Cut Baleage: Dairy Pasture Trials, Hauraki Plains and Cambridge, Waikato.
Trial Objective
To assess the effect of Biozest treatment on baleage production.
Note: these large scale trials follow an extensive series of split paddock trials - see https://www.zestbiotech.co.nz/biozest-trials, Pasture Productivity, Resilience and Palatability for a selection of these trials. Additional data available on request.
Trial Design
Trial 1: Location 1.
Hauraki Plains, Waikato
Farm Type: dairy
Trial 1 took place on 2 farms on the Hauraki Plains. The farms are owned by a single farming family and are managed in the same way including pasture species and fertiliser regime. The pasture is predominantly rye grass (older cultivars) and both farms received herbicide treatment to control broad leaf weeds. Each farm was running a milking herd and had its own milking shed. Prior to the commencement of the baleage trial one farm had been treated with the standard Biozest programme while the second farm was not treated with Biozest. Paddocks on both farms were locked up for baleage production and both were harvested as per normal farm practice.
The treated paddocks were sprayed with Biozest at a rate of 1 litre per hectare on 26 June 2017 and 4 days later on 30 June 2017. The paddocks were not grazed due to wet conditions and the decision to reserve them for baleage production was made on 15 July 2017. Both treated and control paddocks were cut on 21 October 2017.
A second set of paddocks was treated with Biozest at a rate of 1 litre per hectare on 26 June 2017 and 30 June 2017. The paddocks were grazed, and the treated paddocks received a ‘follow-on’ Biozest spray on 13 September 2017. All paddocks were cut on 24 November 2017.
Trial 2: Location 2.
Cambridge, Waikato
Farm Type: dairy, organic
Trial 2 was carried out on a single, organic farm in Maungatautari. A number of paddocks were selected to be locked up for baleage production. Several paddocks were treated with Biozest. Two paddocks remained untreated as a control. None of the paddocks had been treated with Biozest at any point prior to the commencement of the trial. All paddocks used for baleage production were former maize paddocks but have been in pasture for several years prior to this trial. Several paddocks were under-sown with Shogun - these are marked in the results below.
The treated paddocks were sprayed with Biozest at a rate of 1 litre per hectare on 12/13 September and 17/18 September. Both treated and untreated paddocks were cut on 25 October 2019.
All Biozest treated paddocks received a ‘follow-on’ Biozest spray on 31 October. These paddocks along with 4 control paddocks were all cut on 06 December 2019.
Results
Trial 1
Set 1
Set 2
Trial 2
First Cut
Second Cut
** Paddocks 70, 72 and 79 have been under sown with Shogun.
Summary
Trial 1: Set 1 and 2 Combined
Trial 2: Cut 1 and 2
Cost Benefit Analysis
Conclusion
In Trial 1 the baleage yield from the Biozest treated paddocks was more than double the yield from the untreated, control paddocks in both the first and second sets.
In Trial 2 Biozest treatment resulted in a significant increase in production in both cut 1 and cut 2: by 69% and 38% respectively.
The substantial increase in baleage production pays for the Biozest product cost and application costs – in most cases several times over. This increase in productivity does not require the application of additional chemical fertiliser.
A cost benefit analysis was completed for trial 2. The net return (i.e minus the cost of Biozest and application costs) was $338 per hectare.
Additional trials have demonstrated the subsequent effect of treated pasture (when consumed by ruminants) on both milk and meat productivity and nitrate excretion via urine urea.