Kikuyu Trial

This trial at NARF compared a kikuyu based farmlet with a ryegrass farmlet for profitability under best practice. The kikuyu was mulched and undersown with Italian rye in autumn, effectively transitioning the pasture to ryegrass each spring. Supplements were fed in order to maximise profit on both farmlets. Over a three year period and with a range of climatic conditions the trial showed that well-managed kikuyu can give similar profit per hectare as rye-based pastures.

This would suggest that efforts should be focussed on managing kikuyu well rather than eradicating large areas of kikuyu. Download the 2 page summary or the full report below.

Kikuyu Trial Summary [PDF] Kikuyu Trial Detail [PDF]