Forage Value Index

Cameron Ludemann

Forage Value Manager

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

Identify forages that

maximise farm profit

Region specific FVI

What you see

www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

What you see

www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

What you see

www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

What you see

www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

What you see

www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

What you see

www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

• Most of the major seed companies contribute to development of FVI

• But not all cultivars will be included in FVI because of lag period

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

• Seasonal DM

Currently in FVI

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

• Seasonal DM• Quality• Persistence

Future traits

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

• Quality– Metabolisable energy per kg DM

– Quality trial at Lincoln ─ Energy trait into FVI in 2015/16 season for South Island

– Soon: Quality trial at Scott Farm (Waikato)─ Energy trait for upper North Island ~ Nov. 2016

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

• Persistence– What definition?– How to assess the value?– Tricky: it takes a long time to measure

DairyNZ Forage Value Index• Cultivar Proving Scheme for DM production:

Cultivar A Cultivar B Cultivar C Cultivar D

  Farm 1 Farm 2 Farm 3 Farm nCv A 10.5 12.4  15.5 13.0Cv B 14.0 15.5 17.2  Cv C     15.9Cv D   12.1 17.6  14.0

Farm 3 Pdk18

Cultivar Proving – On farm

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

1. www.dairynzfvi.co.nz

2. Currently: Seasonal DM yield

3. Still to come:– Energy concentration– Persistence

DairyNZ Forage Value Index

• Questions?