Savernake Species Demonstration Site:  To demonstrate the impact of lucerne seeding rate and variety on pasture persistence and quality.

Barooga Grazing Demonstration Site: To demonstrate the benefits of rotationally grazing lucerne for improving pasture persistence, pasture quality and animal production.

• Lucerne is a valuable perennial legume pasture capable of producing high-quality feed for stock from spring to autumn
• Rotationally grazing lucerne-based pastures, to allow a rest period, is important for lucerne persistence and productivity, as well as the productivity of stock grazing it
• To support persistence, lucerne sowing rates and cultivars should be selected to achieve target plant densities and productivity, while also being suited to the region’s rainfall, temperature, and type of farming system
• At Savernake, lucerne quality declined from September to January before stabilising between January and March
• Well-managed lucerne pastures are valuable options for improving livestock farmers’ drought resilience