, and at progressively , greater annual cost as development (which includes top-dressing) proceeds. This sometimes is partly offset by the’ sowing of permanent rye-grass for seed. Usually, however, topdressing has to be reckoned as a direct charge against the benefits derived from growing improved pastures charge which is substantially offset by increased carrying-capacity, extra fat lambs, heavier wool clip, and so on. Over the years, other things being equal, a policy of pasture improvement can only result in increased net returns. This has been demonstrated in practice. by progressive and successful farmers. Where development, however, is more rapid than that permitted by the usual cropping programme, then, not only are seed and cultivation. costs increased, but also proportionately larger numbers of ewe hoggets and four- and five-year-old ewes must be kept from sale, thus reducing receipts. At the same time manurial and top-dressing costs rise rapidly. Income from these improvements lags to some extent, and so trading accounts may show deficits while capital accounts for the same . properties show improvements. Ready cash is usually needed for rapid development, which cannot be recommended unless capital expenditure and the long view are reckoned upon. Over-anxious and enthusiastic farmers sometimes develop their properties more rapidly than their resources make advisable. Why a Pasture-improvement Policy is not and has not been ; GENERALLY ADOPTED. Some explanation why grass is and has been sown in an unsatisfactory fashion with turnips, rape, and other supplementary crops now seems

necessary. Failure to adopt the practice of top-dressing when only poor pastures of a more or less temporary nature were available should need no comment.

The idea of a supplementary crop and a pasture being produced for the one and same cultivation and manurial cost has always appealed. Further, good permanent-pasture seed-mixtures, including true perennial rye-grass, have not been generally available, and thus, regardless of the method of sowing and subsequent treatment, the temporary rye-grass in the seed-mixture has quickly died out. and left much bare ground for the establishment of inferior species. This rapid “ running-out ” has necessitated the renewal of large areas each year, with the result that pastures more or less have had to be sown every available opportunity — with every supplementary crop.in an attempt to cope with the large areas awaiting the plough. This state of affairs has been characteristic of many farms, and unavoidable on those where temporary perennial rye-grass and red clover alone have constituted the pasture-seed mixture. As previously explained, the method of sowing also adds to the subsequent poorness and openness of the new pasture. Top-dressing on these areas has never been able to compensate for an unsuitable seed-mixture sown indifferently or otherwise. The balanced-feeding value of turnips and grass and rape and grass is also an important factor favouring the sowing of grass with a supplementary crop. Progressive farmers, however, who are practising an improved grassing policy and cannot feed a good run-out of pasture, hay, or chaff, or both hay and chaff, along with their turnips usually sow with them | bushel per acre of Italian rye-grass. The turnips are grubbed in the usual'fashion and the land ploughed for the sowing of new permanent grass in the approved method, regardless of the Italian rye-grass that may still be present. An Example of Progress on a Foothill Farm. A few particulars ’ of progress and development under an improved grassing policy on a foothill farm should be of interest. The farm is situated near the Rakaia Gorge, on the Lake Coleridge road. The altitude is about 1,500 ft. Falls of snow in winter are often experienced. The area of the property is 800 acres, of which 60 acres are in plantations and 100 acres are in steep hilly tussock. The remainder comprises flats and gentle downs. A medium-quality loam grows natural pasturage of brown-top, sweet vernal, trefoil, &c., as well as some tussocks. In 1932 turnips and grass were sown together and provided the winter feed as well as the new pasture. No fattening feed was grown at that time. The cropping last season —1935-36 consisted of 45 acres of turnips and swedes, 64 acres of new permanent pasture sown with | lb. rape per acre. In the past chaff has provided what winter reserve feed has been used. The total area sown to new pasture to date in the improved method is 130 acres. Particulars of stocking, sheep shorn, wool-yields, total death-rate (all sheep), and lambing percentages over a period of years are given in the table on following page.

Particulars of Stock Numbers, Sheep shorn, Wool-yield, Total Death-rate (all Sheep), • and Lambing Percentages for Period 1930 to 1936.

The first new pasture to be sown in the improved fashion after turnips consisted of 30 acres. It was sown in early November, 1933, with 35 lb. permanent rye-grass, 10 lb. cocksfoot, and 5 lb. red-clover seed per acre, and also 1 cwt. superphosphate per acre. Grazing was commenced in January, 1934. Top-dressing with 3 cwt. per acre of carbonate of lime in June, 1934, and 1 cwt. superphosphate per acre in early September, 1934, was carried out. It was also top-dressed in the autumns of 1935 and 1936 with 1 cwt. superphosphate per acre on each occasion. • The grazing-capacity as dry sheep per acre since establishment is given below by months :

The average number of dry sheep carried per acre for a period of thirty months was 4-43. This carrying-capacity is especially significant in view of the fact that the carrying-capacity of the farm as a whole prior to this winter has been only sheep per acre. . The light grazing in November and December, 1934, was purposely carried out to allow of clover development as discussed earlier. Up to this last autumn, when some damage by grass-grub has been experienced, this particular pasture was a good dense sward with a low proportion of sweet vernal and some trefoil in association with the higher-producing species. Cocksfoot was not very prominent, but on this land volunteer white clover is excellent. So far brown-top is practically non-existent in this pasture. Acknowledgment. For the particulars and the figures quoted in the example given thanks are due to Mr. H. T. Richards, The Point, Windwhistle.

■ - — (1.) (2-) (3). (4-) (5.) (6.) (7.) (8.) (9.) (IO-) (II.) (12.) (±3-) Certified perennial rye-30-35 28-30 28-30 30-35 30-35 28-30 28-30 28-30 4-5 4-5 28-30 28-30 28-30-grass Cocksfoot : Minimum 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 8-12 12-15 12-15 8-12 8-12-germination, 75 per cent. Certified white clover. . 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 1-2 Red clover .. Montgomeryshire red 4-5 4-5 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-4 clover Subterranean clover .. 1-2 1-2 Lucerne Timothy '.. .. Dogstail .. .. 1-2 i-x 2-4 2-4 2-4 Total .. 34-40 40-47 40-48 34-41 34-41 41-50 41-50 40I-49 21-27 22-30 33-38 43-54 40-48-

Seed-mixture Sown (Pounds per Acre).

Turnips and grass .. .. 80 Turnips .. .. .. .. .. 80 Rape and grass.. .. k ' •• 40 . Rape .. •• , •• . •• . 40 New permanent pasture .. .. .. .. , 80 Green-feed oats and grass .. .. 40 Green-feed .. . -.. 40 40 Oats (for chaff).. .. 40 40 240 . 280

Year. Stock, 30th June. Sheep shorn. Wool-yield . per Sheep, Total Deathrate in all Sheep. Lambing Percentage . (calculated on Ewes put . to Ram). Sheep and Cattle. Sheep Units. (1 Cattle Beast = 6 Sheep Units.) ■ Lb. . Lb. Per Cent. •- Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. 1930 .. 869 67 1931 .. 860 sheep \ 57 cattle f 1,202 751 °4 .6 6 7'2 72 1932 ■■ 856 sheep \ 70 cattle J ,276 791 -3 74 6 70 1933 1,057 sheep \ 7 cattle f 1,099 939 7 . ' 13 66 1934 • • 1,100 sheep \ 15 cattle f ,190 939 7i x 3 78 . 935 •• 1,235 sheep 1 17 cattle J 1.356 925 9i 8 . 86 1936 •• 1 ,632 sheep \ 20 cattle / 1,752 1 > 75 2 20 cattle J"

5 S o c? "o k! ct> H January. y Year. O"O O January. Ou O to o H o co Ln CO Co o IO February. MWO . o ' fj H co to o\ O to o March. 00 O' o February. March. April. »o \o go May. June. JulyO' ' ij April. August. W O On O to • 'O'O'O O September. May. 4’54 to to June. : July. ' ij ■ O H August. October. O ! ’___o' o _ to O O Hi "o September. November December. to • o October. Ln to • • . November O O H December. <1 o