Advice

Why herbage testing?

5 August 2020

New Zealand’s competitive advantage in pastoral farming is grounded in our ability to grow vigorous clover-based pastures. Spring is the time to ascertain whether nutrient supply by the soil and uptake by the herbage can support vigorous growth. Herbage testing complements soil testing by showcasing nutrient availability and is the better measure for trace elements. Together the two will provide a better overall picture of a farm’s nutrient status than either used alone.

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Advice

Meat the need

5 August 2020

Have you ever heard how many people New Zealand farmers feed with what we grow here each year? It’s in the tens of millions.

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Advice

Getting more strategic with your N at Wi Pere

5 August 2020

When you’re managing 6,000 effective hectares and 60,000 stock units over a wide range of hill and flat country, tools to help you farm smarter not harder are a welcome addition to the business. A team of 16 runs the three farms that make up the Wi Pere Trust’s agribusiness, which consists of two breeding farms and one finishing farm. The man who has led that team for 17 years is Tim Rhodes.

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Advice

The holy grail of N testing

5 August 2020

It is often said that the search for the perfect soil nitrogen test is somewhat like searching for the Holy Grail! However, we might be getting closer with the development of a new soil test known as the PMN test (Potential Mineralisable Nitrogen), which estimates the ability of a soil to supply nitrogen (N) for crop growth.

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