Is it worth applying nitrogen fertiliser to speed pasture recovery post drought?

Patchy rain up the South Island’s east coast early this month eased the drought’s grip in a few areas but others still have zero pasture growth.

Pick your paddock well and renewing pasture will pay handsomely. Get it wrong and you spend a lot of money for no gain.

At last some much needed rain has fallen.  But some farms have had less 30 mm, so pastures are still declining quickly and I am seeing large differences in average pasture cover (APC) between farms.

An overseeder range now sold in New Zealand by CB Norwood Distributors Ltd has features ideal for rejuvenating pasture at minimal cost, the company says.

The hot dry summer and a strategic move to use less nitrogen is taking its toll on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm.

New research confirms it’s better to sow treated pasture seed early in dry autumns instead of waiting for rain before planting, says seed supplier Agriseeds. 

Restricted pasture growth and milk production occurs in many parts of New Zealand as a result of dry summers and irrigation restrictions, according to DairyNZ.

Pasture-based dairy farming is a balance between managing the pasture and the cows to maximise sustainable profit, says DairyNZ.

Dairy farmers searching for efficiencies in their operation know that home-grown, fully-utilised pasture has always been the most cost-effective feed.