Act now to prepare pastures for possible drought.

Fertiliser advice given to farmers is important as this input is normally the second biggest expenditure behind interest costs.

After a big fall in price by 16% last year international demand has increased for fertiliser, and prices appear to be on the increase again.

Costs and profits will be tight on many farms, and targeting such inputs as fertiliser to where most return is gained, makes good economic sense.

While some just see fertiliser advisers as salesmen, those with good scientific trials and data to back up their advice, will show the best return.

The risk of summer drought well may be an unavoidable fact of life for some farmers, but there are steps they can take now to improve their chances of getting through to the autumn rains. ‘There are things farmers can do in the spring to make their pastures more resilient through the drier months,’ advises Warwick Catto, Head of Research and Environment at Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

‘NIWA, the water and atmospheric research institute, says the La Nina weather pattern,  is predicted to bring a hotter summer across New Zealand, with at best normal rainfall in many areas. It singles out the east of both main islands and the southwest of the South Island as areas that could get even less rain than normal this summer.’

‘When you get rain anytime before Christmas, make the most of that moisture by considering applying nitrogen at about 40-50kg per hectare to promote good covers and to give your ryegrass the best chance to persist. He says farmers should make as much use as possible of water in the soil while it’s there, making sure any applications of phosphate and sulphur are in soluble forms that will break down.

‘Phosphate is immobile in the soil, so moisture stress accentuates any deficiencies. Phosphate helps to give plants a better root system, making them more resilient to dry periods and better able to handle stress. Potassium has a role as well, especially in crop nutrition.’ He says it’s best to get forage crops in early, using the available moisture to get them established, and most importantly to incorporate any fertiliser into the ground rather than broadcasting it on top. ‘This particularly applies to phosphate, but to all nutrients to some extent – even lime. Don’t leave it on the surface.’

‘With greater pressure on budgets, farmers need to work out what they must put on, and what they can cut back on or do without,’ says Mr Catto. ‘Focus on the fertiliser products that will give you the greatest financial return. Work out where to apply it, with emphasis on protecting your newer pastures and areas of high productivity. Higher soil fertility always helps in water-stressed situations.’