Plantain Partner Farms
2 min read
DairyNZ leads three significant initiatives to enhance our knowledge about plantain's effectiveness and best management practices. These are the "Forages for reduced nitrate leaching programme", "Plantain Potency and Practice Programme", and "Tararua Plantain Project". Across New Zealand, various small plot trials, farmlet trials, and partner farm studies are taking place. They aim to develop plantain management guidelines and understand its impact on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling. These trials also evaluate nitrate leaching losses, milk production from plantain-rich diets, and the health and welfare of cows. Some research focuses on plantain's persistence and yield under different grazing conditions.
Three major DairyNZ-led initiatives are contributing to our understanding of plantain effectiveness and best practice management.
Kerikeri | National Trial Series plots – mown trial developing plantain management guidelines and understanding soil C and N cycling under plantain |
Ngahinapouri | National Trial Series plots x2 (different soil types) – mown trial developing plantain management guidelines and understanding soil C and N cycling under plantain. Lysimeters included at this site. |
Cheltenham | National Trial Series plots – mown trial developing plantain management guidelines and understanding soil C and N cycling under plantain |
Kimihia | National Trial Series plots – mown trial developing plantain management guidelines and understanding soil C and N cycling under plantain |
Marshdale | Grazed plot trial - developing plantain management guidelines and evaluating perenniality of plantain. Dairy beef finishing experiment |
Winton | National Trial Series plots – developing plantain management guidelines and understanding soil carbon and nitrogen cycling under plantain |
Massey No. 4 Dairy (Massey University) | Evaluation of nitrate leaching losses and milk production at paddock scale from four pasture treatments established (April 2019) with different levels of plantain (0, 30, 50, and 70%). Intensive monitoring periods for determining partitioning of N between dung, urine and blood, and student projects on nitrous emissions also taking place at this site. |
Lincoln University Research Dairy Farm | Evaluation of nitrate leaching losses and milk production in farmlet systems with 0, 30 and 50% plantain. Milk product evaluation and animal health and welfare measures also taken at this site. |
DairyNZ Lye Farm | Farmlet trial with 0% and 40% plantain in pasture mix, and 40% fed as break crop. Intensive monitoring period via Calengate also conducted here. Evaluating milk product from plantain and animal health and welfare measures. |
Eyrewell | FRNL Partner Farm - Paritea, Ngai Tahu. Plantain included into regrassing regime, and established into existing pastures. Also introduced fodder beet and catch crops on milking platform. |
Dunsandel | FRNL Partner Farm – Canlac, Dunsandel, Tony Coltman and Dana Carver. Plantain included in regrassing regime. Other measures taken to reduce N leaching. |
Mayfield | FRNL Partner Farm – Grant and Jan Early. Plantain included in regrassing regime. Also using fodder beet and catch crops. |
St. Andrews | FRNL Partner Farm - Plantain included in regrassing regime. Also using fodder beet and catch crops. |
Norsewood | Tararua Plantain Project - 18 paddocks over 4 farms looking at the persistence, yield (kgDM/ha) and ME of plantain in both mixed and pure swards, under rotational grazing. Establishment of plantain under broadcasting methods is also researched. |
Dannevirke | Tararua Plantain Project – 61 paddocks over 6 farms looking at the persistence, yield (kgDM/ha) and ME of Plantain in both mixed and pure swards, under rotational grazing. Establishment of plantain under broadcasting methods is also being researched. |
Woodville | Tararua Plantain Project – 11 paddocks on 1 farm looking at the persistence of plantain in both mixed and pure swards, under rotational grazing. |
Ballance | Tararua Plantain Project – 16 paddocks on 1 farm looking at the persistence, yield (kgDM/ha) and ME of Plantain in both mixed and pure swards, under rotational grazing. |
Eketahuna | Tararua Plantain Project – 4 paddocks on 1 farm. Looking at the persistence, yield (kgDM/ha) and ME of Plantain in both mixed and pure swards, under rotational grazing. Establishment of plantain under broadcasting methods is also being researched. |