More work needed on kikuyu

23 March, 2006

PASTORAL: MEDIA RELEASES 2006

Northland researchers and farmers still have much to learn about kikuyu, which love it or hate it, is here in the region's pastures to stay.

The Kikuyu Action Group (KAG) presented a summary of all knowledge gained so far to the big Waitangi conference of the Northland Pastoral Farming Development Group .

The KAG formed in 1999 and for the first five years under chairman Murray Jagger, Whangarei Heads, concentrated on building a “toolbox” approach to improved management of kikuyu-dominant pastures.

Now the new chairman is Bruce Paton, Mata, and the KAG has moved on to trialling methods for the eradication of kikuyu. Jagger and a KAG researcher, Wayne Andrewes, Kerikeri, presented the omnibus paper at the conference.

“Kikuyu is continuing to spread and in our opinion is one reason for low production on many farms in Northland.

“Not all paddocks can be mulched for many reasons – rocks, stumps and steep contour are some.

“Apart from mulching or regrassing where possible and using low rates of roundup, new management options for such farms are not readily apparent,” they said.

Milk production has never been studied comparing kikuyu pasture with perennial ryegrass under research conditions. Northland Agricultural Research Farm has ryegrass and kikuyu pastures and separate vats. From this study would come further increases in productivity beyond what has been achieved by KAG.

“For example, the sub-clinical effect of kikuyu toxicity on milk production has been suggested as a possible reason for a sudden unexplained drop in milk production on kikuyu farms monitored by Wayne Andrewes,” the paper said.

“With Fonterra needing an increase in milk supply, the opportunity is too great to ignore.”

The KAG paper summarised all the group's work and findings over the past five years.

The Waitangi conference drew 200 farmers, with good representation from the dairy, sheep and beef industries in Northland. These industries earn over $1 billion annually for the region.