Lincoln University student Chris Littlejohn was trialling the use of the perennial grass, which could grow up to 4 metres high, as a shelter plant on Mark Williams’ Kirwee property.
While the trial was still underway, initial results were very promising.
The trial indicated that miscanthus was not only an effective shelter plant for animals, it also sheltered pasture which promoted grass growth and reduced moisture loss and therefore reduced the amount of irrigation needed.
Lincoln University professor of ecology Steve Wratten, who was supervising Littlejohn’s PhD, said the study showed that the shelter from a line of miscanthus produced an eight to 10% increase in grass growth.
Littlejohn teamed up with AgResearch to monitor pasture growth in selected paddocks.
An extra benefit was that miscanthus could be harvested annually to produce renewable diesel fuel, although the machinery to do this would need to be imported.
Farmers could use the fuel onfarm or sell it.
Wratten said there was potential for miscanthus to revolutionise dairy farming on the Canterbury Plains.
“No other product seems capable of providing the three key benefits of effective animal shelter, effective pasture shelter and a cash return in the form of renewable diesel,” he said.
“Plus it can be used as fodder, as a superior bedding material in calf sheds, and, dried, as fuel for boilers to reduce dependence on diesel, coal and electricity.”
It could mitigate the side-effects of the growth of dairy farms irrigated by large-scale central pivots in the dry Canterbury Plains that removed a large portion of the region’s traditional pine and macrocarpa shelterbelts.
Another of the key benefits of miscanthus was that irrigation pivots could roll right over it, Littlejohn said.
He said it also would not self-seed and could be kept in the desired area through grazing or spray.
Westland Milk Products environmental manager Chris Pullen said it was this multi-purpose potential that attracted Westland to the research project as principal sponsor.
“Our customers frequently ask how we ensure that the products they are buying are ethically produced from an animal welfare, sustainability and environmental point of view,” he said.
“We can’t just say we are concerned about these issues, we have to be able to demonstrate it.”
Westland Milk Products and Lincoln University will host a by-invitation field day on the test site property on May 14 to demonstrate the potential of miscanthus to the likes of dairy companies and agricultural service providers.
Another field day for farmers will be held next year.
