This document summarizes the results of pasture harvest trials comparing control paddocks to paddocks treated with Great Land products. The trials found that treated paddocks produced significantly more dry matter per hectare than control paddocks, with gains ranging from 2% to 161% depending on the region. Dairy farms that grazed cows on treated pastures saw increases in milk production, decreases in somatic cell counts, and improved farm profits compared to periods when cows grazed control pastures. Overall, the trials demonstrated that higher pasture production enabled by Great Land treatments can increase milk solids output and farm profitability.
Implementing and Evaluating a Selective Dry Cow Therapy Program
Pasture harvest trials show gains of 12-37% DM/Ha
1. Pasture Harvest Trials
Pasture INTAKE is a major driver of milk production and farm profit
Trial Objectives:
Comparison of pasture harvested: Great Land Treated v’s Control
Method:
• Paired or Split Paddock trials
• Weekly measure of pasture DM/Ha, Treated & Control areas
• ‘Rising Plate Meter’ converts height to DM/Ha
• Same day every week for main season
• Underreporting arises from inability to capture pre and post graze
2. 2015 Dairy Trial Farm Locations
Western Victoria
Gippsland
Southern Riverina
Northern Victoria
3. Pasture Harvest Trials
Typical Weekly Pasture Reading Chart
Split Paddock
Line charts starts at week prior to first grazing
4. Pasture Harvest Trials
Regional Summary
Harvested Pasture >> MS Production >> Incremental Revenue Direct to Bottom Line
(due to additional flow through benefits - input costs, animal health, productivity)
REGION
No.
Farms
Irrigated /
Dryland
No.
Trials
No.
Trials
Control (Base)
kgDM/Ha
GL Treat. Gain
kgDM/Ha % Gain Range (%)
North Vic 6 6 / 0 12 9 7,582 2,085 28% 14% to 75%
Gippsland 8 5 / 3 14 12 5,169 1,895 37% 2% to 161%
SW Vic 14 1 / 13 23 14 6,557 1,106 17% 5% to 79%
Sthn Riverina 12 12 / 0 94 69 6,864 807 12% -9% to 25%
OVERALL 40 24 / 16 143 104
Trials Completed and Reported (Average Gain)Trials Established
5. Pasture Harvest Trials
Other observations beyond pasture harvest gains
• Pasture uniformity, clover content, weeds
• Pastures lasting longer in dry condition (improved soil moisture)
• Grazing pressure and grazing uniformity
• Animal health, calf health (where larger portion of farm is treated)
Fact: 100,000 change in BSCC impacts milk production by 5% – subclinical
6. 7 Day Grazing Trials
Objective:
Measure influence of Great
Land treated pasture on
Milk Production
Method:
Graze nominated pasture for 7 day periods: Control > Treated > Control
Need at least one third of the farm as treated paddocks
Milk data from third party processor
Approx 36 hours
Intake to milk output
7. 8,000
9,000
10,000
11,000
12,000
13,000
14,000
15,000
16,000
17,000
18,000
May-C May-T May-C Jun-C Jun-T Jun-C July-C July-T Jul-C Nov-C Nov-T Nov-C Jan-C Jan-T Jan-C
7 Day Grazing Trial (2015/16), ‘Great Land’ Treatment
Herd Average - Daily Milk Volume (L/Period) Control Treatment
Season Average Volume to End Nov.
Grazing Treated Paddocks = Gain 440 L/day (2.8%)
No. Cows
Reduced,
Drying Off
Source: Murray Goulburn
8. 50
75
100
125
150
May-C May-T May-C Jun-C Jun-T Jun-C July-C July-T Jul-C Nov-C Nov-T Nov-C Jan-C Jan-T Jan-C
7 Day Grazing Trial (2015/16), ‘Great Land’ Treatment
BMCC - Herd Average for Period ('000)
Control Treatment
Source: Murray Goulburn
9. Full Farm - Demonstration Case
Tasmania
Conventional Scenario
• Fertilisers dominated by urea (250-
350 kg N/yr), super phosphate,
muriate of potash
• Pastures not responding to N
applications, pastures thin and
limited clover.
• Weed problems
Results of Biological Approach
Over 5-7 years, with GL in FY15
• Milk & MS production increased
• BSCC reduced by > 100,000
• Revenue and profit increase
• Pastures more even, clover dense
and leaves double in size, root zone
much deeper
• Weeds under control
• Corby grubs significantly supressed
• Cows filling up on pasture more
quickly (nutrient quality), pasture
utilisation increased, stocking rate
increased,
• Fertility increased, portion of heifer
calves increased (consistently)
10. Full Farm Performance
Tasmania
2013/14 2014/15 Variance
Herd Size 550 610 60 11%
Pasture (tDM/ha) 6.8 9.8 3.0 44%
Milk price
($/kg MS)
6.63 6.22 -0.43 -6%
Milk Production (Milk Solids – MS)
Per Cow 368 389 21 6%
Per Hectare 889 1,040 151 17%
Dairy Profit
Per hectare $625 $1,121 $496 79%
Per cow $259 $419 $160 62%