Dual-purpose Cereals for Improved Productivity, Soil Health and Pasture Management
Funding announcement - 11 November 2008
BCG and the Rainbow and District Landcare Group received funding to research the potential of dual-purpose cereals in the southern Mallee.
In the last decade of below average rainfall, livestock have been an important component of farm businesses in the southern Mallee, providing cash flow and income when crops have underperformed. Grain prices have been relatively low for much of this period, and feeding sheep grain at times of the season where other feed was not available was a profitable undertaking. However, with recent increases in grain price, feeding sheep grain is less profitable, and alternative feed sources need to be found to cover the feed gap which can occur in late autumn and early winter.
In high rainfall zones, grazing of livestock on cereal crops prior to the end of tillering (Zadoks growth stage 30) has provided valuable feed at a critical time with little or no reduction in subsequent grain yield. This project will investigate the potential of this practice in the southern Mallee.
In 2009, four experimental sites were established in farmer paddocks in the Rainbow district. These paddocks were sown as per usual farming practice, and following crop establishment, an area was fenced off and grazed according to best practice. Crop dry-matter accumulation and grain yield in grazed and un-grazed areas were recorded.
Funding for this project was provided via a Sustainable Practices Grant from the National Landcare Program of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
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| Participants at the grazing cereals night at Rainbow in March. |
Summary
Based on these farmer demonstrations there was no ngative impact on yield from grazing cereals. While protein was not affacted in these demonstations, grazing does apear to increase screenings.
It should be noted that the paddocks that were crash grazed exceeded the theoretical amount of DSE days and it could be assumed that grazing under this regime would have caused stock to lose condition. The lightly stocked paddocks closely matched the theoretical DSE days calculated. Stock in these paddocks should have been meeting their nutritional requirements.
The additional dollars associated with feed value would increase the gross margins achieved by farms in situations where supplementary feeding would otherwise have been required, particularly because no yield penalty was incurred. This is a big advantage of being able to graze cereals in a low rainfall environment.
BCG’s replicated trial work undertaken at Woomelang in 2009 showed that yield response to grazing was variety dependent and that some commonly grown varieties (eg Axe, Young and Hindmarsh) in the Mallee can suffer a yield penalty. However, in Rainbow these yield penalties were not realised. In a farmer demonstration at Jil Jil, grazed Hindmarsh did suffer a reduction in yield after it was grazed compared to the rest of the crop that was not grazed. This trial work can be found in BCG’s 2009 Season Research Results manual.
By applying the recommended rules of thumb developed in the high rainfall zone which is to only stock once cereal plants can no longer be tugged out of the ground (about GS13) and remove stock before the crop reaches GS30 there appears to be little impact on crop production and an associated benefit from the increased grazing.
Despite not being particularly evident in these farmer demonstrations, additional rules likely to apply to this region may be to only graze crops that are sown early (before 15 May), and to avoid grazing shorter season varieties. Hwever, more trial work will develop these rules of thumb for this region.
These results can be used to increase farmer confidence to graze cereals in the Wimmera Mallee.
To download the four page fact sheet click here.
Sowing - took place during April & May
- David Stasinowsky sowed Hindmarsh barley – 30 May
- Rob Robinson sowed Clearfield Stilleto wheat – 25 May
- Jon Fuller sowed Clearfield Stilleto wheat – 2 May
- Corey Smith sowed Hindmarsh barley – 25 April
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| Grazed Clearfield Stilleto wheat. | Ewes grazing Jon Fuller's paddock. |
Grazing - was according to farmer requirements
10 ewes and lambs were put in on Jon Fullers Clearfield Stilleto wheat.
For more information about this project contact BCG on 03 5492 2787.
