Peter could readily see that intensive stocking and quick rotations would combat the kikuyu scourge, as that less productive grass invaded the northern pastures. Winter kikuyu is now down to 7% in the intensively grazed pastures, while traditional pastures may have 30% or more kikuyu.
Animal numbers and productivity are 50% higher than before the Technosystem was applied to one-third of the farm

"Intensification pays off for Northland beef producers"
Hugh Stringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Case Study, New Zealand. Feb-2003

Stock health is excellent, with an impressively low per head cost.
Before widespread adoption of Technosystem, a smaller area was trialled successfully and impressive meat production figures obtained. Technosystem now occupies 100ha during the winter, loaded in May with 18-month-old bulls.

Northland PPCS Livestock Award 2007 Download (PDF, 1327kB)
Balance Farm Environment Awards, New Zealand. Mar-2008

Two-thirds of their Omamari farm, on the west coast north of Dargaville, is under Technosystem for intensive beef cattle production, achieving up to 600kg/ha of carcase weight annually.
The judges said the Kelly's management organisation is superb, with the robust Technosystem well suited to the fragile sandy soils.

"Northland Supreme Award 2009 and the NZ Farm Environment Award Trust Habitat Improvement Award 2009"
Balance Farm Environment Awards, New Zealand. Mar-2010

The average EFS in the Meat and Wool New Zealand data for the same class of country was $154/ha in 2005/06, when the Turners made $717/ha.
There are three techno systems on the property, which to date have primarily been used for finishing bulls but this year heifers will occupy two of the three. The two-year bulls are stocked on the techno system at 3.5/ha in early June averaging 400kg LW. They begin on an 80-day rotation, which increases to 20 days as the season progresses. Extra bulls may be added to the system between October and January depending on the season giving a total of 2730kg LW/ha.
Chris is also working towards spending two days/week on a separate investment business.

"Marton couple take on Monitor Farm challenge"
Amy Bielski, Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand. Dec-2006

Bulls are run using the Technosystem of intensive grazing management.
Turner purchased 272 bulls in December 2007, and January and February 2008. The average purchase weight was 232kg at $1.89, a landed cost of $438. He then bought 253 more bulls in June and July 2008. The average purchase weight was 332kg at $1.62, a landed cost of $539.
That's a total of 525 bulls with an average purchase weight of 280kg at $1.74, a landed cost of $486.
In February 2009 he sold 522 bulls at a $3.65 schedule. The bulls had an average carcase weight of 319kg, which brought a net return of $1150.
That showed a margin of $664 per animal over 46 weeks, less an interest cost of $39. The margin per hectare was $2136.

"Farming with eye on the end game"
Colin Williscroft, Rural News Group Limited, New Zealand. Apr-2009

For the Maxwells, bull-finishing using the Technosystem is an efficient use of land pasture and labour and is easier on the body than farming sheep.
Jane points out that somebody has to be on the farm everyday of the year to shift stock, but the user-friendly Kiwitech system does make the job easy. All the equipment is very well designed to make shifting fences as simple as possible, as well as being highly durable.
The Technosystem meant that for the first time in Richard's life he could control pasture growth and utilise every blade of grass grown in the system.
Another bonus of running bulls so intensively has been the improvement in fertility and pasture quality on the farm. Olsen P levels have lifted from between 8-10 to around 22 and will be maintained at this level. The average pH is 5.7.

"Bull beef system thrives on hill country"
Sandra Taylor, Mainland Beef / Beef, New Zealand. May-2006

North Canterbury NZ Techno, Richard and Jane Maxwell (Case 2) compared with
Northland NZ Techno, Geff and Dinah Cookson (Northland)

The ultimate test of farm profit should be return on capital. It is likely that the two intensive bull farms are doing a better return on capital than the more extensive property (Case 1), that also contains a large proportion of breeding stock. The best way for Case 1 to rise to the profitability of Case 2 and Northland is to further intensify by investing in subdivision and pasture development.

"Finishing cattle in a tough environment", Download (PDF, 873kB)
R&D Brief 134, Meat & Wool New Zealand. Oct-2007

In North Canterbury, with its dry summers and cold winters, good pasture growth can only be relied on for about three months a year, and growth at any other time is a bonus. The aim to intensively rearing bulls on this country is to maintain them through winter, and then pack on the growth during the period of rapid grass growth in spring. 'In a normal year, we've achieved 450g a day liveweight gain during the winter, and typically 2kg a day in spring to the end of January,' he says. (Running the R2's at 3/ha)
working days are a lot shorter than on normal sheep and beef farms
on production per hectare basis, the Maxwells' operation 'blows others out of the water'. 'the stocking rate of eight to nine su/ha was 'huge'.
The rate of return on total farm capital for the past two years had been 1.5% and 0.6% for the top 20% of hill country farms in Marlborough and Canterbury. For the Maxwells' Mt Catherine property during the same period it had been 1.6% both years.

"Finishing system puts beef farmers in top 20%"
Howard Keene, Straight Furrow, New Zealand. Dec-2007

The Maxwells, on Mount Catherine, run Friesian bulls and achieve four times the meat production of the average South Island hill country property.
Establishing an intensive bull finishing system on hill country had been an interesting and rewarding challenge. Topography was never seen as a limitation to their operation.

"Father and son show how it's done"
Press Release: Lincoln University, New Zealand. Nov-2008

The group is also testing the limits of the conventional Stockpol analysis, which maintains that pasture utilisation rates this high (80-85%) are unsustainable. 'But these guys are doing it, so Stockpol needs rewriting
You must remember that the industry average in meat production is only 186kg/ha and 300kg is considered good. We know of TechnoGrazing systems doing 800 to 1000kg/ha and the limits haven't been reached.

"North Waikato group aims high on beef"
Heartland Beef, Country-Wide, New Zealand. May-2004

Techno results 2003/04: The laneway system 2 at Kawa Downs (5 bulls/ha) was closed up on April 30 and stocked on July 24 at 1800kg LW/ha on pasture cover of 3750-4000kg DM/ha. Those younger bulls finished on February 3 at 280kg CW and over 279 days achieved 444kg CW/ha, or 1.61kg/day/ha.
The laneway system 3 (6 bulls/ha) was treated the same way as system 2 and over 285 days achieved 603kg CW/ha, or 2.12kg/day/ha.

"First-year results challenge historical limits"
Heartland Beef, Country-Wide, New Zealand. 01-May-2004

There is nothing like farming bulls on a Technosystem. They give the best weight gains and if you have to tighten them up, they will bounce back again
The Technosystem also gives the farm more flexibility when it comes to the classes of stock it can comfortably carry. Some farmers might go to a sale to look at a line of 50 bulls and say they don't want 10 of them because they are not good enough. But we could take the lot because we have a place for all of them.

"Franklin/Waikato farm aims to double output"
"Big expansion plans for beef finishing system"
Country-Wide Northern / Monitor Farms, New Zealand. 01-Dec-2004

He started running a technosystem eight years ago, gradually increasing the size of the system to the stage where it covered about 80ha of easier contour last year. Aicken's operation has achieved good results n the past and some parts of the Technosystem have produced up to 900kg CW/ha. But the goal now is to do this over a much wider area with a strategy that focuses on increasing the size of the Technosystem to 280ha on both the home farm and the lease block
Techno results 2004/05: Lane One, which wintered exotic and exotic-cross bulls at a stocking rate of 5/ha, achieved a net carcase weight production of 660kg/ha in the ten months since monitoring started. Lane Two wintered Friesian bulls at 5/ha and produced 578kg/ha, and Lane Three wintered crossbred bulls at 4/ha and achieved 571kg/ha in the same ten month period.

"Systems ready for doubling output by 2008"
Mike Bland, Country-Wide Northern / Monitor Farms, New Zealand. 01-July-2005

"Beef production rising but margins tight"
Mike Bland, Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand. 01-Aug-2006

"Target draws closer"
Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand. 01-Aug-2007

The engine room of the whole operation is the Technosystem that now covers about 200ha of the easy rolling contour
The Technosystem, along with another 54ha of cell grazing, helps to ensure that rising-two-year bulls can be turned around within eight months, achieving an average growth rate of about 1.2kg liveweight (LW) from June 1 - February 1.

"Monitor Farm owner keeps cards close"
Mike Bland, Country-Wide Southern / Livestock, New Zealand. 01-Sep-2007

Neil believes the tight grazing control offered by the Technosystem and cell grazing proved a real asset in weathering the drought and the subsequent wet winter.
The result is a farm system he is very proud of - even with up to 80 mobs to manage. 'It's just so easy now. We've got about 90% of it sussed and all that is required is a bit of fine-tuning'.

"Mother Nature has last say on Franklin beef unit"
"$1000/ha net is achievable"
"Heavy investment has paid off"
Mike Bland, Country-Wide Northern / Business, New Zealand. 01-Nov-2008

The South Australian Research & Development Institute is evaluating liveweight gain of bulls on both dryland and irrigated pastures using a new TechnoGrazing system established at Struan Research Centre, Naracoorte, in 2001
The aim this year is to produce 1000 kilograms of liveweight gain a hectare from dryland pasture in 550 millimetre rainfall. 'We are on track to reach this aim, with bulls gaining 0.8-1.2kg over the past two months,' Mr Hebart said.

"TechnoGrazing trials lift liveweight gain in cattle"
Farmonline, Stock journal, Edition News: Livestock. Sep-2003

Anticipated maximum pasture growth in a normal season at Struan is 80-90 kg DM/ha/day. Spring pasture growth in 2003 was poor (maximum daily recorded level was 45 kg DM/ha). The required average daily gain (1.2 kg) to reach 1000 kg of liveweight gain per ha was, therefore, not achieved. However, liveweight gain greater than 800 kg/ha was reached in 1 system of bulls, with average daily rate gain ranging from 0.82-1.03 kg in the 4 systems.
By comparision for much of the beef producing areas of south-eastern South Australia, average liveweight gain over spring is only 100-350kg.

"The use of TechnoGrazing™ to increase beef production on dry land pastures in south-eastern Australia", Download (PDF, 204kB)
Csiro Publishing, Animal Production in Australia. Jul-2004

Initial setup costs of $350/ha from a bare-paddock start. With gross margins of about $700/ha thanks to the high stocking rate and better pasture use, it can be viewed as much cheaper than buying more land at market prices of about $4000/ha.
Stocking rate for the pasture area has risen from 16 DSE/ha to 40 DSE/ha and John says some TechnoGrazing producers have paid off set-up costs in their first year
A major bonus of the system is its efficiency. 'For 800 bulls it takes one person about six hours a shift, and one labour unit for 2000 bulls is not bad,' he said. 'So one labour unit for every 10,000 DSEs is not very labour-intensive and there is opportunity to double our carrying capacity'.

"System lifts margins to $700/ha"
Farmonline, Stock journal, Edition News: Livestock. Dec-2004

In 2006 only 266mm of rain was recorded in the Naracoorte area vs the long term average of 532mm. This resulted in significantly reduced pasture production compared to previous years
Bulls grazed on the Technograzing™ systems achieved liveweight gains ranging from 480 to 686kg/ha.
Bulls grazed under set stocked conditions on an adjacent area of similar phalaris-based pasture achieved liveweight gains of 292kg/ha.

"TechnoGrazingTM in a drought - is it still successful?" Download (PDF, 299kB)
SARDI Livestock & Farming Systems. 2007

Rotational grazing maintains the phalaris component of a pasture

"Intensive rotational grazing does not result in phalaris dominating the pasture sward" Download
(PDF, 586kB)
SARDI Livestock & Farming Systems. 2008

IRG (Intensive Rotational Grazing - TechnoGrazing)
CG (Continuously Grazed - Set Stocked)

Rob Kelly, wants to be running 900 breeding ewes year-round on 75 hectares.
The historical stocking rate on "Mount William", the 570ha property, is seven ewes a hectare, or 10 DSE/ha.
He is now successfully running 10 breeding ewes a hectare (14 DSE/ha) and weaners at 17 DSE/ha.
Central to the project, 'Optimising nutrition in Merino production systems', is the Technograze high-intensity rotational grazing system pioneered in NZ
Dr Kahn's monitoring confirmed that the Technograze system delivered substantial benefits to the semi-improved pasture and minimised worm burdens in the sheep compared with a control area set-stocked at 10 DSE/ha.

"It's no dream - 900 ewes on 75 hectares"
Matthew Cawood, Farmonline, "The Land", Livestock, Australia. Apr-2004

Rob has been averaging a stocking rate of 15 DSE/ha on coarse granite and naturalised pastures growing on moderately fertile soils. On that basis, gross margins across much of the region could realistically be $400-$410 a hectare from stocking rates of 18-20 DSE. Despite carrying substantially more animals, the long rest periods needed for on the rotationally grazed country have ensured growing volumes of feed.
The results of the study, and his own observations, are so convincing that Rob is now working toward establishing a second Techno Graze system.
I'd now advise anyone setting up one of these systems to put it on their best, most productive country, and work it to be the driving force behind the rest of your enterprise. With one or two Technos taking up a small area of your best ground, you can run enough animals to take the pressure off the rest of your country so that you have an opportunity to develop it.

"21st Century grazing at Guyra" Download (PDF, 117kB)
mlaPrograzier, Australia. Summer-2005/06

Nuffield Scholarship Report

"Production verses marketing: where should Australian wool producers focus?" Download (PDF, 598kB)
Robert Kelly, 2005 Scholarship Report for the Australian Nuffield Farming Scholars Association, Project No: AWI 0205. 28-Feb-2008

'The net effect I'm looking for is to increase income level from my current land with lower costs of production, and without increasing my overheads, Rob says. IRG has delivered these outcomes.
In 2006, one standout figure emerged: IRG earned Mt William a gross margin of $328 per hectare, $35 more than the CG high group and $240 more than the CG low group.
In 2007, when a tough winter forced Rob to drop his IRG stocking rates to 7 ewes/ha, gross margins on IRG fell to $180. Gross margins for the continually stocked groups plummeted disproportionately, to $38 for CG high and $37 for CG low.
Rainfall infiltration of the soil is better within the IRG area, and the gap appears to be widening as the continuously grazed land tightens up.

"A system that delivers" Download (PDF, 99kB)
mlaPrograzier, Australia. Autumn-2008

"Best practice management to increase the profitability of Merino sheep meat production." Download
(PDF, 97kB)
Lewis Kahn, University of New England, NSW, Australia & Meat and Livestock Australia
Ongoing research project MS.028, Jun-2008

We saw that you could increase production by lifting stocking rate under IRG or high density continuous grazing, but only under IRG could you predictably maintain that stocking rate through seasonal variations without degrading pastures and soils.
The average gross margin over two years was $153/ha under high CG (8.3 ewes/ha), compared to $29/ha under low CG (5.3 ewes/ha). Applying the same feed budgeting principles to pastures under IRG management further boosted gross margins to around $245/ha (9.4 ewes/ha).
Lambs under IRG were found to have negligible faecal worm egg counts (on average a few hundred eggs per gram compared to well over 11,000/g under the CG treatments).

"Finetuning pasture utilisation" Download (PDF, 122kB)
mlaPrograzier, Australia. Winter-2009

Before setting up this system, I was looking at renovating pastures we'd sown in the 1990's. From what I've been seeing over the past couple of years, except for a couple of areas, we may not need to renovate at all.
Intestinal worm counts are extremely low, despite a wet season. The last faecal worm egg counts on sheep under IRG were between 100-300 eggs per gram.
The TechnoGraze setup itself is just a tool; within that, you can adjust your management any way you like to suit your own circumstances

"Converting to TechnoGraze" Download (PDF, 88kB)
mlaPrograzier, Australia. Autumn-2008

Initially doubtful about Technosystem, Smith - the bank manager - sends others to the McCloys to see how it is done, such is the level of production and revenue.
Ron and Chrissy use Techno-cell systems on country which is not suitable for multi-lane systems. They fence existing paddocks into 0.5ha cells using GPS, giving 48 to 60-day rotations for one mob per cell system. The cost is approximately $100/ha for the materials and survey, compared with up to $400/ha for the full Technosystem. The cellular systems have the grazing flexibility and efficiency of a Techno, but not the labour efficiency.
Talking of sustainability, Ron and Chrissy McCloy believe Technosystem is able to run a large number of animals on a set area of land for ever, plus a built-in ability to fence off problem area riparian strips, bush areas and the like.
The number of drenches used on the Technosystems is only half that of the old paddock grazing, yet the only reason can be second-day shifting onto fresh pasture

"Technology marvels on Northland hills"
Hugh Stringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand. Aug-2006

We believe TechnoGrazing systems are a great way of utilising labour more efficiently while still retaining the ability to run small mobs of animals

"Black and White Gold: Turning Debt in to Dollars with Techno-ology", Download (PDF, 10.7MB)
Farming for the Future, Northland Pastoral Development Group, Conference Proceedings, May 2008

Friesian bulls are finished to a minimum liveweight of 570kg or 280-290kg CW on a 40ha Technosystem. About 80% of the animals are killed before their second winter, but the balance are carried through and finished in August and September to hit the higher schedule.
In spring, when the weather allows, all the yearling bulls are run on to the Technosystem to really push growth rates along. Last year the bulls were run on to the grazing system on September 1 at a stocking rate of 7.5/ha.
On this intensive grazing system the bulls are gaining an average 1.4kg/day over the spring, summer and autumn period.

"Pride in stock delivers performance in paddock"
Country-Wide Southern / Livestorck, New Zealand. Apr-2008

The next farming change came in the mid-1990s when beef prices were very low. 'I needed to generate more income, and that forced a revision of how we were farming; you never get meaningful change until you get a crisis,' he says. He visited Harry Wier and adopted his Technosystem for farming bulls: productivity went up, costs went down, animal health bill went down, losses went down and profitability rose.
Only two labour units are used on the farm which runs 2700 bulls, and up to 3000 at maximum.
We find that in most years we don't drench. But this year, the first time for a number of years, they needed drenching because of the drought.
Angus saves a lot of money by not re-grassing. He says it's not worth the value and trouble, and he's not getting enough soil damage to warrant it.

" Technosystem aids decision making "
Marie Taylor, Country-Wide Northern / Livestock, New Zealand. Oct-2007

Mr Wier explained that the key to his TechnoGrazing system was to find the 'sweet spot between maximising the intake and minimising the waste', where the animal's appetite was perked up by the move to the next paddock but at the same time ensuring it had eaten everything in the paddock it was leaving.
Mr Mabin says he was an instant convert. 'The light came on within five minutes of walking in the door. Seeing was believing; it was as simple as that'.
The system has stayed virtually unchanged for 10 years. The bulls are bought as yearlings in spring and buying continues regularly during summer with about two-thirds on the farm by the end of February. The rest arrive in autumn, after the summer dry.
So uncomplicated and undemanding is the work moving the bulls around the farm that he had to admit, after 20 years of it, that he was getting bored.

"Seeking a bullish solution"
Jon Morgan The Dominion Post, New Zealand. Jan-2008

The system design for the trial on the best land includes improved pasture, high stocking rates and a six-lane Technosystem, covering 16ha.
Last year the block produced 650kg/ha CW plus some baleage, which would be the equivalent of a further 50kg/ha CW. This year the target is 882kg/ha CW gain using over five bulls/ha.
The Technosystem had a capital cost of approximately $280/ha and would be paid back in just one year if the targeted 200kg/ha plus gain is achieved. The gross margin from this best block is expected to be over $1400/ha

"Northland couple targeting 400kg/ha beef"
Hugh Sringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand Sep-2005

Geff and Dinah Cookson's Meat & Wool New Zealand beef finishing focus farm made $1497/ha gross margin from the best flat land in 16ha of Technosystem.

"Northland beef farmer shifts up another gear"
Hugh Sringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand Aug-2006

"Intensifying beef production to a small paddock/cell grazing system" Download (PDF, 1.21MB)
R&D Brief 132, Meat & Wool New Zealand. Sep-2007

The Kiwitech hardware is very good quality, it works well as it is quick and easy to put up. If we had more flat to rolling land we would definitely put more Techno in, we also use it for sticks and strings and to fence off roading & gullies. direct quote: Geff Cookson

They also need to decide on the best intensive beef finishing system that suits the farm and to get it up and going.
Compared to the group average of sheep and beef farms benchmarked by Page in Northland, the meat and wool production of 216kg/ha on Temataa is about average, but only two-thirds of what is being achieved by the top 20%. 'The very best Northland finishing farms are doing over 400kg CW/ha, and EFS over $500/ha', said Page.

"Challenge laid for Far North farmers"
Hugh Stringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Monitor Farms, New Zealand. Sep-2004

Cattle stock units during winter on the O'Callaghan Monitor Farm at Taipa, Northland have taken a huge jump with the expansion of a Technosystem intensive beef programme to cover 60ha.

"Beef system expands"
Country-Wide Northern / Case Study, New Zealand. Sep-2005

Dennis O'Callaghan was asked why he had made two-thirds of his IBS Technosystem, when he had earlier wanted to keep expanding the home-grown cellular system alongside Techno for the purpose of comparison. 'I was so impressed with the mapping service when Tom Chisholm of Pasture Technologies in Palmerston North came up, that I went ahead with all Techno development,' he said.
Dennis said his development had cost $297/ha using lane fences with two hot wires with springs on poly standards. The water system is laid on the surface under the fences and contains the small bubblers. He believes the payback will come in the first six months of use, and the production target is around 900kg-plus/meat/ha

"Technosystem master still developing new add-ons "
Country-Wide Northern / Case Study, New Zealand. Sep-2005

soils where the intensive systems are located are saturated with water from springs and a soil pan
Dennis is finding TechnoGrazing's regular shifts are helping in managing wet areas vs 'the old system' (set stocking) where 'pasture and soil damage was very high'.
Comparative figures showed just over 200kg/ha gain from set-stocked rising one-year heifers over five months from mid June to end November, versus 700-935kg/ha gains from bulls and steers on the IBS. Future production on IBS is expected to be much higher than this.

"Technosystems remove damage from pugging "
Hugh Stringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Monitor Farms, New Zealand. Jun-2006

From May to December net liveweight gain has reached a peak of 935kg/ha, while in 2006 the worst areas did 660kg/ha LW gain.

"Techno beef gain 650kg/ha"
Hugh Stringleman, Country-Wide Northern / Profile, New Zealand, Mar-2007

Two decisions proved crucial to Gwavas' resurgence. One was to take on a new way of farming bull beef -- TechnoGrazing, an invention of Rangitikei farmer Harry Wier involving the grazing of bulls in paddocks divided up into small cells. 'Beef finishing lined up with our best grass growth between May and Christmas. If it went dry after that we destocked. That didn't matter, we had made our money. It gave us flexibility, we didn't have to make hay'.
He finishes 1500 rising two-year Friesian bulls and 200-300 steers a year on TechnoGrazing and estimates he has 400ha in small cells, some of the long strip paddocks holding 300 cells. He has subdivided the big farm that straddles Highway 50 at Tikokino into 100-120 paddocks and regrassed all the flat country. 'We've got the engine room ticking over, though we're still conscious of the possibility of drought -- you don't forget what they can do in a hurry'.

"Hawke's Bay heritage"
Jon Morgan, The Dominion Post, New Zealand. Dec-2004

With a minimum of 240 rising two-year bulls on an irrigated 56 ha in 13 different mobs, Herstall and his stock manager have used Harry Weir's Technosystems for the past nine years. In combination with this, for the past four years he has rotated bulls with lambs and live weight gains indicate that the approach is paying off, with 700 kg/ha meat production (net of live weight) today compared to 300-350 kg/ha nine years ago.

"Canterbury PPCS Livestock Award 2003 "
Balance Farm Environment Awards, New Zealand. Mar 2004

Herstall says the best performance achieved with the soft-hosed gun was 700kg of meat/ha. Since the pivot was installed in 2002, production has risen to 830kg/ha. It is expected to go over 900kg/ha once pasture renewal is finished and they get a full irrigation season without restrictions.

" Pivot cuts costs and lifts farm production "
Terry Brosnahan, Country-Wide Southern / Irrigation, New Zealand. Sep-2004

Grazier Brett Kissel said the stocking rate on his family's Sunbury property climbed from nine to 23DSE/ha on 550mm rainfall since he adopted TechnoGrazing.
Mr Kissel said weight gains through the system - used to produce bull beef - were phenomenal.

"Stocking rate gets impressive boost from strip grazing"
Travis Simmons, Stock Journal, Australia. Feb-2002