Maverick GII short rotation ryegrass gives cattle a good start in spring, despite the property's high altitude and harsh winters, says Alan, who manages the 10,000ha Linnburn Station at Patearoa, near Ranfurly.

A noticeable lift in milk production whenever cows graze Expo AR1 perennial ryegrass paddocks means it has quickly become the first-choice ryegrass cultivar when it comes to regrassing for Southland sharemilker Richard Jones.

Glen and wife Karen farm two dairy units near Taupo, a Forest Road block at Oruanui milking 1750 cows and a 1000-cow property at Rangitaiki.

Grasslands Pacific perennial ryegrass is a reliable performer in an environment with drier summers and cold winters, says Ash Beattie, who with his wife Anne farms 1378ha Glenlee Run at Lee Stream, 30km inland from Outram.

Farmer Darryl Roberts says Winter Star II tetraploid annual ryegrass provides an ideal quick growing feed between maize silage crops on his self-contained dairy unit.

 

Farming a third year dairy conversion property, Mike Bodle says Banquet II tetraploid long rotation ryegrass is producing quality feed in a more difficult part of the farm.

Jim and his mother Robyn farm a 2000ha sheep and beef property at Clarks Junction, between Outram and Middlemarch, carrying 9500 ewes and 180 cows. It is a tough hill country environment that is summer dry as well as having hard winters with regular snowfalls.

Milking all year round, sharemilkers Derek and Catherine Hayward say Base AR37 tetraploid perennial ryegrass meets their need for a grass which can quickly slot into the grazing rotation.

Alistair and Brenda McGregor sharemilk 320 cows on Dennis Morgan's dairy unit at Mangatainoka in the Tararua district, northern Wairarapa.

"Expo AR1 is always the first paddock we go back to. Once you've grazed it, its strong, vigorous growth means it is always well ahead of other paddocks,"

Adopting the latest innovative grasses is just one of the projects being tackled in a major development programme on the property of an award-winning Maori farming partnership north of Gisborne.

Pakarae Whangara B5 Partnership is midway through a $2 million, five-year development including fencing, fertiliser, regrassing and reticulated water systems for stock. The extensive 5600 hectare hill property has 11 full-time staff and carries 50,000 stock units following the joining of two neighbouring Maori incorporations of Ngati Konohi in 2006 to provide economies of scale.

Richard Scholefield with Joanne Amyes