Soil matters with Peter Burton Eco-logic Soil Improvement Ltd

It is not often pastoral farmers enjoy climatic conditions that deliver outstanding farm performance for a prolonged period.

December and January have provided, for the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, a wonderful mix of the moisture and sunlight necessary to provide both high growth rates and excellent feed quality.

The Berryman's dairy cows at their Awakeri property on January 18 were producing 2.0kg of milksolids per cow per day and gaining weight, with an average condition score of over 5. The reason for this level of farm performance is due to a number of factors, with outstanding daily animal and pasture management being the most important.

Pasture, when soils are in close to optimum condition, is an outstanding convertor of sunlight to energy.

Often during summer, properties aren't able to maximise performance due to less than ideal soil moisture. So far, this season rainfall has arrived in both the quantity and with the frequency required.

With a soil fertility programme geared to optimising clover growth, total pasture production is greater than animals require, providing surplus feed able to be made into hay. Hay is a particularly valuable supplement as it contains both high energy stored as seed, as well as stalk. Fed in spring when grass growth is rapid and sunshine hours are low, it provides the extra energy and fibre necessary for optimum rumen function and high levels of animal performance.

With the present abundance of clover, high levels of milk production continue as clovers are high in both calcium and energy. Brix levels taken in mid-afternoon on pasture soon to be grazed regularly provide figures of 10-15. Clover is also highly digestible, allowing animals to physically eat more kilograms each day.

When there is sufficient plant available calcium for maximum clover growth paspalum and other low energy summer grasses are seldom dominant. This allows an interval between grazing long enough for optimum growth to be obtained.

The best time to graze pasture is at end of the rapid growth phase just prior to stalk and seed head formation. At this stage, the energy content of the plant is at its highest, digestibility is still close to ideal and outstanding animal performance results.

Just prior to seed head formation there is also sufficient energy for plants to provide the mycorrhizal fungi that operate symbiotically with their roots' extra energy for increased moisture and nutrient harvesting. This stimulates rapid re-growth helping ensure enough pasture is available to fully feed stock when the area is next grazed.

Should late summer deliver a spell of dry weather and pastures become dry and therefore slower to digest, supplementing daily intake with silage made in early November before full seed head emergence will ensure this season's production is one to remember.