Grain & Graze 3 - The impact of livestock on paddock health

2015

Research organisatons
Funding source

Trial details

Aims

A long-term study was established at the Minnipa Agricultural Centre from 2008 to 2015 (EPFS Summaries 2008 to 2014) to assess the impact of grazing on crop and pasture production and soil health and also to evaluate this from a systems perspective.

The eight year demonstration with a wheat, wheat, pasture (volunteer and sown annual medic), wheat, pasture (self-regenerating annual medic), wheat and wheat rotation was also established to determine whether productivity could be improved under a higher input system compared to a lower input and more traditional system and what affect this had on soil fertility.

Key messages
  • Grazing sheep have not damaged soil health over eight years of several crop/pasture rotations.
  • In 2015 total annual biomass was greater in higher input and grazed rotations. High input grazed systems carried twice the stocking rate of a low input system.
Lead research organisation Southern Farming Systems
Host research organisation SARDI Minnipa Agricultural Centre
Trial funding source GRDC SFS00028
Related program Grain & Graze 3
Acknowledgments

I gratefully acknowledge the help of Mark Klante and Brett McEvoy for site management and John Kelsh for data collection. The Eyre Peninsula Grain and Graze 3 project is funded by GRDC (SFS00028).


Other trial partners EP, BCG, MSF, Ag Excellence Alliance
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Pasture: Medic
Treatment type(s)
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Grazing: Application Method
  • Sowing: Rate
Trial type Demonstration
Trial design Unreplicated

Minnipa Agricultural Centre 2015

Sow date Not specified
Harvest date Not specified
Plot size 350m x 100m
Plot replication 1
Fertiliser

In 2015 the trial was retained as a self-regenerating annual medic, with a fertiliser treatment of 18:20:00 DAP broadcast @ 100 kg/ha to the high input areas on 23 April.

Herbicide

Grass weeds were sprayed-out of the ungrazed sections on 7 October. No spraying was required on grazed treatments.

Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information

Download results

Trial results Table 1

# Treatment 1
Total biomass (t DM/ha) Biomass at anthesis (t DM/ha) Water use efficiency (% of potential)
1 Low input - grazed 5.2 2.8 66
2 Low input - ungrazed 3.7 3.7 65
3 High input - grazed 5.7 3.2 65
4 High input - ungrazed 4.1 4.1 54

Biomass at anthesis t DM/ha


Loading

Total biomass t DM/ha


Loading

Water use efficiency % of potential


Loading
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Red sandy loam
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Minnipa Agricultural Centre, SA Calcarosol
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 Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA
2015 504.4mm
2014 556.5mm
2013 476.4mm
2012 520.3mm
2011 558.1mm
2010 543.4mm
2009 534.2mm
2008 442.9mm
2007 440.4mm
2006 473.1mm
2005 447.8mm
2004 447.2mm
2003 462.9mm
2002 460.3mm
2001 504.3mm
2000 501.8mm
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

Loading

Climate

Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA 2015


Observed climate information

Rainfall avg ann (mm) 325mm
Rainfall avg gsr (mm) 241mm
Rainfall trial total (mm) 333mm
Rainfall trial gsr (mm) 258mm

Derived climate information

Minnipa Agricultural Centre SA

Loading
Loading
Loading

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

2015 trial report



Trial last modified: 08-10-2019 11:46am AEST