Fodder crop rotations and crop blocks are used to modelled crops within the farm system. Deciding which one to use is determined by the following:
Use a Fodder Crop Rotation when:
- fodder or forage crops rotate through selected pasture blocks and are resown back into permanent pasture within 12 months
- fodder or forage crops rotate through up to 25% of the pasture area
Use a Crop Block when
- fodder or forage crops rotate through more than 25% of the pasture area
- The crop rotation is longer than 12 months
- When crops follow crops in a rotation
- Crops other than forage or fodder crops are being modelled eg Grain crops
- when you are trying to understand the potential impact on the farm system of growing a crop in a specific part of the farm e.g. on a particular soil type
- When the crop is managed differently to the pasture block/s e.g. different irrigation or effluent management