LUDF has a regrassing policy of 10% per annum, which is 2 paddocks. With our recent plantain project of incorporating pure swards, our selected regrassing paddocks have been put into pure sward. We have now resumed back to grass to grass regrassing. We currently have one paddock, S6, that is in an annual, which will be regrassed in the 24/25 season.

New pasture is sown at a rate of 22 kgs Forge NEA (ryegrass), 2 kgs Kotuku (white clover), 3 kgs Ruru (white clove) and 3 kgs of Ecotain Superstrik (plantain).

The milking platform was sown at conversion (March 2001) in a mix of 50/50 Bronsyn/Impact (ryegrass) with Aran and Sustain (white clover), and 1 kg/ha of Timothy.

Since conversion, 10% of the farm is regrassed each year, with tetraploids, chicory and plantain being used as well.

Tetraploid/diploid perennial ryegrass mixes, have a significant advantage for this system, as they maintain high cow intakes at higher covers. Whereas cows may struggle to graze a straight diploid ryegrass >3100 well, a tetraploid/diploid mix will typically still be well grazed at 3400 kg DM/ha.

Chicory is a summer active herb that provides high yields of palatable feed from spring through to autumn and has deep taproot which supports growth through dry conditions.

Plantain also grows well in the summer as it has a high tolerance to summer heat but it is also sown for environmental reasons. Research has found that urine N concentration of cows grazing plantain was 56% lower than those grazing perennial ryegrass/white clover pastures, and 33% lower for cows grazing 50/50 pasture-plantain.