Are they full of thick, strong ryegrass and clover, or are they being infiltrated by ragwort, thistles and buttercup as winter approaches? These pastures are the workhorse of your farm, producing most of the home grown feed that underpins your production, and profitability.
They don’t always get as much of a look-in at this time of the year as they should, but in fact now is one of your best opportunities to prime them for great growth, palatability, utilisation and quality come spring.
Nufarm New Zealand Product Manager Matt Strahan points out, keeping them clean and dense is highly cost-effective.
That’s because weeds aren’t just unsightly; they suppress grass growth, discourage grazing, and enjoy a free ride at your expense on valuable land for which you have to pay rates, fertiliser, insurance and interest.
“Clean, productive pastures, year-round, power New Zealand farming,” Matt says.
“They give higher dry matter production and better feed quality than those which are infested with weeds, and that leads to easier grazing management, happier animals, and more milk per hectare.”
Well-timed phenoxy herbicide application with products like Relay® Super S, Baton® 800WSG, Sprinter™ and/or Agritone® 750 is a relatively modest cost with surprisingly fast payback, he says.
You can quantify this for your own property using Nufarm’s new Grassmanship® App (grassmanship.nz), a free online tool which allows you to compare and contrast the net return on investment per ha from different weed control scenarios.
Matt says late autumn is a good time to tackle problem weeds because they are small and actively growing, so they are most susceptible to herbicide.
“Baton® 800WSG and Sprinter™ 700DS are best at this time, because clover is not yet dormant and they are safer on clover than other options. Once winter arrives, the risk to clover is reduced, and farmers who haven’t sprayed in autumn can use Agritone® 750 or Relay® Super S if required,” he says.
Agritone® is recommended where thistles and buttercup are the main problem; Relay® for thistles and a wide range of other broadleaf weeds.
Your Farm Source TSR can help with weed identification and recommend the best product, application method and spray timing for your farm.
In general, however:
- Spray when there has been full germination of the target weeds.
- Graze the paddock before spraying to expose the weed plants. (Good chemical coverage is essential for best results). Allow a few days for growth to freshen, then apply the appropriate herbicide.
- Remember weeds must be actively growing – if they are not, the chemical will not be carried through the plant tissue as it should be, and its effect will be compromised. Do not spray weeds that are frosted, moisturestressed or waterlogged.
- Watch the forecast! Relay® Super S and Agritone® 750 need two hours to become rainfast; Baton® 800WSG and Sprinter™ 700DS need six hours.
- Comply with local regulations for phenoxy herbicide application. Some regions (e.g. Northland) specify certain time periods for these products.
For more helpful advice on the return on investment from broadleaf weed control, talk to your local TSR or visit your Farm Source store.
® Baton, Valdo and Relay are registered trademarks of Nufarm Limited. ™Agritone and Sprinter are trademarks of Nufarm Limited. ® Grassmanship is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia.
Article supplied by Nufarm.