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Integrating winter forage crops and pasture: managing the environmental riskThe incorporation of winter and summer forage crops into pastoral production systems in the Upper Waikato catchment is essential to mitigate feed shortages at key times of year. This project will identify best practice for managing the environmental impacts of forage crop sequences between pasture phases. The outcome for the Community of Interest group will be best practice guidelines for the effective environmental management of a critical phase of the production cycle. This will include an analysis of how the individual management components fit in their farm systems to meet environment and production targets; both important considerations for sustainable farming. |
Expected outcomes of this project
| Benefit |
| Provides farmers with strategies (systems, management practices, technologies) that can be adopted and adapted on individual farms to reduce the environmental impact of the forage cropping component of the dairy system. |
| Provides farmers with an evaluation of different forage cropping sequences for long term (10-12 year) pasture renewal and short term (2-3 year) runoff block forage cultivation. |
| Provides understanding of the trade-offs between environmental risk and productivity gains of various strategies that the farms can use. |
| Documents the findings in guidelines. |
