Grazing canola demonstration - Nairns

2010
CC BY 4.0

Research organisaton
Funding sources

Trial details

Researcher(s) Richard Quinlan (Planfarm)
Year(s) 2010
Contributor West Midlands Group
Trial location(s) East Binnu, WA
Grazing canola demonstration - Nairns locations
Aims

To assess whether the effects of grazing canola with sheep during the growing season: factors being assessed are yield and quality, dry matter production and grazing value.

Key messages

Canola provided significant grazing value during the growing season as well as during summer.The varieties tested showed minimal yield penalties from grazing with some varieties showing a positive yield advantage from the grazing operation.Grazing canola crops were able to provide good weed control and will allow the following wheat crop to benefit from this.Grazing canola and cereal crops allows farmers to alter their stocking rate quickly and easily as they progress through the season. This practise will mean in better seasons a much smaller proportion of paddocks will need to be left for stock and more paddocks can be taken through to harvest which will result in a significant increase in farm profitability. In poor seasons there will be less paddocks taken though to harvest which will result in a reduction in grain income, higher sheep grazing losses and lower farm profitability. The overall profitability of grazing cereal crops will depend on the frequency of dry years and good years.Don Nairn finds that grazing cereal crops takes the stress out of running sheep as there is always an option for the farmer when feed runs short (ie he can simply graze another crop). Hopefully this trial gives farmers a better appreciation of where the dollars fall when crops are grazed.

Lead research organisation N/A
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Trial funding source Caring for our Country
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments

Thanks to Don Nairn for allowing the trial to take place on his property as well as the many hours involved in recording sheep movements and yield and quality data.Funding for this project is provided by GRDC, in partnership with the Federal Government’s Caring for our Country program as part of Grain & Graze II.


Other trial partners Grain & Graze II
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Grazing: Application Method
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Unknown

East Binnu 2010

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 Table 1

# Variety
Treatment 1
Gross margin ($/ha) Net margin ($/ha)
1 44Y84 ITH Not grazed 217.36 98.26
2 45Y82 ITH Not grazed 155.48 -160.14
3 571CL ITH Not grazed 296.92 -18.7
4 Hurricane TT Not grazed 121.16 -123.84
5 44Y84 ITH Grazed 200.2 -31.79
6 45Y82 ITH Grazed 329.16 97.17
7 571CL ITH Grazed 216.84 -15.15
8 Hurricane TT Grazed 78 -83.37

Gross margin $/ha


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Net margin $/ha


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
East Binnu, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
East Binnu, WA Chromosol
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 East Binnu WA
2010 324.7mm
2009 358.5mm
2008 398.8mm
2007 280.7mm
2006 313.7mm
2005 342.3mm
2004 319.6mm
2003 338.0mm
2002 333.0mm
2001 338.8mm
2000 381.7mm
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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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.

East Binnu WA

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 last modified: 27-06-2019 13:35pm AEST