From the back paddock - stories and news
Stories and news items related to pastures, forage crops, their uses, and the latest goings-on from the PGG Seeds team.
BOB Telfer, Merriwa, NSW, pictured below last month in his crop of Winfred forage brassica, sown into minimal moisture in mid March. At 12 weeks growth, Winfred brassica was yeilding 6600kg/DM/ha, compared with 4400kg/DM/ha from oats sown in the same paddock at the same time.
Mr Telfer runs a mixed grazing property of merino sheep, trade and breeding cattle. He planted the brassica crop to provide quality high-yielding winter feed for sheep and cattle, and for the opportunity to control problem grass weeds before sowing perennial grasses such as fescue.
Farmers like Bob Telfer of Merriwa in NSW are increasingly adding a forage brassica crop to their farming mix. In recent years flexible forage brassica crops have been introduced to the regions - to quickly provide a bulk of quality stock feed when needed; as a break crop between cereals; or as part of a pasture renewal programme.
Quality, quantity whenever you need it!
Farmers in a range od climatic zones are finding they can match forage brassicas to when feed is needed; they provide a quick bulk of quality forage in a wide range of farming systems and seasonal conditions. For example, they can be planted in spring if there was no autumn break, or as a short term late autumn/winter crop with and early break.
As well as providing massive growth, over a short period, the quality of forage brassics compares well with other common feeds - with average crude protein levels of 17-22%, digestibility of 78-86% and metabolisable energy (ME) of 11-12 MJME/kg of dry matter. For growth, animals generally require crude protein of 12-14%, metabolisable energy of greater than 10.5 MJME/kgDM and digestibility above 70%. Brassica meet all these nutritional needs required for animal production and growth.
In a 2005 Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries/PGG Seeds evaluation of autumn-sown forage options, Hunter forage brassica (sown April 21) yielded 20,456 kg DM/ha over 156 days. Nutritive value (at 26/9/2005) was 11.21 MJ ME/kgDM, 27.3% protein and 77.72% digestibility.
A break crop for cropping farms
Brassicas are an ideal break crop for controlling grass weeds, and for controlling fungal diseases on cropping farms. Forage brassics (gross margin $572/ha) for grazing are worth cosidering as an alternative to to oilseed brassica crops such as canola (gross margin $314/ha). See the PGG Seeds Brassica and Herb Bulletin for a full gross margin analysis.
The forage crop will require a boundary fence, a clean water supply for stock and preferably a means to subdivide the
Both Hunter & Winfred provide a large bulk of feed and multiple grazings. So before buying seed and sowing - decide when you are likely to need feed, and how you will use it. Consider split sowings to spread out the feed available for grazing - rather than having 'all or nothing'. If sowing at the same time in seperate paddocks, Winfred & Hunter can complement each other in a grazing rotation - which is useful if large volumes of feed are required for an extended period of time.
Ask for a copy of PGG Seeds latest Brassica and Herb Bulletin to help decide the best system and best varieties to complement your pasture, forage or cropping programme.
The new generation tall fescue, FLECHA MAXP®, from PGG Seeds has proved to be a hardy and productive perennial pasture during the drought in northern NSW.
On Ken McLennan's Bonny Rigg property at Warah Ridge near Quirindi in northern NSW, three and four year old stands of FLECTHA MAXP® are strong and dense when considering the drought the pasture has come through.
The main business at Bonny Rigg is breeding and growing Black Angus cattle for the EU feeder (380 kg) or finished (620 kg) market. In a 24-inch rainfall area, 170 ha of the property contains FLECHA MAXP®, sown with sub clover and NuSiral white clover. Included in the system are lucerne and tropical grasses, which provide feed in spring, summer and autumn.
The main role of FLECHA MAXP® fescue is to provide autumn, winter and spring forage to enable heifers to grow to their target 300 kg joining weight.
The majority of the fescue paddocks are split into 10 ha cells, with watering troughs covering every four cells. All pastures on Bonny Rigg are rotationally grazed, with fescue being grazed from 2800 kg of DM/ha down to 1500 kg DM/ha. Stocking rates average 100-125 DSE/ha for the grazing period, which reduces selective grazing and increases pasture utilisation.
Mr. McLennan has spread of FLECHA MAXP® fescue over both red and black soil types, with the red soil moisture building more quickly in autumn, to break dormancy and initiate growth, and the black soil areas holding longer into spring.
The dought tolerance of FLECHA MAXP® demonstrates on Bonny Rigg is supported by recent trial work in central NSW, where five replicated trials showed FLECHA MAXP® retained 68% ground cover compared with 28% cover of phalaris (Australian & Sirosa) after the drought. Mr. McLennan went on to explain "My three and four year old lucerne and phalaris mixes have performed poorly. I now have all lucerne in these paddocks with the phalaris dropping out in the droughts. I have FLECHA MAXP® in the paddock next-door which is still strong and has given me twice the number of grazing days" In the winter of 2007, steer growth on first-year FLECHA MAXP® (1.3 kg/day) was comparable to winter wheat (1.5 kg/day), making FLECHA MAXP® tall fescue an attractive option for high performance autumn, winter and spring finishing pasture, without costly yearly planting.
Tamworth PGG Seeds territory manager, Charlie Roberts, describes FLECHA MAXP® as a fine-leaved, highly winter-active tall fescue that is extremely drought tolerant and persistent, going dormant during hot dry summers, but recovering quickly in autumn to produce a large volume of feed in autumn, winter and spring.
In short, FLECHA MAXP® is ideally suited to regions with hot, dry summers by farmers looking for a persistent perennial pasture. It has the unusual combination of drought tolerance, as well as tolerance to wet soils.
Mr. Roberts urged farmers to take another look at fescues. "The new varieties are more palatable, with higher animal production than the old fescues. The growth potential and persistence of the new generation tall fescues provides a proven winter-feed alternative for growing and milking stock". He said the potential of tall fescue would be best realised when grown in good soils, with high fertility, regular fertiliser and attention to establishment and grazing management.
PGG Seeds' Pasture Technology Site: Sutton, NSW
The PGG Seeds Pasture Technology Site (PTS) is located on the Bingley family property, “Weerona”, situated near Sutton, just North East of the Australian Capital Territory. The PTS is managed as part of a working farm, so pastures and fodder crops need to perform. Species and cultivars used at the site are selected to suit the various soil types, fertility levels, topography, aspects, and the needs of the farming system. Information from the PTS can be obtained by attending paddock walks conducted throughout the year or by viewing a web page soon to be available on the PGG Seeds website.
The PTS was established in 2002 with species trials in one paddock, and since 2005 has been operated in its’ present scale of seven paddocks totalling 30 hectares. The site is managed by Chris Houghton Agricultural, an agricultural consulting firm in nearby Queanbeyan, in close liaison with PGG representatives Dean Baker, Sven Koljo and Gerard Lysaght.
Site Objectives:
To evaluate pasture and fodder crop species to determine:
- Their place in NSW Southern Tablelands farming systems.
- Their place across a typical grazing farm landscape.
- Management for optimum performance.
- Growth rates, annual production and long term persistence data.
- Performance as single species sowings or in mixes.
- The opportunity for sequenced planting of compatible species to optimise total dry matter production.
Above: David Bingley and his son Sam are in the midst of stacking round bales after baling a paddock of Crusader Italian ryegrass sown on May 6th 2007. It was cut on December 5th, receiving only 313 mm rainfall from sowing. Sixty-two round bales were removed from the paddock equating to an average dry matter production of 3670 kg/ha.
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Future Dairy trials
Yields from trials undertaken during the past three years by the FurtureDairy team have averaged more than 42 tonnes of dry matter a hectare from a complementary forage rotation (CFR) at Camden, NSW.
The CFR involved growing maize, brassica and Persian clover n the one year on the same area of land.
The 42t DM/ha yields came from 15t DM/ha brassica and Persian clover and 27t DM/ha maize harvested for silage.
Bill and Alison Jessep, commercial "partner farmers" at Maffra, Victoria, have followed FutureDairy's CFR principles for the past two seasons.
Despite the drought, the best trial plot on their property yielded more than 30t DM/ha. Similar CFR yields have been achieved by Steven and Darren Berkefeld, Mt Gambier, Vic, growing maize, plus different winter crop options suited to their area.
The Camden yields are about double the yields from perennial ryegrass pastures in Australia, grown under the best conditions. FurtureDairy science leader Yani Garcia, said one of the benefits of the CFR is it fills the autumn feed gap because the brassica provides a lot of quality feed when pasture availability is traditional low.
"CFR is also very efficient at using nitrogen and water – at least twice as efficient as well managed and highly productive pastures." Dr Garcia said.
The nitrogen efficiency comes from the legume component (Persian clover), which fixes atmospheric nitrogen, and maize is low in protein so has a low nitrogen requirement relative to its yield.
The crop mix achieved is "complementary" system in three ways Dr Garcia said. Firstly, at the soil/plant level, forage crops complement each other.
For example, the brassica has bio fumigation properties, which reduce pathogens in the soil, and the clover fixes the atmospheric nitrogen. Secondly, at the animal feeding level, there is a good nutritional balance between the low fibre, high protein and energy contents of brassica and the low protein, high-fibre characteristics of the maize silage.
Thirdly, as a system, the forages are designed to complement rather than replace pasture, overcoming limitations such as seasonality of pasture production and total forage yield.
Dr Garcia said a CFR must be manageable, sustainable and profitable.
While further trials are underway, FutureDairy is also investigating these issues through Partner Farms in Victoria and South Australia, and a case study farm in northern NSW.
"What we’ve learnt so far about implementing a CFR on dairy farms is that timing is absolutely critical," he said.
"Growing and feeding brassicas is more challenging than growing maize and ryegrass, and the CFR system can stretch farm resources".
While technical recommendations are important for implementing a CFR on-farm, FutureDairy is interested in the many other issues that affect its value in a dairying system – such as labour, business, social and lifestyle implications.
Initial financial analysis has revealed that the profitability of forage yields, although the direct cost of production - $110/t Dm to $120/t DM – of the CFR is about the same as for well managed pastures, there may be additional costs of providing a feed-out wagon and feed pad if these are not already on the farm.
FutureDairy's ongoing research is investigating a two-crop forage rotation, in which clover and brassicas will be alternated every two years.
For example, two years of brassica and maize then two years of clover and maize, making it easier to manage and reduce pest and disease risk.
Other FurtureDairy trials are investigating the environmental sustainability of the CFR system and a whole-farm system based on dedicating 35 per cent of the farm to CFR and 65 per cent to pasture.
Article care of The Land.
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Trial shows Italian ryegrass more lucrative than oats
With oats seed becoming expensive and in short supply, this season could see many Australian farmers turning to Italian ryegrasses as a valuable source of winter forage.
Advantages for farmers utilizing Italian ryegrasses during the winter period could include extended forage growing season, improved animal performance, higher returns and a second year of forage production.
Last autumn, Bundarra sheep producer Chris Strahle planted Crusader Italian ryegrass on his New England Tableland property in northern NSW. The ryegrass survived the dry summer conditions and is expected to fire away again with autumn rains. Mr Strahle sowed the ryegrass at 12kg/ha during March 2006, then fertilised with 125kg/ha DAP and 250kg single super, and has since rotationally grazed the ryegrass with Merino lambs.
“This was the first time I’d used Crusader Italian ryegrass, so it surprised me how well it held on in the dry season compared with oats” says Mr Strahle.
“The big difference came later in the season when my oats had finished and the Italian ryegrass was still green and leafy. The Merino lambs grew extremely well on the ryegrass, and carrying capacity was much higher than on oats – because it grew that much later into the season” he adds.
The feeding value of Italian ryegrass appears better than oats, especially later in the growth season; with nutritionists observing young stock, in particular, performing much better than on oats.
“From an economic viewpoint, the ryegrass is very cost effective – particularly with oat seed this year above $1.00 a kilo. For a one-off cost, Italian ryegrass gives me at least two good years of production” states Mr Strahle.
A NSW comparison between oats and Italian ryegrass indicates similar costs but much greater returns from the ryegrass.
“Crusader yielded more than twice as much feed as Coolibah oats - 12,345 kg DM/ha compared with 5,437kg DM/ha from oats. In calculating returns, it was assumed that 70% of pasture was utilised by steers consuming15kg DM/per head/per day and averaging 1kg liveweight gain per day. Beef returns were estimated at $2.00 per kg. This year oats prices increased at least 50%, while the price of ryegrass, including Crusader, barely changed” states Mr Roberts.
Dry matter yields obtained by NSW Department of Primary Industries in the Hunter Valley during 2006 under irrigated conditions, but similar yield differences could be expected in areas where ryegrass can be grown from natural rainfall; this could mean even higher margins from ryegrass.
“After three grazings, oats stopped growing, while ryegrass – particularly Italian ryegrass – kept producing. This resulted in ryegrass having more than twice the grazing days available - 658 days compared with 290 for oats.” Says PGG Seeds Territory Manager, Charlie Roberts.
For more information on Crusader Italian ryegrass, contact your local seed reseller PGG Seeds Territory Manager.
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Outstanding perennial ryegrass introduced to Australian market
Australian farmers now have an exceptional new perennial ryegrass option following the release of Ceres One50 from PGG Seeds.
One50 is a new generation, late heading perennial ryegrass which has outstanding dry matter production with its yield potential best realised in fertile, productive conditions.
One50’s late heading characteristics; makes late spring and early summer pasture management easier. One50 maintains vegetative leaf production over this period, giving farmers better summer grazing opportunities and the potential to carry silage later into spring where there is often better weather conditions for silage making with out the loss of pasture quality.
“One50 exhibited impressive autumn and winter production, with class leading dry matter performance in all the New Zealand National Forage Variety Trials completed” comments product development specialist Allister Moorhead. “It’s been a standout performer in trials visually as well as on data sheets” he adds.
Bred from elite genetics from New Zealand and North West Spain, One50 is well adapted for the unique climatic conditions Australian farmers face.
“One50 was in our breeding programme for a number of years and what we achieved with this ryegrass is outstanding, it is an exceptionally leafy cultivar with outstanding levels of dry matter production through summer, autumn and winter” says Dr Alan Stewart, plant breeder of One50.
With low aftermath seeding, long seasonal production and an upright growth habit promoting clover and herb growth, One50 is an ideal ryegrass for farmers to introduce to their farming rotations.
“One50 is a high performing ryegrass that offers farmers reliability, dependability and quality when they need it” adds Dr Stewart.
For more information on One50 perennial ryegrass, contact your local seed reseller or your local PGG Seeds Territory Manager.
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New for New South Wales
The recent arrival of Charlie Roberts (mid winter 2006) has boosted the PGG Seeds territory manager’s team to four. Charlie will be taking over the servicing of Northern NSW and North Coast NSW from Dean Baker. Dean Baker will now concentrate on Central NSW and Queensland.
We welcome Charlie to the team. He brings strength in understanding the reality of farming, and how improved pasture species can be made to work in challenging environments. Contact Charlie on 0427 496 032.
Charlie has a long working history with PGG Seeds products. His knowledge of the NSW region has come from working with PGG Seeds distributor, Auswest Seeds, and his own farming background. Charlie’s family farm is at Elong Elong, near Dubbo.
For the past two years Charlie has been servicing the other side of the Tasman, in a role similar to his new position. He is now well acquainted with the breeding and research programme, based in Canterbury, responsible for the development and evaluation of the PGG Seeds product range. Charlie also honed his rugby and cricket skills during his NZ experience!
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Experiment a success for lamb finishing
Success from a forage brassica crop, sown specifically for lamb finishing, may give Southern Wimmera farmers an alternative for summer feed.
This observation came from cropping and sheep farmer, Simon Hobbs, of Douglas, 60km south-west of Horsham.
This was the first time Mr Hobbs had experimented with the forage brassica Winfred for summer feed.
“Normally we finish lambs on bean stubble, but with the way our cropping rotation worked out we needed to plant a spring crop to fill the gap,” says Mr Hobbs.
And the success of the ‘gap filler’ is highlighted by the intention to use Winfred again this coming year.
“The bean stubble usually supports two to three lambs an acre for six to eight weeks, but this year we ran six to seven lambs an acre for 11 weeks on Winfred.
“We held 530 lambs on 90 acres, and sold 500 of them straight off the crop in late February, with prices ranging from $91 to $97. “That is pretty good for us.”
Although the bean stubble isn’t considered a cost for summer grazing, the stocking rate is lower, and it doesn’t last as long. There is also no re-growth for a second grazing.
Mr Hobbs estimates that the cost of seed and fertiliser was around $80 per hectare.
SPS Forage Blend Plus - a mix of Winfred, a multiple grazing forage brassica, with the forage herb, Tonic plantain - was sown at the end of August, at a sowing rate of four kilograms per hectare. The seed was Gaucho® treated to provide three-four weeks protection from Red legged earth mite.
“I liked the idea of having something extra in the brassica crop, providing a more varied diet for the lambs.”
A day after sowing it rained, giving the crop a good start.
However, the silver grass also thrived, so Mr Hobbs intends to use a regime of spray topping and winter fallow in future.
Lambs were introduced to the crop 13 weeks later.
“The crop didn’t look pretty, it was not knee high, unlike these large, leafy crops you see down south, but it worked.”
The lambs were locked on the paddock, with access to rough hay and a scrubby area.
Two weeks after the lambs were sold the crop had started re-growing, being about four inches high, and was looking ready for a drink.
Mr Hobbs hoped to get a second grazing before direct drilling oats or Crusader Italian ryegrass into the Forage Blend Plus, for extra bulk through the following winter and spring.
Results with similar Winfred-Tonic mixes throughout southern regions of Victoria suggest the Tonic will contribute valuable dry matter in the second and any subsequent grazings.
Mr Hobbs used Winfred on the advice of Stephen Pasture Seeds sales and marketing manager, Michael Grant.
Mr Grant is a keen advocate of Winfred in ‘testing environments’.
“It is such a tough product. It will survive the heat, and begin re-growing when opening rains, or unusual summer rains, occur,” says Mr Grant.
“The most important thing in marginal areas is to have it sown by late August – early September, to capture the spring rain. Then it will be ready by December, approximately 12 weeks after sowing, when other pastures have dried off and are of low quality.”
Contact: Michael Grant on 0417 059 485 or sps@netconnect.com.au
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