Hamilton Proof Site

Key Results

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Perennial Persistence and Composition

• All perennials except kikuyu and chicory persisted for more than seven years from putting the right plant in the right place with the right management.

Pasture Production

• Triple (lucerne, perennial ryegrass and summer active tall fescue) and Ryegrass (early, mid and late finishing perennial ryegrass) pasture systems produced 8-12 tonnes DM/ha/year. Lucerne and chicory produced 1-3 tonnes DM/ha over the summer period.

Production and Economics

• Stocking rates were 25-31 DSE/ha from 2006-2010 compared to 16 DSE/ha for the average benchmarked South West Farm Monitor (SWFM) farm over the same period.
• Average lamb weaning percentages were approximately 92% for Merino ewes and 141% for Coopworth ewes compared to 80% and 118% for the average South West Farm Monitor. Profit of Coopworths and Merinos were similar despite the lower weaning percentages from Merinos.
• Twin lamb survival increased by 15% when lambs were given shelter.
• Wool production varied with the sheep system from 35-64 kg clean wool/ha compared with 35-46 kg clean wool/ha for the South West Farm Monitor top 20%.
• Lamb production ranged from 351-774 kg/ha compared with 215-374 kg/ha for the top 20% South West Farm Monitor. Beef steer live-weight production per hectare ranged from 644-928 kg/ha compared to 579-732 kg/ha.
• Including lucerne in the Triple system reduced supplementary feeding cost compared to the Ryegrass system by $20/hd or $300/ha over the 2007 summer following the 2006 drought.
• Average gross margins of $617/ha (Triple system) and $564/ha (Ryegrass system) exceeded the top 20% South West Farm Monitor prime lamb production systems ($484/ha) by 16% and 24% respectively, and the average system ($282/ha) by more than 100%.
• Internal rate of return from establishing EverGraze systems on 10% of the farm is estimated to be 10-27% with payback of 6-7 years.
• Post-experimental modelling confirmed higher profits of $512/ha (Perennial Ryegrass System) and $499/ha (Triple System) compared to $12/ha for a base-case traditional south west region wool production system.

Water use of different perennial species

• Measurements of water use confirmed that on the crests, lucerne fully controlled water loss below the root zone.  Chicory also controlled leakage until its density declined three years after sowing.  Tall fescue and perennial ryegrass used more water on the valley floors compared to annual pasture.