Four-Year Trial Confirms Plantain Cuts N Losses 33%
A four year trial has reaffirmed that mixing plantain into dairy pastures can help reduce nitrogen losses to freshwater while maintaining milk production and profitability, say researchers.
Whenua Haumanu is led by Massey University and funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries though the sustainable farming fund and is now in year three of a seven-year programme.
The purpose of Whenua Haumanu is to measure multiple aspects throughout the farm system, exploring how different pasture mixes and management practices impact on such things as soil biology, diversity and structure. It is also looking at pasture growth, quality and persistence, nutrient leaching, methane and nitrous oxide emissions, animal production, health and welfare and the quality of milk, meat and wool products.
As part of this they are trialling contemporary and regenerative farming practices across both standard and diverse pastures on several research sites at Massey University.
Professor Danny Donaghy of Massey is heading the project and says he was delighted at the huge turnout for the field day which included scientists and students from Australia, South America and Asia. It also attracted huge interest from industry groups and rural professionals as well as farmers. It was a busy day for those attending the field day and buses were laid on to take people in the morning to the dairy farm where trials are taking place and after lunch to sheep plots.
Professor Donaghy says the constant question that he and his keep asking is ‘so what‘, meaning that they need to keep the focus of their research on gathering data that will ultimately benefit farmers.
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Visitors to the Whenua Haumanu open day walking to the dairy farm. |
