High Production Annual Forage in Perennial Systems
| Project start date: | 01 June 2017 |
| Project end date: | 30 June 2020 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | Victoria |
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Summary
The increased use of annual ryegrass and the slower than expected uptake in the usage of grazing cereals in the Upper Wimmera region of Victoria prompted The Perennial Pasture Systems (PPS) to develop a demonstration project to show the value of adding annual varieties to increase overall production in grazing systems based on perennial pastures.
The aim of this Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) was to show the production, financial and grazing management benefits of high production annual forage systems in perennial grazing systems in low to medium rainfall regions (500 to 550 mm) of Central Western Victoria.
The use of stock containment areas and autumn saving of phalaris based pastures has become a feature of grazing systems in the region. Some members have gone further and are now treating some of their phalaris pastures as specialist lambing paddocks; an idea that came, partly, from the PPS study tour to New Zealand in 2015.
Objectives
The objective of this PDS was to demonstrate the value of optimal high production annual forage in perennial grazing systems on 12 member farms and demonstrate the impact that the improved pasture production has on lamb production systems.
Progress
The project was able to show the large increases in dry matter production that was possible at vital times, especially in mid winter, with the use of high production annuals.
Increases of over 70% in dry matter production when compared to winter dormant phalaris were recorded in annual ryegrass pastures. The use of annuals in the system allowed for more strategic use of perennial varieties to build feed wedges and assist in the persistence of perennial grass species.
The use of higher seed rates of ryegrass was investigated and suggest that the best results from using higher seed and input rates are achieved in high fertility soils. Soil constraints need to be addressed before there is likely to be a reliable response to the higher inputs.
The demonstration also reinforced the potential of using grazing cereals in lamb and wool production systems to fill winter feed gaps.
Where seasonal conditions allowed grazing cereals to be harvested for grain or hay after grazing, gross margins in excess of $1,000/ha were possible.
