If you've come through summer on track with your targets, congratulations and keep up the good work.
On the other hand, if covers are not trending the way they should be, you'd like to put a bit more feed into your cows, or if you simply want to extend lactation, there's no better time than now to re-set the system.
"The most cost-effective way to do this is with home grown feed. It's cheaper than imported supplement, and it's more efficient too," Nufarm Territory Manager Celese Smit says.
Celese says one technique that can help is applying ProGibb®SG in autumn. That's because New Zealand's first and most widely tested plant growth regulator lifts pasture production by 30-50% more dry matter (DM) in just three weeks.1
Adding that type of growth response to a paddock normally producing 50kgDM/ha/day could be expected to result in growth rates of at least 75kg DM/ha/day, which is a significant amount of extra feed.
"Two things need to be factored into the planning process. The first is the recommended 21-day gap between application and grazing; the second is autumn grass growth rates," Celese says.
"When you apply ProGibb®SG in spring, daily dry matter growth is getting faster, but in autumn it's slowing down, so it's important to take that into account. Knowing how much your paddocks are actually growing can be helpful in planning your applications, because every pasture is different."
For optimal results
- Always use Contact™ Xcelsurfactant. There's not much leaf area left straight after a pasture is grazed - Contact™Xcel helps ProGibb®SG stick to what herbage is present. Nufarmtrials2 show there is a response difference of 10-15% between ProGibb®SG applied on its own, and with Contact™ Xcel.
- Be prepared to adjust your grazing rotation if necessary. Treated paddocks will grow significantly more DM than normal and may need to be grazed out of order.
- Spray ProGibb®SG onto pastures within five days of grazing. One to three days after grazing is best.
- Soil temperatures should be 7-13°C.
- ProGibb®SG is easy to mix and apply to pastures. There is only one rate – 20g/ha, plus Contact™ Xcel at 25mL/100L of water. The ideal water rate is 100L/ha.
To find out more about optimising autumn growth with ProGibb®SG this year, talk to your local TSR or visit your Farm Source Store.
1 Trial No. NUNZ0943 AgResearch.
2 Nufarm Trial NUNZ0709.ProGibb®is a registered trademark of ValentBioSciences Corporation, U.S.A. Contact™is a trademark of Nufarm Limited.
Article supplied by Nufarm.