Spring and summer in the north have been very unusual for disrupted maize cropping and the flow-on effects on autumn sowing of pasture varieties, Northland Seed and Supplies managing director and agronomist Daniel Hawkins says.
“It has been the worst season in my decade in the family business,” he said.
“Without breaks in the bad weather it has been very hard to make fixed decisions. We have made multiple visits on farms only to end up with fluid decisions.”
Hawkins thought 15-20% of maize plantings had to be re-sown a second or third time after being waterlogged and that a majority of crops went in late, some as late as mid-January.
Re-sowings with shorter maturity varieties will impact yields and force compromise decisions about autumn grass establishment.
Speaking a few days before the first maize harvests, of short maturity varieties on volcanic soils, he said he thought harvesting and silage stacking would go right through until May.
Some maize crops will be bowled before full maturity so that follow-up pasture sowing can take place.
“Paddocks going back into grass may need Italian or annual ryegrasses instead of permanents, as cheaper options to reduce risk,” Hawkins said.
“If it is late April and still wet, permanent ryegrass might be delayed for another year.
“But this could be a good year to do grass-to-grass renovations because there is more feed around.”
Additional costs have been incurred by maize re-sowing, and reduced yields may impact the budgets for grass establishment.
“There will be a lack of conserved maize fodder in the winter, balanced against the greater volumes of grass silages and baleage,” he said.
Northern Leaf Blight has been a problem and the fall armyworm caterpillar has spread southwards, requiring pesticides for a bad infestation.
On the plus side, a parasitic wasp of cosmopolitan armyworm has reduced the need for insecticides.
One exceptional season like this would not be enough to blame on climate change, but repeats may fuel the search for legumes and forages and perhaps some tropical grass varieties, although they are difficult to import for biosecurity reasons, Hawkins said.
He commented on a growing demand for tall fescue and cocksfoot on drier soil types and said demand for chicory is strong in the spring.
Agricultural contractor Greg Sowry, based near Whangārei, said the season so far has been a shambles.
It is not a matter of delays any longer but complete crop failures, endlessly saturated soils and shut-up paddocks that have to be mulched instead of ensiled.
In his 33 years as a contractor Sowry has never seen a worse season or higher water tables – which are now higher in summer than they are normally in winter.
“Five millimetres of rain is like getting 25mm, and 25mm is like 40 or 50mm in the effects it has, preventing drying out,” Sowry said.
“Maize has been replanted and failed again and there will be shortages of stored fodder for dairy farmers in the winter.”
Keeping staff members retained and busy has been very hard on four or five workable days a month.
His fees have gone up 10-15% because of added fuel costs, grease, oil and filters – even polythene wrap, which is now 50% dearer than a year ago.
Numerous other increased charges, such as insurance, have been absorbed and his margins reduced.
On looming decisions between maize harvesting and regrassing, Sowry said it is not yet possible to get machinery under way.
The threat of another ex-tropical cyclone hitting Northland is very concerning, he said.
