Evaluation of perennial lupin/cocksfoot pasture relative to lucerne pasture under summer dry conditions

Abstract

The productivity of a perennial lupin/cocksfoot mix was compared to that of lucerne in summer dry conditions at Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand. The pastures were planted in December 2013 and rotationally grazed by ewe lambs in autumn 2014 (Year 1), and by ewe hoggets in spring-summer and ewe lambs in autumn of 2014/2015 (Year 2) and 2015/2016 (Year 3). For lupin/cocksfoot relative to lucerne in Years 1 to 3, sheep liveweight gains were 54% of 107 kg/ha, 68% of 1134 kg/ha and 50% of 1347 kg/ha; herbage dry matter yields were 122% of 3520 kg/ha, 64% of 10 230 kg/ha and 59% of 9680 kg/ha; and in Years 2 and 3, the water use efficiency of sheep liveweight gain was 76% of 2.0 kg/ha/mm and 49% of 2.7 kg/ha/mm, respectively. The lupin content in the pre-grazing herbage in Years 1 to 3 averaged 42, 22 and 12%, whereas the lucerne content averaged 78, 95 and 98%, respectively. This showed that perennial lupin was not persistent at this lowland site. Keywords: Lupinus polyphyllus, Dactylis glomerata, Medicago sativa, dryland, sheep liveweight gain, water use