A complete portfolio for goat and sheep milking in New Zealand

Agricom carries out regular trials across New Zealand to help farmers make the best decisions for the most productive pastures for their farming systems, including goat and sheep milking operations. Agricom’s portfolio creates the widest range of opportunities for both traditional grazing and cut-and-carry feeding. Agricom Extension Agronomist, Georgia Massie says growing a diverse pasture mix is important, so it’s worth incorporating herbs and legumes, such as Choice chicory, Ecotain® environmental plantain and a clover such as Relish red clover.

Powerful legumes

Current trials in Manawatū, Canterbury and Southland are exploring the advantages legumes deliver, including the benefits of Relish red clover and white clover . Georgia points to the trial findings, which have shown that including clover in a milking operation is vital, providing high-quality yield, as well as fixing nitrogen, to encourage a natural nitrogen cycle . While these trials were initially looking for solutions from an environmental regulations standpoint, the increase in fertiliser costs, currently showing no signs of slowing down, has meant the results have been doubly beneficial . Relish red clover works well across both goat and sheep milking operations and is bred to have lower oestrogen levels, minimising any risks to fecundity . Another benefit is the taproot, meaning Relish hangs on longer over the summer than a standard white clover, as well as fixing nitrogen – Georgia says Relish red clover fixes around 26 kg of nitrogen per tonne of dry matter, which has been reflected consistently in the trial work . A singular crop can be a helpful addition to a complete feed system and Agricom Territory Sales Manager Cassey Edgcombe suggests lucerne, such as Titan 5, which can be put in the mix wagon and fed out in the shed as part of the rotation, is ideal for silage, as well as being great in the paddock for sheep . She says Titan 5 is also known for its persistence and has an element of drought resistance, a real help in light of recent dry conditions . In Waikato, a lucerne crop will last 3-5 years and longer in the South Island .

The herbal advantage

Chicory can be part of a pasture mix or used as a pure sward and provides great summer and autumn growth . Georgia is quick to highlight that Choice chicory is an excellent source of the trace elements essential for goat and sheep milking, as is Ecotain® environmental plantain, offering copper, selenium and cobalt . Chicory and plantain have the added benefit of being high in protein, with levels regularly in the early 20s, so are very valuable for milk production . Cassey says including herbs as part of a mix can be one of the main things driving milking through those critical periods in spring, summer and autumn . In addition, Choice chicory has been bred in New Zealand and extensively trialled across the country, showing it to be a consistent high-performer in our environment, as well as having a high disease tolerance . Choice chicory persists well in a pasture mix and can last for up to three years .

EXCELLENT FORAGE OPTIONS FOR YEAR-ROUND QUALITY FEED!

• Excellent summer feed • Use in a mix or as specialist crop • Improved persistence within grazing systems • High yield potential and nitrogen fixation • Provides reductions in nitrogen leaching • Increases feed quality in summer and autumn