The mixed composition is a better balance of protein and roughage for stock and it also produces a plant network that covers the dirt. Bare patches are to be avoided at all costs on summer dry north-facing hill country that is prone to wind erosion.
William Grigg, speaking at the Dryland Legume Seminar in Blenheim, said he liked the mix because it provided quality even when the prairie grass had gone to seed. Seventy hectares has been sown already and plans are under way for another 80ha of the cultivable hill.
Lucerne, prairie and plantain mix sown October 2011. Cocksfoot was added on steeper faces like this at 2kg/ha. Photo taken May 2013.
The strengths of this mix are that growth is possible all year round and lucerne responds quickly to rain.
“Prairie seems to dominate in winter but by mid-spring the lucerne takes over, while the plantain just ticks away.”
Stock health has been fine on the pasture and bloat capsules have never had to be used. Weeds find it harder to penetrate the mixed sward and haven’t been a problem.
Twin ewes with lambs are introduced to the pasture after tailing and graze it during spring alongside finishing cattle. At the other end of the season, the pasture is typically grown enough to provide tupping feed for ewes at a stocking rate of 14 stock units/ha. The lighter ewes at weaning ended up scanning higher than the main ewes after being tupped on this feed this year.
It grows on through into winter, providing hogget and calf feed. A 4ha block was a good subdivision size for this pasture mix in winter, Grigg said. Replacement hoggets and R1 cattle graze the dryland lucerne/prairie/plantain mix in a winter rotation.
“Lucerne is a fantastic plant but I wonder if it is possible for breeders to develop a lucerne that would establish and persist after being over sown in hill country.”
