Page 44 - NZ Hereford Magazine 2023

also similar. This suggests that while longer rounds and higher
residuals may be an aspiration for regenerative farmers, this
may be difficult to achieve in practice, says Steve.
There were low numbers of pasture species overall on both
farm types – about nine on regenerative farms and eight
on conventional. Because of this, botanical biodiversity was
unlikely to make a difference to meat quality, Steve says.
Overseas, regenerative farms may have 40 different species in
alpine pastures.
Ryegrass and clover were prevalent on both farm types, but
with less ryegrass on regenerative farms. Pasture had three
times the amount of legume (clover) on the regenerative
farms, which may be related to soil fertility (see Table 2).

Farm management
Each farm was surveyed on livestock and pasture management
and included area, number of livestock wintered, pasture
renovation/cropping, fertiliser inputs, supplement use and
herbicide/pesticide use. The purchase and rearing details of
each animal in the trial was looked at along with their health. Steaks from regenerative and conventionally raised cattle were
Grazing and sales details of the wider mob were also looked at. compared.
The regenerative farms were generally smaller, averaging
164 ha, compared with the conventional average of 311 ha. The Differences in soil fertility may account for less ryegrass
smaller size likely contributed to the stronger focus on beef on and the higher legume content on regenerative farms. Further
regenerative farms. Winter stocking rates were similar for both, work is required to find out if differences in legume content
as was average weight gain at 0.6 kg/hd/day. affect meat quality, Steve says.
About half of each farm group did some form of re-grassing
each year with direct drilling preferred. On conventional farms, Next steps
re-seeding was with ryegrass and clover including plantain and/ Steve emphasises that with the large number of variables
or chicory or cocksfoot. For the regenerative farms, four used a considered, this trial was only designed to pick up major
mix of grasses, legumes and herbs, with up to 20 species sown, differences in meat quality or farming comparisons. It can
while another used similar species to the conventional farms of only be considered a snapshot to show where more research
ryegrass, clover, chicory and plantain. would be useful, he says. This could include:
Herbicides like glyphosate, MCPA and Brushkiller were • The long-term effect of different fertiliser programmes on
used by both farm types, with pesticides uncommon for both, botanical composition, pasture performance, soil quality,
and only used for slug control with re-grassing. Anthelmintic environmental indicators and meat quality.
products to treat internal parasites were also common for both. • Studies with larger cattle numbers and tighter control
over selection, pairing and management for meat quality
Fertiliser differences comparison.
One of the biggest differences between the two farm types • Testing if legume content is higher all year round on
was around fertiliser use. Synthetic fertilisers focusing on regenerative farms and if this leads to improved meat quality.
the macro-nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and • Further testing of the meat samples in this study for taste
sulphur were widely used on the conventional farms using and consumer appeal.
either DAP or superphosphate. “Knowing where the two farm types don’t differ is just as
Synthetic fertilisers weren’t used on the regenerative important as where they do. This gives us an evidence- based
farms. Both macro- and micro-nutrients were used on the approach to start defining, in a New Zealand context, what
regenerative farms (including phosphate, potassium, sulphur, regenerative agriculture is,” Steve says. “It’s challenging, but
boron, zinc, selenium, magnesium, copper and cobalt, plus something we need to do.”
soil conditioners) from a range of sources, including fish
hydrolysate, reactive phosphate rock (RPR), lime, potassium Delwyn Dickey for Our Land and Water National Science
sulphate and humates. Challenge (CC BY-4.0)
Three times the amount of legume was found in regenerative pasture
Measurement Regenerative Conventional P-value
Number of species 9 8 *
Pre-grazing 3,230 2,980 NS
Herbage mass (kg DM/ha)
Post-grazing 1,790 1,660 NS
Perennial ryegrass 27 39 **
Botancial composition (% of total DM)
Legumes 13 4 **
Table 2: The number of species present, herbage mass and content of perennial ryegrass and legumes in 13 paired regenerative and conventional farms,
expanded from the nine farms used for the meat sampling. *P<0.05 and **P<0.01 (statistically significant). NS: Not statistically significant (P>0.05).

42 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2023