Perennial Profit in the Mallee Wimmera

You may scroll down the page to read about this project, or use the links below to jump straight to a particular heading.

• Background
• Project objectives
• Project phases
• Systems Innovation
• On-ground
• Seeing the Benefits
• Walking the Talk

Background

Livestock have been an integral component of cropping systems since the advent of agriculture in Australia; however with the intensification of cropping rotations, the emphasis on the animal component of farming systems in the Mallee Wimmera has declined. In addition, the pasture systems that have evolved have been developed primarily as a means of improving crop performance. In recent times there have been higher than average returns to be gained from livestock renewing interest in their role in cropping systems, however the farming systems that have developed have exacerbated the livestock feed gap between February and May. This gap is especially evident in poor seasons.

Most livestock suffer from protein shortages during summer when annual pastures have dried off. Research has shown that the productivity of livestock can be greatly enhanced with small quantities of plant protein (eg green pick) during the summer autumn period. The most suitable plants to fulfill this role are deep-rooted perennials.

Perennial species are also likely to have improved environmental outcomes through the reduction of recharge and the maintenance of ground cover to reduce erosion.

However, there is an opinion that perennial species do not contribute greatly to winter feed production and improvements in animal productivity will continue to be based on the contribution from annual species.

Objectives

Alexandra Gartmann, BCG CEO, launches  Perennial Profit in the Mallee Wimmera at the 2006 BCG Grains Research Expo.

The work has been supported by the National Landcare Programme, MCMA & FFICRC between 2006 and 2008.

Its objectives were to:

• Establish profitable grazing systems that address Natural Resource Management (NRM) challenges
• Increase landholder adoption of sustainable land management practices within the Wimmera Mallee environment
• Utilise grazing systems to resource NRM activities and increase productivity
• Scope, test and validate pasture species suitable for the Mallee and Wimmera regions.

In 2009 further monitoring on selected sites was undertaken to continue knowledge development. This was supported but the Mallee CMA.

Phases

The project involved four phases, each with a number of components.

1. Systems Innovation

The initial phase was to review existing grazing systems within the Wimmera Mallee region and investigate novel grazing systems being used elsewhere in Australia and the world. An 'audit' was conducted by a group of national pasture experts and investigated potential pasture species options for the Wimmera Mallee. Some of the pasture types investigated include grasses and legumes, native and exotic, and subtropical and Mediterranean species. Each of the pasture species included in the report is described in terms of potential advantages of a system (adaptation, seed availability), benefits (biodiversity, water/salinity management), and constraints (establishment, anti-nutritional compounds).

A report was finalised in November 2006. It provides information for each of the following adaptation and feed quality parameters where information is available:

• Suitability to soil types found in the Mallee Wimmera.
• Climatic compatibility to the Mallee Wimmera environment.
• Sowing requirements including:
• Germination pattern.
• Pre treatment required of seed.
• Fertiliser requirements.
• Seed treatments including inoculation of legumes, fungicide treatments, etc.
• Seed bed requirements.
• Weed control measures including herbicide susceptibility and tolerances.
• Seed availability.
• Suitability and compatibility with other species in a pasture mix.
• Data on animal performance including feed quality and the presence of toxicities.
• Management strategies, if known, to minimize animal productivity losses.
• Recommended grazing management strategies.

Download a full copy of the report (please note: the report is 2MB and may take some time to download).

2. On-ground

Phalaris pasture at Morton Plains 4 December 2006.

2006 was a difficult season for pasture establishment. Eight sites were sown in 2006, of which five established.

In 2007, fifteen additional sites were sown increasing the total area of trials and demonstrations to 254 hectares. 32 hectares of subtropical grass species were sown in the spring of 2007.

Selection of the on-ground sites was based on quality farmer participants, geographical location, access to water and shelter for the livestock grazing and suitable site history. The sites were geographically spread across the BCG area of influence, overlaying parts of three CMA regions and each site was approximately ten hectares in size.

Site locations:

The use of guidance technology for the establishment of stands of temperate and subtropical species was investigated on two of the sites. Wide row spacing combined with guidance technology was used to sow Lucerne at the Dumosa demonstration site and the Manangatang site.

In 2009 measuring the dry matter and persistence of:

• all sown sub-tropical pastures at Hopetoun site continued (dry matter cuts and plant counts March 2009, June 2009, and monthly from Sept 2009 - Feb 2010)
• all sown temperate grass pastures at Manangatang site (dry matter cuts and plant counts monthly from April 2009 until November 2009)
• sown pastures at two on-farm sites (two sites close to Birchip – a lucerne only planting and a lucerne-phalaris planting).

Lucerne planting took place in 2009. Dry matter cuts and plant counts were undertaken bi-monthly from Sept 2009 - Feb 2010. Lucerne-Phalaris was also planted and dry matter cuts and plant counts were also taken bi-monthly from May 2009 - Feb 2010.

Site hygiene was managed at Hopetoun where weeds required 2 herbicide applications and slashing once in early spring. Hygiene was also managaed at the Managatang site, slashing once in autumn and weed control during winter was also required.

3. Seeing the Benefits

The third phase was an analysis of system costs. An economic monitoring framework was established, to ensure data collected from project commencement. Economic analysis is a critical component for successful adoption by the farming community.

4. Walking the Talk

Communication was continuous within the project, and concentrated on groups for information sharing and interpretation in the initial stages, with regular 'sticky beak' days, presentations and articles to describe the project and its achievements to a wider audience.

There were several activities undertaken in 2007 despite the extremely poor season and low mood of the farming community. These included:  three local Sticky Beak Days, a bus tour, and BCG's Grains Research Expo held Wednesday 4 July 2007. The expo showcased the Perennial Profit Project with a Perennial Profit stand manned by leading pastures experts including Eric Hall (Tasmania Institute of Agricultural Research), Roy Latta (DPI Walpeup), Jake Howie (SARDI), David Peck (SARDI) and Anthony Whitbread (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems). Details about this event were advertised in BCG News June 2007 edition. This event was attended by 425 farmers and 200 researchers.

L to R: Anthony Whitbread, Peter Hayman, and Rick Llewellyn at BCG's 2007 Expo.	L to R: Karl Drever from Stephen Pasture Seeds at the Hopetoun site, discussing ryegrass attributes.

A range of written information has also been compiled to help promote the project. This includes:

• An article in BCG’s 2007 Season Crop and Pasture Production Manual. The yearly results article published in the BCG manual has a distribution of 700.
• BCG News article, February 2007. The BCG bi-monthly newsletter has a distribution of 750 recipients.
• Filling the feed gap – Stock & Land article October 11^th 2007
• Perennial Profit page of BCG website has been kept updated with media releases. Perennial Profit Final Report 2006-2008
• Leguminous Options in the Mallee
• Sub-tropical Pasture Options in the Mallee
• Mallee Farmer article

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