MLA Producer Demonstration Sites- Summer Forage Crops 2020

2020
CC BY 4.0

Research organisatons

Trial details

Researcher(s) Samantha Cullen
Year(s) 2020
Contributor Stirlings to Coast Farmers
Trial location(s) Green Range, WA
Manypeaks, WA
North Manypeaks, WA
MLA Producer Demonstration Sites- Summer Forage Crops 2020 locations
Aims

To demonstrate the feed value of high biomass summer forage crops for increasing stocking rates and live weight gain of prime lambs and beef cattle compared to current systems used in the high rainfall zone. 

 

Key messages

Manypeaks

At the Manypeaks site, Pallaton Raphno had a higher nutritional value than the ryegrass control, resulting in higher crude protein, digestibility, and metabolic energy. 

The raphno and ryegrass at the Manypeaks site produced similar levels of biomass. 

The raphno resulted in a weight gain advantage of 62.5g/head/day over the ryegrass. 

Raphno produced higher biomass levels under grazing pressure, allowing for much higher stocking rates than the ryegrass, with 1400 lambs on 45ha (31 lambs/ha), compared to 360 lambs on 30 hectares (12 lambs /ha).

Lamb live weight gain measured in kg/ha/day was 5.35kg/ha/day for the raphno compared to 1.31kg/ha/day achieved on the ryegrass.

North Manypeaks

The summer crop (Millet) had a higher nutritional value, crude protein, digestibility, and metabolisable energy than barley stubble.

The control (stubble) produced 3.5t/ha compared to the millet which produced 1.2t/ha. 

The millet growth was highly variable and showed signs of heat and moisture stress before the grazing period. 

Despite the environmental stress, the millet resulted in an average ADG of 253g/head/day, compared to 120g/head/day on the barley.

Green Range

Successful cattle induction to raphno was challenging to achieve. Best results were attained when weaner cattle were moved off Raphno onto pasture each day over the first week, slowly introducing them to longer grazing periods.

Poor induction the first grazing event saw steers reduce their ADG from 2kg/day on rye clover pasture down to 0.08kg/day on raphno.

Second grazing event by growing weaner cattle received a better induction and Heifers slowly built up to and maxed out at 1kg ADG.

Optiweigh system is a game-changer to better understand different forages and how different grazing systems influence weight gain and pasture utilisation.

Lead research organisation Southern Farming Systems
Host research organisation Southern Farming Systems
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments N/A
Other trial partners MLA
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop types Cereal (Grain): Millet Pasture: Mixed species Weed: Ryegrass None: No crop specified
Treatment type(s)
  • Grazing: Type
  • Management systems: Mixed farming
Trial type Demonstration
Trial design Unreplicated

Green Range 2020 Millet

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

Green Range 2020 Mixed species

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

Green Range 2020 Ryegrass

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

Green Range 2020 No crop specified

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

Manypeaks 2020 Millet

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

Manypeaks 2020 Mixed species

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

Manypeaks 2020 Ryegrass

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

Manypeaks 2020 No crop specified

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

North Manypeaks 2020 Millet

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

North Manypeaks 2020 Mixed species

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

North Manypeaks 2020 Ryegrass

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

North Manypeaks 2020 No crop specified

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 North Manypeaks average dry matter t/ha

# Treatment 1
Growing season Trial site Dry matter (t/ha)
1 Ryegrass 2020 North Manypeaks (WA) 3.01
2 Raphno 2020 North Manypeaks (WA) 3.83

Dry matter t/ha


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Trial results North Manypeaks Lambs average weight gain on forages for one month

# Treatment 1
Growing season Trial site weight gain ((g/hd/day)) weight gain (kg/ha/day)
1 Ryegrass 2020 North Manypeaks (WA) 109.38 1.31
2 Raphno 2020 North Manypeaks (WA) 171.88 5.35

weight gain (g/hd/day)


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weight gain kg/ha/day


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Trial results Manypeaks average dry matter t/ha

# Treatment 1
Growing season Trial site Dry matter (t/ha)
1 Barley Stubble 2020 Manypeaks (WA) 3.55
2 Millet 2020 Manypeaks (WA) 1.2

Dry matter t/ha


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Trial results Manypeaks lamb average dry matter t/ha

# Treatment 1
Growing season Trial site weight gain ((g/hd/day)) weight gain (kg/ha/day)
1 Barley Stubble 2020 Manypeaks (WA) 120 0.44
2 Millet 2020 Manypeaks (WA) 253.33 1.41

weight gain (g/hd/day)


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weight gain kg/ha/day


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Trial results Greenrange Catttle Weight Gain

# Treatment 1
Treatment 2
Treatment 3
Treatment 4
Growing season Trial site weigh in ave (kg) weight gain (kg/hd/day)
1 late October 2019 Raphno 250 head 5 Ha 2020 Green Range (WA) 325 0.08
2 September 2019 clover/ryegrass mix 250 head 5 Ha 2020 Green Range (WA) 305 2
3 Nov/Dec 201 Raphno 120 head 40 Ha 2020 Green Range (WA) 300 1

weigh in ave kg


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weight gain kg/hd/day


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Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Green Range, WA Not specified
Manypeaks, WA Not specified
North Manypeaks, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Green Range, WA Kurosol
Manypeaks, WA Kurosol
North Manypeaks, WA Kurosol
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.

Green Range WA

Manypeaks WA

North Manypeaks WA

Green Range WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Manypeaks WA

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North Manypeaks 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

2020 trial report



Trial last modified: 18-05-2023 12:46pm AEST