Vaughan
I certainly agree that farmers should not just plant a new variety because
it is flavour of the month, particularly if it has come from a company that
does not have a breeding and evaluation program in Australia. I don't think
it is necessary to be this conservative though. My recommendation is to
plant a new variety in a test strip against something similar that you know,
that way you can compare it's performance in the same paddock on your farm
under your management. If it works use it, if it doesn't perform don't use
it.
This is the only way to be sure that a variety suits your farm, even if it
does well on your neighbours place, it doesn't mean it will do well for you
as your farms and management are most likely different. This is why good
results from a single trial in your area are no the best way to judge a new
variety, it is better to look at results from a range of environments and a
number of years. Consistent performance is the best indication of
adaptability.
Cheers
John
Dr John Evans
Technical Development Manager
Heritage Seeds Pty Ltd
Po Box 4020 Mulgrave Vic 3170 Australia
Office: +61 3 9501 7000
Fax: +61 3 9561 9333
Mobile: +61 413 442 810
-----Original Message-----
From: leon [mailto:leon@grazinginfo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, 27 September 2006 12:28 PM
To: vicdairy-l@unimelb.edu.au
Subject: Re: endophyte & fescue
On 19/9/06 5:43 PM, "Noel Pattinson" <noel@netspace.net.au> wrote:
> Thanks for the replies Leon & John,
> The reason I asked the question was that I had read that endophytes had
been
> removed from the new varieties of fescue for cow health reasons and yet
some
> southern NSW farmers are glyphosating large areas of Advance fescue
because
> they have been told that its the endophyte that's making the plants
> unpalatable to the stock and if they can get the cows to eat it they go
> crazy busting though fences etc.)
Are they both talking about the same type of fescue. There are many
misunderstandings in life.
There has been a rush into safe-endophyte fescues and some are not as good
as others. The first one in New Zealand was not as good as latter ones.
Before buying any new variety, type or whatever, ask for half a dozen names
of users and when questioning them make sure that they are ordinary farmers,
not agents, reps, etc.
If because of being cautious you miss a few years it is better than sowing
paddocks with inferior ones which I did in 1986 with Matua Prairie grass
which doesnıt survive anywhere in the many countries Iıve checked. Despite
this the breeders still claim it is OK and sell it, giving New Zealand plan
breeders a bad name.
> I Guess that when they spray the fescue they will kill the problem
ryegrass
> also and solve their problem anyway....unless they drill the same ryegrass
> back in !!!!
Spray with Grazon which kills everything except ryegrasses.
Mix it at half strength with Codacide which reduces drift, etc., and costs
nothing because of the Grazon or other sprays saved.
> Noel Pattinson
> Willung
> Gippsland
Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
Hamilton
Waikato
New Zealand
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