Oaten trials

To compare the production of different winter pastures and their recovery from grazing.

To investigate selection of the right rotation and herbicide strategy for brome grass management.

To conduct a cereal variety demonstration.

To assess the ryegrass control ability of crop rotation, in combination with pre- and post- emergent herbicides.

To compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Victorian Mallee.

Agronomic constraints threaten the sustainability of intensive cereal no-till cropping systems. Local research has shown these constraints can be managed by diversifying rotations with break crops, however as this research was conducted at only one site, farmers wanted to know whether the same results would be observed on a commercial scale at a whole of paddock level. In 2014, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (Mallee CMA) funded a project to compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Victorian Mallee.

Agronomic constraints threaten the sustainability of intensive cereal no-till cropping systems. Local research has shown these constraints can be managed by diversifying rotations with break crops, however as this research was conducted at only one site, farmers wanted to know whether the same results would be observed on a commercial scale at a whole of paddock level. In 2014, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (Mallee CMA) funded a project to compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Victorian Mallee.

Agronomic constraints threaten the sustainability of intensive cereal no-till cropping systems. Local research has shown these constraints can be managed by diversifying rotations with break crops, however as this research was conducted at only one site, farmers wanted to know whether the same results would be observed on a commercial scale at a whole of paddock level. In 2014, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (Mallee CMA) funded a project to compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Victorian Mallee.

Agronomic constraints threaten the sustainability of intensive cereal no-till cropping systems. Local research has shown these constraints can be managed by diversifying rotations with break crops, however as this research was conducted at only one site, farmers wanted to know whether the same results would be observed on a commercial scale at a whole of paddock level. In 2014, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (Mallee CMA) funded a project to compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Victorian Mallee.

• To measure the productivity and recovery of cereals under simulated grazing regimes.
• To determine the number of times cereals can be grazed without affecting yield.

To collect more data on dry matter and production figures for forage varieties.

To assess and evaluated a range of different pasture varieties at three different sites.

To assess and evaluated a range of different pasture varieties at three different sites.

To report on experimenting with a range of pasture and fodder-type options based on TG1, 2 and 3 and aims to gain an understanding of how they work in the south-eastern HRZ.

To assess the long-term impact of a range of P fertiliser rates on crop yield and economic returns

To identify plant varieties or mixtures that can increase dry matter production of the pasture break phase on the highly alkaline soils of upper Eyre Peninsula. Current cropping and grazing systems are mostly based on monocultures and the potential feed base of the break phase could be broadened to be more productive for grazing and available for a longer time period in the season. Current oat varieties, mixed break crops and newer pasture species were trialled at Piednippie in 2018 to investigate whether a more productive and prolonged feed base is possible.

The issue of enteric (from intestines) methane (CH₄) emissions produced by ruminant livestock is gaining local and global interest due to methane being a powerful greenhouse gas and ruminants being a significant source of emissions. In the absence of measurements, prediction models can facilitate the estimation of enteric methane emissions from ruminant livestock and aid investigation of mitigation options. In Southern Australia, the management of the feedbase in low rainfall mixed farming systems through addressing ‘feed gaps’ – times of year during which the supply of forage is insufficient to meet livestock demand; is a key practice change which has the potential to mitigate methane emissions, particularly from sheep.

The aim of this trial was to evaluate pasture/forage options with a potential to fill the late-spring and early winter feed gaps and to measure comparative animal production and feed quality in response to current and improved forages. Methane output (gCH₄/day) was simulated using the GrazFeed model.

The GrazFeed decision support tool is a component of the GRAZPLAN decision support project for Australian grazing enterprises developed by CSIRO to help graziers improve the profitability of livestock production through more efficient use of pastures and supplementary feeds. It does this by predicting the intake of energy and protein and their use for maintenance and production (Freer et al., 1997).

To compare the early grazing value, hay production or grain yield of oat varieties.

The trial aims to explore the role that pastures can play in the crop rotation across the South-East region. It aims to quantify the role that pastures can play in providing nitrogen to the cropping system, and also its potential role in managing weed issues in the high rainfall regions compared to a conventional cropping system.

To discuss benefits and practicalities of individual growers weed management tactics; and to assist others to decide if adopting similar methods would be beneficial on their property.

The aim of this project was to test if including one or two-year break phases in low rainfall crop sequences could successfully address agronomic constraints to increase the productivity of subsequent cereal crops and improve the profitability of the long term crop sequence when compared to maintaining continuous cereal

To investigate where wheat performs best in a crop rotaion.