MANY FARMERS have found it difficult to establish high-yielding, persistent pastures in recent years. There are significant advantages to establishing pasture after a maize silage crop. Problem weeds can be sprayed out twice – in the spring before maize establishment and in the autumn prior to regrassing. Growing maize also removes the normal feed source for pasture pests such as black beetle, Argentine stem weevil, pasture nematodes and grass grub. This interrupts their breeding cycle and reduces insect pressure on seedling plants during the pasture renewal process. Cropping prior to pasture renewal also reduces the carryover of older, lower-yielding ryegrasses.

A new property and bigger pasture and herd sizes are challenging Norsewood dairy farmers Craig and Brenda Blatchford.