Crops and Forage

Realising catch crops

With the right timing and a bit of patience, catch crops can reward growers with high-yielding supplementary feed crops that can generate gross margins of more than $1000/ha. By Sandra Taylor.

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How to achieve top maize yields

A leading United States crop scientist told delegates at February’s FAR conference in Hamilton that maize growers need to have the basic requirements of soil structure, drainage, season-long weed control and foliar disease protection right if they are to chase high yields.

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Fertiliser prices – what to do?

Look for the sweet spot when buying fertiliser, soil scientist Dr Doug Edmeades says.

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Clover and ryegrass best mix

PhD research from Lincoln University has found the best pasture mixes, Joanna Grigg writes.

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Digging deep for soil quality

A farming operation relies on good soil so it pays for farmers to understand it, Lynda Gray writes.

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All-grass wintering revisited

Fifty years ago Southland farmers were into all-grass wintering. Now there is interest again in more use of grass and less of crop, Ken Geenty writes.

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Less crop, not all-grass easier

Graham Butcher discusses the pros and cons for cutting back on winter forage crops with grass.

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Seeking optimum fertility

A poor-performing paddock is the result of low soil fertility, not age of the pasture, Dr Robert McBride writes.

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