Pasture irrigation in the Mackenzie Basin 3. Hay mixtures

Abstract

Abstract Two trials on moderately deep, border-dyked, yellow-grey earth soils (Simons and Streamlands) in the Mackenzie Country compared legume-grass mixtures under two fertiliser levels, for hay production. After a year's establishment, these mixtures were sampled for three successive years. Swards were usually legume dominant throughout. The legumes of the highest yielding mixtures were red clover in initial years (‘Grasslands Pawera’ = ‘Grasslands Hamua’ > ‘Grasslands Turoa’) and lucerne in later years (‘Saranac’ > ‘Wairau’). Alsike was intermediate in production, followed by white clover (‘Grasslands Huia’ > ‘Grasslands Pitau’) and lotus (hybrid > ‘Grasslands Maku’), with Caucasian clover unproductive. The grasses of the higher yielding mixtures were, initially, phalaris (‘Grasslands Manx’) and Yorkshire fog (‘Massey Basyn’) and, in later years, prairie grass (‘Grasslands Matua’), timothy (‘Grasslands Kahu’), and cocksfoot (K1986 > ‘Grasslands Kara’ > ‘S37’ > ‘Grasslands Apanui’ > ‘S26’). Throughout t...