Since 2016, Neil and Stacie Fagan have utilised spring sown Cleancrop™ brassicas as part of a programme to control pasture weeds before establishing new pastures in autumn.



Cleancrop rape was initially used as a summer feed on their sheep and dairy support block in Te Kuiti, but more recently they have been planting Cleancrop leafy turnip. “Cleancrop leafy turnip has a slightly better system fit enabling us to finish more lambs on the property versus selling to store” explains Neil.

Prior to spring planting Cleancrop brassica crops, existing pastures are sprayed out with glyphosate to kill the existing pasture and problem weeds including Californian thistles. As the crops are established via direct drilling, a second glyphosate application is applied prior to drilling to ensure a complete kill of existing pasture and problem weeds.

Immediately following drilling, the broad spectrum herbicide Telar®, supplied as part of the Cleancrop Brassica System, is applied to provide residual weed control. Due to the high root reserves associated with Californian thistles, there have been instances where the thistles have ‘punched’ through the pre-emergent herbicide. When this happened, Neil was able to request the chemical for a second application of Telar® free of charge and achieve post-emergent control.

Following summer brassica crops, Neil and Stacie have been keen to replace older pastures with modern perennial ryegrass genetics. In autumn 2017, following a Cleancrop rape crop, they planted

Platform AR37 perennial ryegrass.

Platform is a dense, medium-leaved diploid ryegrass with a late heading date (+12 days) that is well suited to both dairy and progressive sheep and beef systems. “Parentage for Platform AR37 includes a combination of elite New Zealand and north-west Spanish genetics to provide both spring and cool season growth when it’s needed most” says PGG Wrightson Seeds Plant Breeder, Tom Lyons.

Within the first few months, Platform’s cool season growth was noticed. “I am also impressed with the speedy response we saw from this ryegrass after the dry spell we had in December 2017. Nothing else on our farm responded like Platform did, this area can now support our dairy heifers as well as our ewes” explains Neil.

Independent National Forage Variety Trials (NFVT) have also confirmed Platform’s agronomic value with the ryegrass jumping straight to the top of this year’s National NFVT summary¹ and gaining Dairy NZ ‘Five Star’ status in the 2018 Forage Value Index (FVI).

Platform paddocks have also been incredibly valuable during the summer with impressive quality and the ability to hold lambs while they were transitioned onto a crop of Cleancrop leafy turnip. Neil added “our lambs had quality feed all round this season.” Neil and Stacie said that so far, this is definitely their standout block and they would definitely use both Platform and Cleancrop leafy turnip again.

For more information on Platform perennial ryegrass or the Cleancrop range of forage brassicas, contact your local PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative.

Supplied by PGG Wrightson Seeds

¹2017/18 NFVT Perennial Ryegrass Summary: https://www.nzpbra.org/wp-content/ uploads/Perennial-Ryegrass-Summary-2017.pdf.