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Sheep and no-till: no worries!

2012

Research organisation
Funding source
Birchip Cropping Group
<abbr title='Grains Research and Development Corporation'>GRDC</abbr>

Trial details

Researcher(s) Paul Breust (Farmlink Research)
Neil Fettell (University of New England)
James Hunt (CSIRO)
John Kirkegaard (CSIRO)
Mark Peoples (CSIRO)
Antony Swan (University of New England)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor Birchip Cropping Group
Trial location(s) Condobolin, NSW
Temora, NSW
Sheep and no-till: no worries! locations
Aims

To test whether sheep grazing in no-till systems damages soil and reduces crop yields.

Key messages
  • Sheep grazing on stubbles and crops do not reduce crop yields provided summer weeds are controlled and at least 70% stubble cover (2-3t/ha cereal stubble) is maintained.
  • Reduced water infiltration and yield from grazing are due to removal of cover rather than compaction; sheep’s mouths cause damage, not their hooves.
  • Sheep do compact soil, but only at the surface; natural shrinking and swelling of soils and sowing with knife points alleviates this.
  • Grazing of stubbles and crops appears to make more N available to crops, which can increase yield; the mechanisms by which this is achieved remain uncertain.
Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC CSP00111,CWF00013,FLR00005
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

This research was funded by GRDC projects FLR00005, CWF00013 and CSP00111. Funding for the Condobolin experiment was provided through Central West Farming Systems. We thank the Catch More, Store More, Grow project steering committee for their advice on conduct of the Temora trial, and the Coleman family for hosting this experiment.
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Wheat Hay: Lucerne Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Grazing : Application Method
  • Stubble : Management
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Condobolin 2012 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Condobolin 2012 Lucerne

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Condobolin 2012 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Temora 2012 Canola

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Temora 2012 Wheat

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified

Temora 2012 Lucerne

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Temora results

@T1: Pre Sowing @T2: After summer grazing @T3: Summer
# Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Protein (%) Grain yield (t/ha) Bulk density (mg/m3) Soil strength (kPa) Plant available water (mm) Mineral N (kg/ha) Stubble remaining (t/ha) Infiltration rate (mm/h)
1 █ 2009 – Wheat (Gregory) █ Nil graze 14.4 1.6 20 143
1 █ 2009 – Wheat (Gregory) █ Stubble graze 14.6 1.6 20 143
2 █ 2009 – Wheat (Gregory) █ Winter and Stubble Graze 14.9 1.2 20 143
2 █ 2010 – Canola (Tawriffic) █ Nil graze 4.1 1.22 222 155 178 5.4 33
3 █ 2010 – Canola (Tawriffic) █ Stubble graze 4.2 1.23 365 110 205 0.8 20
3 █ 2010 – Canola (Tawriffic) █ Winter and Stubble Graze 4 1.25 516 99 279 8 16
4 █ 2011 – Wheat (Bolac) █ Nil graze 13.1 4.6 1.35 298 201 93 102
4 █ 2011 – Wheat (Bolac) █ Stubble graze 13.5 4.6 1.38 355 183 126 4 49
4 █ 2011 – Wheat (Bolac) █ Winter and Stubble Graze 13 5.2 1.4 460 187 199 4 44
4 █ 2012 – Wheat (Wedgetail) █ Nil graze 4.7 203 99 9.8
5 █ 2012 – Wheat (Wedgetail) █ Stubble graze 4.8 192 144 4.2
5 █ 2012 – Wheat (Wedgetail) █ Winter and Stubble Graze 4.7 196 168 3.8
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Grain yield t/ha

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Bulk density mg/m3

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Infiltration rate mm/h

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Mineral N kg/ha

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Plant available water mm

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Protein %

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Soil strength kPa

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Stubble remaining t/ha

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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Condobolin, NSW Not specified
Temora, NSW Red chromosol
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Condobolin, NSW Kandosol
Temora, NSW Kandosol
Soil Moisture Source: BOM/ANU
Average amount of water stored in the soil profile during the year, estimated by the OzWALD model-data fusion system.
Year Condobolin NSW Temora NSW
2012
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Climate

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Condobolin NSW

Temora NSW

Condobolin NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Temora NSW

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2012 trial report



Trial last modified: 04-12-2019 16:36pm AEST