Timothy – the saviour of Icelandic agriculture?

Timothy
- the saviour of Icelandic agriculture
Áslaug Helgadóttir and
Þóroddur Sveinsson
The Agricultural University of Iceland

Why timothy
• Today timothy is the most important
forage grass in Icelandic agriculture:
– Yielding ability
– Feed quality
– Palatability
– Persistence
• But what has been its role in the
development of agricultural production
1900-2005

Agriculture in a historical light
Cattle
Sheep
250
200
150
100
50
0
1900 1925 1950 1975 2000
Relative changes in cattle and sheep production from 1901-2003.
Volume index 1945=100.

Agriculture in a historical light
I. 900-1900:
Self sufficiency
II. 1900-1945:
Cultivation begins
III. 1945-1980:
Technological advances,
Increased prodcution
IV. 1980-1995:
Prodcution restrictions
V. 1995-2006
Improved efficiency
Cattle Sheep
250
200
150
100
50
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Self sufficiency
900-1900
• Sheep husbandry was the main farming
activity.
• Hay was obtained from wild pastures and
bog lands.
• The country could carry 360,000 sheep.
• This was sufficient to maintain a
population of 60,000.

Cultivation begins
1900-1945
• Urban market for
agricultural products.
• Food security main
political driver.
• Farmers adopt new
technology.
• Artificial fertilisers
taken into use.
Cattle Sheep
250
200
150
100
50
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Technological advances,
increased production
1945-1980
• Subsidy system
rewards increased
production.
• Machinery imported
to reclaim new
agricultural land.
• Extensive cultivation
of grass fields with
imported grasses.
• Intensive use of
artificial fertilisers
and concentrates.
Cattle Sheep
250
200
150
100
50
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Production restrictions
1980-1995
Cattle
Sheep
• No political will for
continued subsidy.
• Changing food habits.
• Quota system
introduced.
• Production adjusted
to local demand.
250
200
150
100
50
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Improved efficiency
1995-2006
• Maintain margins by
reducing inputs and
increase outputs.
• No. of farms decline
but each farm gets
larger.
• Alternative land uses.
• Multifunctional
agriculture.
Cattle Sheep
250
200
150
100
50
0
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000

Cultivation of grass fields
8000
6000
Ha
4000
2000
0
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Year
Annual cultivation of grass fields (official state records 1921-1992
and estimated from seed imports 1995-2005).

Cultivation of grass fields
• Support to farmers for
reclaiming new land
for cultivation 1923.
• Heavy machinery
arrives after World
War II.
• Relcamation of
drained bogs to 1980.
• Field renovation after
1980.
Ha
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Year

Timothy in farmers’ fields
• Timothy and meadow fox-tail dominated
seed mixtures in the early years.
– Grindstad (N) and Øtofte (DK) 1955
– Engmo (1962); Korpa (1970); Adda (1982)
• Timothy made up 40-60% of the total area
sown 1971-1990.

Persistence of timothy
% cover
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Yr 1 Yr 2-5 Yr 6-10 Yr 11-20 Yr 21-30 >30 yrs
Years from sowing
From Thorvaldsson (1994)

Factors affecting persistence of
timothy
• Geographic location
• Moisture content
• Degree of winter damage
• Management
– Harvest regime
– Fertiliser treatment
– Mixture companions

Period of improved efficiency from 1995
• Increased demand for processed milk products.
• Reduction in the number of dairy farms.
• Dairy farms have been increasing in size.
• Increase in milk production per animal:
Milk l cow -1 yr -1
5500
4500
3500
2500
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year

Period of improved efficiency from 1995
• Substantial increase in the cultivation of grass
fields of which timothy has made up 75-80 % of
the total area sown:
8000
6000
Ha
4000
2000
0
1920 1940 1960 1980 2000
Year

Has timothy contributed to the
recent advances in milk production

Reasons for improved efficiency
• Improved quality of hay and silage.
• Increased barley production
• Genetic gains in the local cattle
population.

Improved quality of roughages
720
700
DMD, g kg -1 DM
680
660
640
620
600
580
1975 1985 1995 2005
Mean DMD of hay and silage samples from farms in NE-Iceland.

Improved quality of roughages
• Earlier harvest of primary growth resulting from
the uptake of wilted round bale silage in the
1980’s.
• Growing importance of timothy after 1995.
– Has made up 75-85% of total area sown with
forage grasses.
– Higher DMD compared to a mixture of
indigenous grasses (726 vs. 679 g kg-1).
– Superior palatability and daily volunatry DM
intake.

Increased barley production
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
‘91 ‘95 ‘00 ‘05
Year
Annual cultivation of barley from 1991-2005.

Barley cultivation calls for
systematic crop rotation
Has been
Could be

Systematic crop rotation gives
more fodder of better quality
Feed units, million
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Has been
Could be
Here, timothy plays a major role.

Unconventional uses of timothy
• Horse breeding for pleasure riding is now
a significant part of Icelandic agriculture.
• The urban horse population is large and
demands quality feed.

Unconventional uses of timothy
Timothy cut 2-3 wks after heading and made
into wilted silage fulfils the energy and
protein requirements of active riding horses
(Ragnarsson, 2004).

Conclusions
• Timothy was not an option for farmers until 1970
when winter hardy cultivars came on the market.
• Its superior yield and quality was not exploited
fully as persistence was poor and fields were
rarely reneovated.
• Recentemphasisoncroprotationallowsfarmers
to enjoy the benefits of timothy.
• Timothy has without doubt played a big role in
the recent advances in milk production obtained
over the last decade.