Projects

The Hawkes Bay Advance Party viewed the property and noted that this would come about by a combination of grazing management, including integration of sheep and cattle, plus feeding options with saved pasture, mob shifts and crops.

Objective

Improve Weaner growth rates

Tactics

• Begin moving mobs early, even before Xmas. Clean up with bulls or ewes behind, freshen up over two weeks then back again -December 2014
• Consider grazing bulls with hinds at fawning. Suggested rates 12ha with 60 hinds and 12 R2 bulls (Grant’s system) and 10ha with 70 hinds and bulls to move in and out -November 2014- maybe a trial mob first?
• Kale is to be followed by plantain. Rob would like to split it with electrics. Scope for hind mobs January 2015 to access plantain from adjoining paddocks
• Try plantain and pasja or pasja followed by grass and plantain mix, however reluctant to get too complicated as the cropping programme is aimed at simplicity and the added complication of weed control (nodders) is significant
• Either lucerne as a pure crop or lucerne mixed with grass or plantain. Members were strongly supportive of this option providing weed control can be managed.
• Focus on R2 hind performance from weaning onwards to ensure best mating results. 2014 scanning showed early mating (first and second week April) and allowed lates to be culled. Add weight to R2 hind’s fawns by getting early birth dates and longer lactation by default. While this is not always predictable (early conception) it is a reasonable goal.
• Focus on lactational feeding as agreed it is not possible to monitor hinds well enough before they have actually lost condition (unless yarding through summer on a regular basis).