trials

Determine the value of Wedgetail wheat for yearling steers. Determine the impact of grazing on the grain yeld of wedgetail wheat.

The purpose of the trial was to compare growth rates and dry matter production of alternative pastures with traditional medic pastures

To provide data to assist in decision making of using a cereal for grazing, hay and/or grain based on seasonal conditions, while knowing the relative multipurpose performance of the cereal options.

This project is investigating where and how perennials, including fodder shrub species can fit into our farming systems and the benefits they can have on production andsustainability.

To examine the livestock benefits and impacts on cereal yield and stubble aftermath by grazing.

To test whether soil fertility and health could be improved under a higher input system compared with a lower input and more traditional system.

• To test whether soil fertility and health could be improved under a higher input system compared to a lower input and more traditional system.

To test whether soil health and fertility can be improved under a higher carbon input system with or without grazing.

To test whether general soil health and fertility can be increased under a higher carbon input system with well managed grazing.

• To evaluate the fit of commonly used and non commercial (dual purpose) canola varieties in Southern Victoria under a range of sowing dates.
• To quantify the yield response of canola to a range of grazing conditions.
• To develop grazing principles for canola in the high rainfall zone.
   

To reports on the results of our “best bet” approach to making grazing canola work in our unique region. 

To assess the effect of sowing date on grain yield and quality for some recently released commercial lines along with some experimental lines that could be commercially available within the next 2 years.

To validate the effect of grazing intensity and growth stage on forage value and yield response of different wheat varieties, with sowing times suited to cultivar.

To determine the impact of grazing on soil condition and weed populations.  This report is on findings after two years of grazing. 

• To compare grain yields of early sown Revenue wheat (March) with grazed (cut) wheat sown at the same time and that sown at a more traditional time, May.
• The effect of a plant growth regulator (PGR) on uncut early sown plots was also evaluated.
   

To give an indication of performance at different parts of the island.

To record experiences of farmers using rotational grazing on stubbles (putting high numbers of stock on paddocks for short periods of time) suggest that more surface cover remains and less tracking is evident compared to paddocks where a lower stocking density for longer periods is used.

Investigation into the best economic solutions to pasture establishment, persistence and management to ensure long term productive grazing systems.

To determin the effect of grazing and burning stubbles on grain yield and quality in no-till and zero-till controlled traffic farming systems in SNSW.

To discuss strategies and tactics to extend whole-farm water-use efficiency - sow on-time or early!

To identify alternative grazing systems that are both sustainable and profitable in low-medium rainfall zones where cropping is no longer viable due to high risks and changing climatic conditions.

To reflect on sheep, crops and a month in spring.

To test whether sheep grazing in no-till systems damages soil and reduces crop yields.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

To assess the impact of sheep grazing on crops, stubbles, soil structure, water dynamics and crop yield.

• To determine if grazing alone can reduce Septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease pressure.
• To determine how long flutriafol, applied to the fertiliser, can control STB into the season.
• To assess the efficacy of the preliminary SDHI seed treatment to control STB.
• To assess whether the effectiveness of early control with grazing or seed treatments is improved with a foliar application of the foliar fungicide Opera (pryaclostrobin and epoxiconazole) at GS39 (flag leaf emergence).

To draw on this previous work and is testing a ‘best bet’ approach to incorporating OMSB into wheat belt farming systems in NSW.

To provide early feed for stock in autumn, a time of year when pastures haven’t established properly, and get ewes and lambs out of the confinement feedlot and onto good quality feed as soon as possible.

Sheep are an integral part of low-medium rainfall mixed farming systems across southern Australia and they account for 23% of Australia’s total livestock emissions. Apart from the contribution to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, the energy lost as methane represents a significant inefficiency in sheep production systems. Therefore, maintaining or improving the balance between forage and animal productivity, and methane emissions is likely to be a challenge under a warmer and drier climate. The aim of this trial is to evaluate pasture/forage options to fill in the late-spring, autumn and early winter feed gaps; and to measure comparative animal production, feed quality and methane emissions in response to current and improved sheep feeding strategies.

To test the vernalisation theory and answer questions around grazing management.

To explore the use of perennial shrubs as a feed source for profitable and sustainable grazing systems in low-to-medium rainfall areas of hte Mallee.

Tol trial a range of practices to increase sequestration of soil carbon, including:

• 1.Unviable cropping land managed for the introduction and/or increased levels of perennial component in pastures ( 3 sites);
• 2.Implementation of rotational grazing managed pasture for increased levels of cover and biomass (3 sites);
• 3.Degraded land managed for the introduction and/or increased levels of perennial component in pastures (4 sites); and
• 4.Land managed for the introduction and/or increased levels of perennial component in pastures (3 sites).

To measure the trade-off between medic pasture growth and yield of a following cereal crop, with different termination timing of the medic pasture.

To discuss how to achieve a dense medic dominant pasture.

To compare grain yields of early sown wheat with grazed (cut) wheat sown at the same time and that sown at a more traditional time, May. A further aim was to compare a commercial plant density for dual purpose and grain‐only production with reduced rates comparable to that used for early sowing in the UK.

To develop a regionally viable farming system which incroporates the establishment of native perennial pastures, cropping into native pasture adn rotational grazing of the pasture and stubble.

To determine the effect of grazing on grain yield of Naparoo wheat

To investigate the potential for using oats to increase fodder production over the early part of winter, thereby reducing the risk of running out of feed. 

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 use the simulation software AusFarm was used to model a mixed-farming system at Wagga Wagga with Merino ewes joined to terminal sires and grazing lucerne-subterranean clover pasture over a 41-year period.

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. 

To  explore the best economic solutions to pasture establishment, persistence and management to ensure long term productive grazing system.