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Grazing wheat crops to reduce supplementary feeding in mixed wheat and sheep farms in southern Australia

2011

Research organisation
Funding sources
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
<abbr title='Grains Research and Development Corporation'>GRDC</abbr> <abbr title='Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation'>CSIRO</abbr>

Trial details

Researcher(s) Katrien Descheemaeker (CSIRO)
Dean Thomas (CSIRO)
Year(s) 2011
Contributor Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Trial location(s) Cleave, SA
Cummins, SA
Kyancutta, SA
Bendigo, VIC
Charlton, VIC
Swan Hill, VIC
Badgingarra, WA
Binnu, WA
Esperance, WA
Kojonup, WA
Merredin, WA
Mingenew, WA
Salmon Gums, WA
Scadden, WA
Wickepin, WA
Grazing wheat crops to reduce supplementary feeding in mixed wheat and sheep farms in southern Australia locations
Aims

To compare how the use of feed components in a mixed wheat and sheep farm are affected when grazing of immature crops is allowed.

Key messages
  • Grazing a spring wheat crop reduced the supplementary feeding required from 17.8 to 16.3 % of the seasonal energy intake of sheep on average across the locations that were studied.
  • Grazing crops were used more frequently (in 52% of years) for farms located in drier climates, compared with higher rainfall sites where they were used in 17% of years.
  • Increased use of grazing crops in drier areas was in part due to the later establishment of pastures, compared with crops, at these sites. Use of winter wheat varieties may increase opportunities to graze crops in higher rainfall areas.
  • Grazing crops had a relatively small overall contribution to the farm feedbase, however crops tended to be grazed in seasons when pastures were late to establish, so in these years access to grazing crops may help reduce supplementary feeding.
Lead research organisation Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC
Trial funding source CSIRO
Related program Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems
Acknowledgments

This project was supported by the Australian Grains Research and Development Corporation and the CSIRO Sustainable Agriculture Flagship. We would like to acknowledge the ‘Grain and Graze 2’ regional project groups, including Eyre Peninsula Grain & Graze, for their input on farming systems and management to inform the model.
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

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

Cleave 2011

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

Cummins 2011

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

Kyancutta 2011

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

Bendigo 2011

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

Charlton 2011

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

Swan Hill 2011

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

Badgingarra 2011

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

Binnu 2011

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

Esperance 2011

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

Kojonup 2011

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

Merredin 2011

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

Mingenew 2011

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

Salmon Gums 2011

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

Scadden 2011

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

Wickepin 2011

Sow date Not applicable
Harvest date Not applicable
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Cleave, SA Not specified
Cummins, SA Not specified
Kyancutta, SA Not specified
Bendigo, VIC Not specified
Charlton, VIC Not specified
Swan Hill, VIC Not specified
Badgingarra, WA Not specified
Binnu, WA Not specified
Esperance, WA Not specified
Kojonup, WA Not specified
Merredin, WA Not specified
Mingenew, WA Not specified
Salmon Gums, WA Not specified
Scadden, WA Not specified
Wickepin, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Cleave, SA Sodosol
Cummins, SA Sodosol
Kyancutta, SA Calcarosol
Bendigo, VIC Sodosol
Charlton, VIC Sodosol
Swan Hill, VIC Calcarosol
Badgingarra, WA Chromosol
Binnu, WA Tenosol
Esperance, WA Sodosol
Kojonup, WA Sodosol
Merredin, WA Sodosol
Mingenew, WA Sodosol
Salmon Gums, WA Calcarosol
Scadden, WA Sodosol
Wickepin, WA Sodosol
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 Cleave SA Cummins SA Kyancutta SA Bendigo VIC Charlton VIC Swan Hill VIC Badgingarra WA Binnu WA Esperance WA Kojonup WA Merredin WA Mingenew WA Salmon Gums WA Scadden WA Wickepin WA
2011
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2002
2001
2000

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.

Cleave WA

Cummins WA

Kyancutta WA

Bendigo WA

Charlton WA

Swan Hill WA

Badgingarra WA

Binnu WA

Esperance WA

Kojonup WA

Merredin WA

Mingenew WA

Salmon Gums WA

Scadden WA

Wickepin WA

Cleave WA

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Cummins WA

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Kyancutta WA

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Bendigo WA

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Charlton WA

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Swan Hill WA

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Badgingarra WA

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Binnu WA

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Esperance WA

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Kojonup WA

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Merredin WA

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Mingenew WA

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Salmon Gums WA

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Scadden WA

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Wickepin WA

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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

2011 trial report



Trial last modified: 03-11-2025 18:32pm AEST