Introduction
Chicory is a perennial herb which has proven to be an excellent
source of high quality feed over the warm growing season. It has
demonstrated similar levels of production to lucerne at this time
of year.
Chicory has exhibited tolerance to acidity and has successfully
been grown in areas with low pH soils where lucerne cannot be
successfully established. It has a deep tap root which aids
persistence. It has good disease resistance and insect tolerance
and with appropriate management can provide viable stands for
many years.
Chicory is not a legume, and for maximum production will
require strategic applications of nitrogen in addition to its
requirements for phosphorous and other nutrients. In most cases
it is recommended that chicory be sown with a companion
legume to supply both nitrogen and another source of high
quality feed to the stand. In most cases white or red clover are
best suited.
In summary chicory provides an opportunity to produce large
quantities of high quality feed for milk production or finishing
stock over spring and summer and into autumn.
Chicory provides a well balanced ration with respect to crude
protein, energy and minerals. Passage through the rumen is very
rapid and sometimes the diet may lack sufficient fibre causing
scouring. Feeding extra fibre can slow the passage through the
rumen and gut and provide more effective rumen fermentation.
Grazing Management
Chicory should ideally be rotationally grazed with a four block
grazing system. This should allow grazing for one week of each
block with a three week spell. Each block should be grazed no
more than 2 weeks. During the cooler months extend the rest
periods to produce enough feed for grazing.
Graze chicory ideally between 1500 and 4000 kg DM/ha (or
from 30 cm down to 5 cm). Do not graze below 5 cm to protect
the crowns of the chicory plants.
Animal Performance
Puna chicory has proven to provide improved animal
performance over summer compared to other pasture options.
At Hamilton, Puna was able to finish 3 times as many lambs to
elite carcass specifications (> 22kg) than either perennial
ryegrass or tall fescue and clover pastures from late spring until
early autumn.
At Cowra Puna produced an average 17% more liveweight gain
than lucerne over 5 separate groups of lambs over spring and
summer.
In New Zealand, cows break fed Puna chicory at 4 kg
DM/cow/day produced an additional 14% more milk solids per
cow per day than cows fed perennial ryegrass/white clover
pastures alone.
Chicory Options
Puna was the first chicory released by Wrightson in 1986 and is
the most persistent and summer active. We have now released 2
further options - Puna II, a semi-erect perennial option with an
extended growing season; and Choice, a more erect type suited
to dairy grazing and sowing in pasture mixes with ryegrass.
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