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Potential benefits of diverse pasture swards for sheep and beef farming

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  • Vogeler, Iris
  • Vibart, Ronaldo
  • Cichota, Rogerio

Abstract

To investigate the potential use of diverse pasture swards to reduce nitrate leaching from intensive sheep and beef farms while maintaining economic viability, an integrated modelling assessment was conducted for the Canterbury region, New Zealand. The biophysical Agriculture Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) was used to obtain pasture growth curves for simple and diverse pastures over 10 different years, and the whole-farm system models FARMAX® and OVERSEER® were used to examine feed flow, nutrient balance, profitability, and nitrate leaching. The N leaching estimates obtained from OVERSEER® nutrient budget model (Overseer) were compared to estimates from APSIM. Five farm scenarios were explored, including three different proportions of the flat farm area under simple and diverse pastures (100% simple, 100% diverse, 50/50), two different stocking policies (without and with adjustment of livestock numbers), and three different years (an average, a best and a worst year, based on annual pasture yields). In the average year pasture growth was similar for the simple and diverse pasture swards, with annual pasture yields of 8.98 and 9.23tDM/ha. The simple pasture had slightly higher growth in winter due to lower sensitivity to cold temperatures, whereas the diverse pasture showed higher growth during summer, which is frequently prone to water limitations. However, in the best year modelled pasture growth as well as profit were higher for the simple compared with the diverse pasture sward. Pasture N concentrations ranged from 2.5 to 3.5% of dry matter (DM) in the simple pasture, and from 2.2 to 3.1% in the diverse pasture sward, mainly due to a lower proportion of legumes. For the average year, having a diverse pasture on 50% of the farm area without changing the stocking policy of the farm, increased farm profit by 16%, due to the sale of surplus pasture.

Suggested Citation

  • Vogeler, Iris & Vibart, Ronaldo & Cichota, Rogerio, 2017. "Potential benefits of diverse pasture swards for sheep and beef farming," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 78-89.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:154:y:2017:i:c:p:78-89
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2017.03.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. White, T.A. & Snow, V.O. & King, W.McG., 2010. "Intensification of New Zealand beef farming systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 103(1), pages 21-35, January.
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    4. Chapman, D.F. & Kenny, S.N. & Beca, D. & Johnson, I.R., 2008. "Pasture and forage crop systems for non-irrigated dairy farms in southern Australia. 1. Physical production and economic performance," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 108-125, June.
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