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When a calf is born, we hope they have a long, productive life ahead of them as future members of the herd. We know that productive cows begin life as healthy calves, and therefore the job of calf-rearing is incredibly important.

New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where livestock is integrated into arable systems for the mutual benefit of both.

Australia’s vast scale often means many New Zealanders carry a simplified, condensed version of it in their minds, often only featuring expanses of desert banded by its glittering coastal cities including Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne. But it is a shorthand version that fails to include Australia’s huge and highly productive farming sector, a sector on the march upwards in its contribution to the Lucky Country’s already enviable wealth.

Growing better calves comes down to better nutrition; that’s what dairy farmers Sam and Jo Spencer-Bower learned last season.

It has been suspected for some time and now the numbers prove it; herbicide resistant weeds are widespread on arable farms.

Sulphur (S) is vital in any farm setting, but often lacking in New Zealand soils, especially in spring when it’s most needed. Despite being essential, relatively cheap and straightforward to apply with other nutrients, S is still easily overlooked.

For the next three months, we will look at the following: autumn sown arable crops, barley grass control in pasture and weed control in lucerne.

‘Dry’ has been and remains a commonly used term when describing weather and soil conditions for the first half of 2024. That’s meant favourable conditions for cultivation and drilling post-harvest, however low commodity prices, reduced seed contracts, and high input prices appear to be keeping optimism low among the arable industry.

North Otago mixed arable farmer Peter Mitchell says he is reconsidering where ryegrass fits in his rotation and is looking for ways to extract more value from the crop. 

Manta Italian ryegrass is the latest diploid Italian ryegrass from Agricom. Manta has an explosive establishment speed being the fastest starting genetics we have seen to date.