Crop stubbles are as important for sheep production as annual pastures in the Victorian Mallee

2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 993 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Plant Density ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Simulation Modelling ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
The Impact

The impact of different management strategies on production and profit can be evaluated with knowledge of how sheep production responds to changes in the available feed base and sheep or pasture management. This study aimed to quantify on-farm pasture and sheep production in mixed sheep and cropping systems in the Victorian Mallee of south-eastern Australia (325 ± 50 mm annual rainfall) as a prelude to computer simulation modelling. During 2001 (average rainfall) and 2002 (extreme drought) pasture production, the feed base and sheep production were monitored in 15 paddocks on 5 properties located across the region. Crop stubbles were the major source of feed for 6 months of the year, enabling ewes to maintain liveweight. There was more variation in pasture parameters between paddocks at the 1 location than between locations. The botanical composition, plant density, soil fertility and management were key variables associated with between-paddock variation in pasture production. Variation in pasture production between years was larger than within-year differences. In contrast, stocking rates were not much lower in the drought year of 2002 than in 2001. This study suggests there is potential for management to improve pasture production, and demonstrates the importance of feed sources other than annual pasture for sheep production in environments where the annual pasture growing season is short.

Addressing on-farm management to enhance pasture productivity and persistence

2013 ◽  
pp. 241-244
Author(s):  
W.N. Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategies ◽  
Dairy Farm ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Operating Profit ◽  
The North ◽  
The Cost ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Attention To Detail

Following the 2007/08 drought, we experienced poor pasture production and persistence on our dairy farm in north Waikato, leading to decreased milksolids production and a greater reliance on bought-in feed. It is estimated that the cost of this to our farming operation was about $1300 per hectare per year in lost operating profit. While climate and black beetle were factors, they did not explain everything, and other factors were also involved. In the last 3 years we have changed our management strategies to better withstand dry summers, the catalyst for which was becoming the DairyNZ Pasture Improvement Focus Farm for the north Waikato. The major changes we made were to reduce stocking rate, actively manage pastures in summer to reduce over-grazing, and pay more attention to detail in our pasture renewal programme. To date the result has been a reduced need for pasture renewal, a lift in whole farm performance and increased profitability. Keywords: Focus farm, over-grazing, pasture management, pasture persistence, profitability

Accumulation of soil carbon under zero tillage cropping and perennial vegetation on the Liverpool Plains, eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 273 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. R. Young ◽  
B. Wilson ◽  
S. Harden ◽  
A. Bernardi
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Zero Tillage ◽  
Accumulation Rates ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Perennial Vegetation ◽  
Semi Arid

Australian agriculture contributes an estimated 16% of all national greenhouse gas emissions, and considerable attention is now focused on management approaches that reduce net emissions. One area of potential is the modification of cropping practices to increase soil carbon storage. Here, we report short–medium term changes in soil carbon under zero tillage cropping systems and perennial vegetation, both in a replicated field experiment and on nearby farmers’ paddocks, on carbon-depleted Black Vertosols in the upper Liverpool Plains catchment. Soil organic carbon stocks (CS) remained unchanged under both zero tillage long fallow wheat–sorghum rotations and zero tillage continuous winter cereal in a replicated field experiment from 1994 to 2000. There was some evidence of accumulation of CS under intensive (>1 crop/year) zero tillage response cropping. There was significant accumulation of CS (~0.35 Mg/ha.year) under 3 types of perennial pasture, despite removal of aerial biomass with each harvest. Significant accumulation was detected in the 0–0.1, 0.1–0.2, and 0.2–0.4 m depth increments under lucerne and the top 2 increments under mixed pastures of lucerne and phalaris and of C3 and C4 perennial grasses. Average annual rainfall for the period of observations was 772 mm, greater than the 40-year average of 680 mm. A comparison of major attributes of cropping systems and perennial pastures showed no association between aerial biomass production and accumulation rates of CS but a positive correlation between the residence times of established plants and accumulation rates of CS. CS also remained unchanged (1998/2000–07) under zero tillage cropping on nearby farms, irrespective of paddock history before 1998/2000 (zero tillage cropping, traditional cropping, or ~10 years of sown perennial pasture). These results are consistent with previous work in Queensland and central western New South Wales suggesting that the climate (warm, semi-arid temperate, semi-arid subtropical) of much of the inland cropping country in eastern Australia is not conducive to accumulation of soil carbon under continuous cropping, although they do suggest that CS may accumulate under several years of healthy perennial pastures in rotation with zero tillage cropping.

Evaluation of the impact of SGS on livestock producers and their practices

2003 ◽  
Vol 43 (8) ◽  
pp. 1031 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Allan ◽  
W. K. Mason ◽  
I. J. Reeve ◽  
S. Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Red Meat ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Pasture Management ◽  
High Rainfall ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Sustainable Grazing ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Improved Pasture

The Sustainable Grazing Systems (SGS) Program has assisted producers in the high rainfall zone (HRZ, annual rainfall >600 mm/year) of southern Australia, by developing and delivering more productive and sustainable grazing systems. It was evaluated by 2 external surveys — a benchmarking survey in 1994 before the start of SGS, and a follow-up survey of producers in 2001. The 2001 survey showed that SGS had assisted red meat and wool producers in southern Australia make significant and beneficial changes to their grazing systems. Substantial changes in grazing practices occurred between 1994 and 2001 in the HRZ. These changes included an increase in the number of producers who rotationally graze (25%), as well as those undertaking practices aimed at improved pasture management. Participants in SGS were more likely to have made changes to their grazing systems than non-participants. There were no overt differences between regions in producer demographics, or changes made to management practices. The survey confirmed SGS had achieved its goal. Sixty percent of producers in the target regions were aware of SGS (out of a total of 23 689 producers); 42% (9839) had some involvement with SGS and/or received the SGS magazine 'Prograzier'; while 26% (6141) actively participated in SGS through undertaking a PROGRAZE course, and/or by attending regional SGS activities. Of the estimated 9839 producers who participated in the program, up to 8000 made beneficial changes to enhance the productivity and sustainability of their grazing operations. Active participants (6141) attributed many of these benefits to their involvement in SGS.

When will integrated pest management strategies be adopted? Example of the development and implementation of integrated pest management strategies in cropping systems in Victoria

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. Horne ◽  
Jessica Page ◽  
Cam Nicholson
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Pest Management ◽  
Pest Management ◽  
Information Transfer ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Sufficient Information ◽  
Motivation To Change ◽  
Implementing Change ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Changing Practices

This paper discusses the development and implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies for broadacre cropping in Victoria, Australia, with reference to other crops and also the levels of adoption of IPM in Australia and overseas. Levels and rates of adoption are mostly low but with some exceptions. The reasons for differing levels of adoption include the failure of strategies to successfully deal with all pests, the lack of motivation to change to using IPM given current successful pesticide-based controls, and the poor availability of IPM advisors in the field. This paper outlines how IPM strategies for wheat, barley and canola crops were developed and implemented using a collaborative approach between farmers, agronomists and entomologists. It was found that although there were no existing specific IPM strategies for the crops grown in the region of south-eastern Australia, there was sufficient information for farmers to start using an IPM approach. This paper gives a case study of implementing change to IPM from conventional pesticide spraying, including the development of a course in IPM for growers and agronomists. It focuses on the process of changing practices and information transfer rather than on entomological details.

scholarly journals The impact of different weed management strategies on weed flora of wheat-based cropping systems

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0247137
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shahzad ◽  
Khawar Jabran ◽  
Mubshar Hussain ◽  
Muhammad Aown Sammar Raza ◽  
Leonard Wijaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weed Management ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Cropping System ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Water Extracts ◽  
The World ◽  
Weed Flora ◽  
Weed Infestation ◽  
The Impact

The world population will rise in future, which would demand more wheat production to fulfil dietary needs of wheat-dependent population of the world. Food security in wheat-dependent regions will greatly rely on wheat productivity. Weed infestation is a major constraint reducing wheat productivity globally. Nonetheless, cropping systems and weed management strategies strongly influence weed infestation in modern agriculture. Herbicides are the key weed management tool in conventional agriculture. However, frequent use of herbicides have resulted in the evolution of herbicide-resistance weeds, which made weed management a challenging task. Sustainable and eco-friendly weed management strategies shift weed-crop competition in the favour of crop plants. Limited studies have evaluated the interactive effect of cropping systems and weed management strategies on weed flora of wheat-based cropping systems (WBCSs). This two-year study evaluated the impact of different weed management strategies (WMSs) on weed flora of WBCSs, i.e., fallow-wheat (FW), rice-wheat (RW), cotton-wheat (CW), mungbean-wheat (MW) and sorghum-wheat (SW). The WMSs included in the study were, false seedbed, allelopathic water extracts and herbicide application, while weed-free and weedy-check were maintained as control treatments. Data relating to diversity and density of individual and total broadleaved and narrow-leaved weeds were recorded. The WBCSs, WMSs and their interaction significantly altered diversity and density of individual, total, broadleaved and narrow-leaved weeds. Weed-free and weedy-check treatments recorded the lowest and the highest values of diversity and density of individual, total, broadleaved and narrow-leaved weeds. Herbicide application effectively reduced density and diversity of weeds. Allelopathic water extracts and false seedbed proved less effective than herbicides. On the other hand, SW cropping system not only reduced weed density but also limited the weed flora. It is concluded that false seedbed and SW cropping system can be efficiently used to manage weeds in WBCSs. However, long-term studies are needed to infer the impact of SW cropping system and false seedbed on soil properties, soil microbes and productivity of wheat crop.

scholarly journals Hydro-Climatic Variability: A Characterisation and Trend Study of the Awash River Basin, Ethiopia

Hydrology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahtsente Tibebe Tadese ◽  
Lalit Kumar ◽  
Richard Koech ◽  
Birhanu Zemadim
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Sustainable Water Management ◽  
Mk Test ◽  
Awash River Basin ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Droughts And Floods ◽  
The Impact

The objective of this study was to characterize, quantify and validate the variability and trends of hydro-climatic variables in the Awash River Basin (ARB) in Ethiopia using graphical and statistical methods. The rainfall and streamflow trends and their relationships were evaluated using the regression method, Mann–Kendall (MK) test and correlation analysis. The analysis focused on rainfall and streamflow collected from 28 and 18 stations, respectively. About 85.7% and 75.3% of the rainfall stations exhibited normal to moderate variability in annual and June to September rainfall, respectively, whereas 96.43% of rainfall stations showed high variability in March to May. The MK test showed that most of the significant trends in annual rainfall were decreasing except in two stations. These research findings provide valuable information on the characteristics, variability, and trend of rainfall and streamflow necessary for the design of sustainable water management strategies and to reduce the impact of droughts and floods in the ARB.

Influence of rotation and time of germinating rains on the productivity and composition of annual pastures in Western Australia

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Thomson ◽  
C. K. Revell ◽  
N. C. Turner ◽  
M. A. Ewing ◽  
I. F. Le Coultre
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
First Year ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Bromus Diandrus ◽  
Second Year

A long-term rotation experiment located in south-western Australia was used to measure the effect of rotation and time of germinating rains on the productivity and botanical composition of grazed annual pastures in 2 contrasting seasons in an environment with an average annual rainfall of 325 mm. The density of self-regenerating seedlings of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum), capeweed (Arctotheca calendula), and grasses (Lolium rigidum, Hordeum leporinum, Bromus diandrus) was greatly increased (approx. 3 times the density) when there was a second year of pasture after crop compared with the first year after crop. The lower plant density resulted in first-year pastures having only about 33% of the autumn biomass accumulation of second-year pastures. This difference in early pasture growth had no effect on total pasture production in 1992, but in 1993 total pasture production was 30% greater in second-year pastures compared with first-year pastures. Botanical composition varied between and within seasons with the percentage of subterranean clover increasing throughout the season and the percentage of capeweed decreasing throughout the season. Grasses comprised <20% of the biomass in all seasons and treatments. Production of subterranean clover seed in 1993 was higher in a 1 : 2 crop-pasture rotation than in a 1 : 1 crop-pasture rotation and direct drilling in the cropping phase increased seed set compared with conventional tillage in both 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 crop-pasture rotations. Capeweed seedlings emerged in large numbers after rainfall between February and May and subsequently showed a relative growth rate twice that of subterranean clover and the grasses, but exclusion of rainfall until June resulted in a significant reduction in the emergence of capeweed seedlings. Additionally, capeweed had a lower rate of seedling survival compared with other pasture species, and this is contrary to observations by other researchers that capeweed is highly resistant to moisture stress during early growth.

Effect of long-term stubble management on yield and nitrogen-uptake efficiency of wheat topdressed with urea in north-eastern Victoria

2001 ◽  
Vol 41 (8) ◽  
pp. 1167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Newton
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Uptake ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Grain Legume ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Stubble Retention ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Nitrogen Inputs ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Stubble Burning

Use of urea fertiliser for cereal cropping in south eastern Australia has increased rapidly in recent years to arrest a general decline in grain protein and to increase yields. In conservation cropping systems, crop stubbles provide a source of carbon, which has the potential to retain a portion of the fertiliser nitrogen in the soil. The impact of fertiliser nitrogen was compared under 4 stubble management regimes for efficiency of nitrogen uptake by a wheat crop in a long-term cereal–grain legume rotation. The experiment was established on a duplex red-brown earth in 1985 to compare stubble retention (standing, shredded, incorporated) with stubble burning. In 1995, wheat following a failed lupin crop was topdressed with urea fertiliser at 50 kg nitrogen per hectare to split plots of each stubble treatment at the third-leaf stage of growth. The urea significantly increased nitrogen uptake by wheat grown on burnt stubbles and increased grain yield by 1 t/ha. Nitrogen applied to wheat grown on stubbles retained above-ground increased yield by 0.5 t/ha, whereas there was no significant yield increase from nitrogen when stubble was incorporated due to less transfer of dry matter to grain. Efficiency of urea-nitrogen uptake in grain was reduced under stubble retention. The total grain nitrogen uptake in response to stubble burning increased by 17.6 kg/ha, which was equivalent to a conversion efficiency of 35%, compared with only 26, 24 and 16% of the applied 50 kg nitrogen per hectare for stubble standing, shredding and incorporation treatments, respectively. Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen levels were 1 and 0.1%, respectively, irrespective of stubble treatment. Added urea increased microbial decomposition of cellulose in calico cloth buried beneath stubbles retained above-ground by 30%, compared with stubble incorporated or burnt treatments. These results suggest that where low levels of available nitrogen exist in cropping systems that use stubble retention, higher nitrogen inputs may be needed, due to less efficient uptake of nitrogen from urea fertiliser.

Effect of climate variability on pasture-based dairy feeding systems in south-east Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 1106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Şeyda Özkan ◽  
Julian Hill ◽  
Brendan Cullen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Variability ◽  
Perennial Ryegrass ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Feeding System ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Double Cropping ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Better Than ◽  
Feeding Systems

The Australian dairy industry relies primarily on pasture for its feed supply. However, the variability in climate affects plant growth, leading to uncertainty in dryland pasture supply. This paper models the impact of climate variability on pasture production and examines the potential of two pasture-based dairy feeding systems: (1) to experience winter deficits; (2) to carry forward the conserved pasture surpluses as silage for future use; and (3) to conserve pasture surpluses as hay. The two dairy feeding systems examined were a traditional perennial ryegrass-based feeding system (ryegrass max. – RM) and a system that incorporated double cropping into the perennial ryegrass pasture base (complementary forage – CF). The conditional probability of the RM and CF systems to generate pasture deficits in winter were 94% and 96%, respectively. Both systems could carry forward the surplus silage into the following lactation almost once in every 4–5 years with the RM system performing slightly better than the CF system. The proportions of the grain-based concentrates fed in the two systems were 25% and 27% for the RM and CF systems, respectively. This study suggests that double-cropping systems have the potential to provide high-quality feed to support the feed gaps when pasture is not available due to increased variability in climatic conditions.

Farmers adopting technology to improve sheep production - a nine year study

2002 ◽  
pp. 49-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Cocks ◽  
M. Williams ◽  
M. Casey ◽  
C. Brown ◽  
J. Ware ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Meaningful Information ◽  
Keywords Genetics ◽  
Genetics Learning ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Lamb Growth ◽  
Improved Pasture

The Kuriwao Farm Action group has followed a process of continued monitoring and evaluation to improve sheep production. Involvement in this project has given the farmers meaningful information for all members to use as part of their decision making. As a group they have evaluated options such as pasture cultivars and renovation strategies, sheep genetics, chemical topping and hogget mating. The benefit to all members has been faster progress and less costly mistakes. Many new technologies such as scanning, improved pasture species, chemical topping and improved animal genetics and nutrition are now standard practice on these properties. The farmers made bigger gains in the last five years as the impact of new sheep genetics and crossbreeding combined with a greater understanding of the importance of ewe nutrition in both lamb numbers and growth. The original objectives of the project were to improve lambing percentage, pasture performance and lamb growth. On average, lambing percentage improved by 2% per year for the last nine years (and 3% per year since 1996). Average lamb growth rate lifted by 8.6g/d/year (5% per year). Keywords: genetics, learning, nutrition, pasture improvement, pasture production, sheep production

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