As well as calculators for return on investment from different seasonal weed control scenarios, Grassmanship.nz now includes a similar calculator for use of ProGibb SG to enhance on-farm feed growth.
Matt Strahan, Nufarm national product manager, says this new addition builds on the app’s increasing popularity with both resellers and end users.
And with farmers looking ahead to planning and managing their winter feed wedge curves, it’s a timely move.
ProGibb SG is a good way to push feed ahead of deficit periods, and is much faster than nitrogen which might take 10 weeks to show a full response, he says.
“This calculator has been built on DairyNZ regional pasture growth data, which is freely available. Farmers can select which island they’re in, then drill down to their region, or use the total island average.”
Nufarm trial work has repeatedly shown a 30-60 per cent pasture growth response rate to ProGibb SG applications.
Using a mid-range response of 45 percent, Strahan says, and factoring in the recommended retail cost of ProGibb SG with Contact, plus an average application cost of $45 per ha, applying the plant growth regulator across 25 ha on a Canterbury dairy farm in May shows a net return of $4000.
That’s based on average pasture utilisation of 80 per cent, and a dairy payout of $10 per kg milk solids.
“But the numbers look even better for earlier application. If you put it on in April, when daily pasture growth rates are higher than May, the net return doubles, from $4000 to $8000.”
Also very topical at this time of year is the Grassmanship.nz calculator assessing return on investment for weed control in new pasture, Strahan says. The app is loaded with three scenarios for this, covering sheep, beef and dairy.
Using a dairy example, where a dairy farm is aiming to growth 16 tonne dry matter per ha per year, and has medium weed pressure of 10 per cent in the sward, spraying 10 ha of new pasture with Tribal Gold and Bonza Gold would deliver a net return of about $750 per ha.
Again this is based on a $10 per kg milk solids payout, with the industry standard equation of 15 kg dry matter eaten creating one kg milk solids, he says.
“A key point to note is that removing weeds improves overall pasture utilisation, because animals don’t like to graze around them.”
Nufarm trials on Baton herbicide showed 66 per cent more clover, 23 per cent more grass and 80 per cent less weed dry matter intreated versus untreated pastures, leading to an overall increase in 630 kg dry matter per ha for treated.
Every farm is different, but as these examples show, there is significant potential for improving pasture productivity with well-timed weed control, Strahan says.
The Grassmanship.nz calculators are free; you can personalise them to a farmers’ paddocks and production, and they can simplify decisions about exactly what a farmer stand to gain or lose by making certain spending decisions about herbicide inputs in the weeks and months ahead.
“We’ve made the Grassmanship programme to support rural professionals as well as end users, because we know field reps, agronomists and advisors play an important role in shaping farmers’ decisions about spending priorities in tight times.
“We also know weed management programmes are sometimes one budget line item perceived as non-essential, despite their relatively modest cost and significant impact on on-going productivity and feed quality.”
Clean, productive pastures, year-round, power NZ farming and offer a double win, because they give both higher dry matter yield, and better feed quality, than those which are infested with weeds.
“That sets up on-going systemic benefits, not least being easier grazing management, happier animals and more milk, weight gain and/or meat,” says Strahan.
As well as the calculators, Grassmanship.nz also provides useful information to help farmers get great results from a pasture protection programme, including a range of Nufarm’s resources that support best practice.
Full details on all the company’s Grassmanship products, including the likes of Baton 800WSG, Dictate 480, Thistrol Plus, Valdo 800WG, Tribal Gold, Sprinter 700DS and Bonza Gold plus several more, are one click away from this app.
“There is also a resource library featuring our most popular downloads and tech sheets on looking after pasture all year.”