Kinburn is a 232 ha farm located at Poukawa in Hawkes Bay and is owned by Rob and Coral Buddo. A 15 ha lucerne stand was established on 4th Nov 2011. The soil type is Waipukurau silt loam. Whilst Kinburn is classed as dryland (750 mm rainfall) the lucerne stand is able to be sometimes irrigated. Because the land is able to be cropped, Rob’s goal is to have a summer lamb finishing operation which will compete with cash cropping.
Within the lucerne stand is a demonstration of 10 cultivars under grazing. Each cultivar has been drilled in double drill rows (6 m strips) with yields measured before each grazing. This will deliver much needed information on differences in lucerne cultivars in terms of productivity and persistence under grazing. Full details and results to date are available in the Hub Group notes.
