Sheep and no-till: no worries!

2012
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Paul Breust (FarmLink)
Neil Fettell (UnE)
James Hunt (CSIRO)
John Kirkegaard (CSIRO)
Mark Peoples (CSIRO)
Antony Swan (UnE)
Year(s) 2012
Contributor FarmLink Research
Trial location(s) Temora, NSW
Sheep and no-till: no worries! locations
Aims

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

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

We thank the Catch More, Store More, Grow project steering committee for their advice on conduct of the Temora experiement, and the Coleman family for hosting this experiment.


Other trial partners University of New England
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Cereal (Grain): Wheat
Treatment type(s)
  • Grazing: Application Method
  • Grazing: Timing
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Replicated

Temora 2012

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date late November, early December
Plot size 7m x 16m
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Variety
Treatment 1
Bulk density (mg/m3) Grain yield (t/ha) Stubble remaining (t/ha) Infiltration rate (mm/h) Soil strength (kPa) Protein (%) Plant available water (mm)
1 Bolac Nil graze 1.18 4.8 7.4 79 150 10.5 138
2 Bolac Stubble graze 1.28 4.9 3.3 36 360 10.3 140
3 Bolac Winter and Stubble Graze 1.27 4.8 3.1 24 524 10.5 132

Grain yield t/ha


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Bulk density mg/m3


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Infiltration rate mm/h


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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
Temora, NSW Red chromosol
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
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 Temora NSW
2012 603.7mm
2011 615.3mm
2010 622.2mm
2009 570.3mm
2008 556.2mm
2007 475.6mm
2006 514.6mm
2005 516.7mm
2004 454.7mm
2003 422.3mm
2002 414.1mm
2001 454.0mm
2000 430.4mm
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.

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: 05-06-2019 11:58am AEST