Forage Grasses

The first trials were set up and started by the PBRA in 1991 and today, there might be up to 40 active trials across New Zealand at any one time. 

A comprehensive, world-leading trial protocol document details how the NFVT trials should be run and how the resulting data used to create national and regional summaries.  To run this number of trials, the PBRA contracts independent trial operators along with some member company-run trials.

All trials are subject to rigorous inspections and audits to ensure the protocol is being adhered to at all times.  

The NFVT is administered by the Forage Technical Committee (FTC) made up of two representatives from each PBRA company.  

NFVT trials use replicated plot trials to establish the dry matter production of cultivars. All plots are subject to the same management regimes.  Dry matter is measured and the plots are either grazed by animals or have the herbage mechanically removed.  Data collected from all trials is analysed by a biometrician to produce the NFVT Summaries which are published annually.  Trial sites are located throughout the country, from Northland to Southland. These include irrigated and dryland sites and grazed (sheep and dairy) and non-grazed trials.

As well as collecting cultivar yield information, the NFVT also collects persistence and nutritive value data.