Lucerne

Lucerne is a deep-rooted perennial legume which has the ability to extract soil moisture from deep in the soil profile. In areas with low rainfall, lucerne offers a high quality feed when other forage has ceased to grow. Lucerne is most productive in the high country in late spring and early summer which coincides with high feed demand from lactating ewes and their growing lambs.

Lucerne trials

Trial work undertaken by Lincoln University investigated whether lucerne can be grown successfully in challenging high country environments.

Where the sensitivity of lucerne to acidity (and the high levels of plant-available aluminium at low pH levels) cannot be addressed through liming, other legumes may need to be investigated.

Best management practice for lucerne 

For optimum plant and stock performance on established lucerne stands:

Spring – Rotationally graze each block at more than 20cm (1500kg DM/ha) for five to seven days, moving stock when all leaf and soft stem is gone.  Spell blocks for 35 to 42 days before grazing again.
Summer – Rotationally graze on a shorter rotation (about 35 days in total). Conserve true surpluses.
Autumn – Lengthen the rotation period so that at least 50% of the stems flower before grazing.  This allows plants to rebuild root reserves.
Winter – Hard graze when growth stops.  Spray for weeds within 10 days of finishing grazing.

Further information about lucerne 

Click on the following links for more information about lucerne:

• In this article read about how David and Lisa Anderson at Bog Roy Station near Omarama are going from strength to strength, with lucerne at the heart of their system change.

• NZ Grassland Association paper about the lucerne trial at Bog Roy Station, Integrating lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) into a high country Merino system.

• This article from Farmers Weekly, about lambing on lucerne, profiles Dave Anderson (Bog Roy Station) and Derrick Moot (Lincoln University).

Annual clovers

Annual clovers are able to survive the summer by producing large amounts of hard seed before dying. This seed is able to rapidly germinate when rain arrives in late summer / autumn. Their quick establishment before winter means they provide a high quality feed during the next spring through to the early summer.  The seed bed lasts for two seasons; therefore annual clovers only need to re-seed every second year.

Annual clover trials

Trial work undertaken by Lincoln University investigated whether annual clovers can be used as an alternative legume to those that have traditionally been relied upon in hill country pastures. 

Tips for success - 

• Are resident clovers present? Open the sward to check for clover seedlings at the base. These will be the clover species you are managing for. White clover and subterranean clover are common in hill country pastures. If no clover seedlings can be found, chemical topping may not be worthwhile.

• When deciding on which chemical to use, determine whether thistles are an issue. While glyphosate is cheaper than haloxyfop-P, it kills both grasses and broadleaf weeds, opening the ground for thistles to establish. If thistles are an issue, use haloxyfop-P.

• Apply in either autumn or spring, although autumn spraying is typically more effective. Low quality grasses such as browntop are taking reserves down into their roots at this time.

• If the spray treatment is successful at reducing grass competition and encouraging clover growth, ongoing grazing management is required. First, to keep the remaining grasses down, then to ensure that the clover is able to set seed and regenerate.

Click here (or on the image) for more information about rejuvenating clovers on uncultivable hill country.

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Caucasian clover

Caucasian clover is a persistent legume that tolerates drought and infertile soils.  Caucasian clover is very slow to establish and therefore susceptible to plant competition during its first year. However, once established, Caucasian clover persists without the need for re-sowing, making it an attractive option for some production systems.

Caucasian clover trials

Trial work undertaken by Lincoln University investigated the management of a mature stand of Caucasian clover, and the establishment of a new stand of Caucasian clover.

Further information about Caucasian clover 

Click on the following link for more information about Caucasian clover:

• NZ Grassland Association paper about the Caucasian clover trials at Lake Heron Station, Caucasian clover responses to fertiliser lime and rhizobia inoculation at Lake Heron Station, Canterbury.

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