Grazing system impact on livestock productivity, soil moisture and soil organic carbon
| Project start date: | 28 February 2020 |
| Project end date: | 01 September 2024 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | NSW |
| Site location: | Northern NSW |
Summary
This project will develop ten trial sites across the New England region and establish the baseline data required to determine the optimal blend of pasture production and feedbase utilisation for improved livestock productivity and increases in soil carbon levels.
Objectives
1. Over five years this project will provide a comparison of pasture and resulting livestock production across twenty 40 hectare sites (two per site) using a high density / high inputs rotation and high density /low inputs grazing strategy.
2. Develop a set of standard land and soil benchmarks across all treatments.
3. Measure change in plant available water (PAW) and water holding capacity (WHC) for all treatments and report the impact of each management practice/grazing system.
4. Measure change in soil organic carbon (SOC) under the above grazing systems and report on the impact of each management practice/grazing system, and the interrelationship with WHC.
5. Measure and report on baseline pasture condition, species makeup, sward health and macrofauna of each demonstration site and compare the impact of grazing practices throughout the project.
6. Measure seasonal pasture mass (kg green DM/ha), estimate pasture quality and quantity, and provide an estimate of typical pasture growth rates expected for your pasture type/soil fertility/season, including any inputs.
7. Measure livestock production through live weigh gain (LWG) between the treatments throughout the project using an industry recognised method (to be agreed during development of the project workplan.
8. Participate in an MLA facilitated workshop and activities which will develop a carbon account for each participating farming system, using the approved MLA carbon accounting tool.
9. Provide industry communication and engagement through targeted events, media events and reports that drives project participation, awareness and adoption, as well as a final report outlining the outcomes of the program, including recommendations on best grazing management practices and their ability to increase soil profile carbon, pasture productivity and managements, and resulting livestock performance.
10. Provide evidence of how grazing best management practices can impact the whole of farm carbon footprint.
Progress
This project will develop ten trial sites across the New England region and establish the baseline data required to determine the optimal blend of pasture production and feedbase utilisation for improved livestock productivity and increases in soil carbon levels.
In 2023 emphasis will be placed on data analysis and starting the quantification of the relationships between soil moisture, soil organic carbon, and biomass production. The third year soil sampling will be conducted in September – October, for test results to be presented at the field day in Spring to demonstrate the changes in pasture and livestock production under low intensity, low rotation and high intensity, high rotation grazing systems.
