Plantain is a grazing herb that grows well across New Zealand and fits easily into most pasture-based farm systems. It can be managed on a similar rotation to perennial ryegrass and works alongside other pasture species.

The Primary Sector Growth Fund Plantain Potency and Practice programme, led by DairyNZ, is investigating how the grazing herb plantain can help farmers reduce nitrogen (N) losses to freshwater, and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the DairyNZ-led Plantain Potency and Practice programme, trials at Lincoln and Massey universities tested how plantain affects nitrogen leaching, pasture persistence and farm productivity under different soil and climate conditions.

Plantain is a low-cost option for Rotorua dairy farmers to reduce nitrogen leaching and help meet environmental targets. Adding it into pastures through annual broadcasting can significantly lower nitrogen losses while maintaining profitability.

A Rotorua dairy farm demonstrates that profitability and environmental performance can go together. Since taking over in 2019/20, Richard and Amy have operated a low-input system designed to meet nitrogen limits while remaining financially strong.

New research shows a lower amount of plantain in pasture can significantly cut nitrogen loss. Tune into Talking Dairy in 10 as Kate Fransen shares insights from DairyNZ’s Plantain Potency and Practice Programme.

The Plantain Evaluation System reviews how effective different plantain cultivars are at reducing nitrate leaching. This system helps you and regulators trust the performance of those cultivars deemed "effective" at this task.

Plantain in pastures can reduce nitrate leaching by affecting nitrogen in urine and soil retention. The page teaches you the importance of assessing the proportion of plantain in your pasture.

Using plantain has resulted in a 5% reduction in N-loss for the Passey’s so far, as modelled in Overseer and based on an average of 10% plantain in the pasture sward.

Farming in the Lake Rotorua catchment means meeting challenging N-loss targets. Knowing they had to do their bit for the environment, Steve and Paula Holdem began looking at tools to reduce their N-loss from their farm.

The Chicory and Plantain programme of work aimed to determine milk production responses to supplementing a pasture-based diet with chicory or plantain in summer, and how grazing management affected the growth and quality of these herbs, as well as

DairyNZ is leading a potentially game-changing catchment project to test the benefits of plantain in local pastures.

Rotorua farm owner Steve Holdem joins us to share his experience with Ecotain plantain: what’s worked well, what he and wife Paula have learned about maintaining it, and how it’s saving them from reducing their stocking numbers.

How effective is plantain at both reducing nitrate leaching and helping to fill the feed supply in warmer months?

Johan and Kylie are also mindful of their bottom line and this page looks at the link between the operating profit and environmental footprint of Waiorongomai Valley Farm and how that compares with other dairy farms in the Waikato region.