Growing perennial pastures in a variable climate
| Project start date: | 13 May 2020 |
| Project end date: | 01 April 2026 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | Victoria |
| Site location: | Gippsland VIC: Bairnsdale, Dutson Downs, Walpa, Clifton Creek & Tambo Crossing |
Summary
This Producer demosntration site aims to demonstrate the most persistent and productive perennial pastures for Gippsland, by investigating species, establishment methods, ground cover potential, species persistence and the impacts of soil moisture levels.
Objectives
By end 2025 at one research farm and subsequently (from year 2) at 6 commercials farms in the central and eastern area of Gippsland:
1. Demonstrate and assess the success of establishing 6 perennial pasture mixes. Measure the effect of different soil preparation regimes, monitor the influence of soil moisture and temperature on the speed and success of establishment with the aim of improving producer decision making around perennial pasture establishment.
2. Demonstrate perennial species persistence and productivity under a grazing system and provide information on palatability and stock preference.
3. Demonstrate an average improved pasture production of at least 3T DM/Ha compared to unimproved / drought degraded pasture managed under standard farm conditions
4. Demonstrate an average improved stocking rate on perennial pastures of 5 DSE/Ha compared to unimproved / drought degraded pasture managed under standard farm conditions
5. Demonstrate the variation in production of different perennial pasture mixes throughout the year and the flexibility provided from having different perennial species on a farm
6. Conduct a cost benefit analysis to determine the relative economic performance of the different perennial pasture mixes and compare with an annual grazed cropping rotation and an unimproved pasture.
7. Implement 17 skill and training development activities to increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of 9 core and 46 observer producers in establishing and managing perennial pasture
8. Extension of project material will result in 60 per cent of core producers adopting successful methods of perennial pasture establishment and ongoing management of perennial species by grazing management, plus 25% of observers intending to incorporate learnings from this demonstration into their farm management.
9. Conduct an annual field day and other activities to showcase the demonstration site results and encourage adoption of key practices by 100 attending producers.
Progress
The Establishing Perennial Pastures in a Variable Climate Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) project was delivered across central and East Gippsland, Victoria between 2020 and 2025. The project aimed to address inconsistent establishment and persistence of perennial pastures, a major constraint affecting profitability and resilience of pasture-based red meat production. The project demonstrated six perennial pasture mixes established using four preparation methods at the Gippsland Research Farm (GRF) and implemented best-practice perennial pastures in six commercial paddocks (PDS sites). Sites were preceded by one or more years of cropping and weed control to improve establishment.
Pasture production, quality, persistence, stocking rate, inputs and costs were monitored through to December 2025. A cost–benefit analysis compared perennial systems with cropping or degraded native pastures. The demonstrations showed that with thorough paddock preparation, well-adapted temperate grass–clover mixes and disciplined rotational grazing supported high pasture survival and dry matter production under the seasonal and management conditions experienced. Under project conditions, some monitored paddocks achieved pasture production of around 11–12 t DM/ha/year and stocking rates of 30–40+ DSE/ha, exceedingly commonly reported regional benchmarks.
Full reset establishment approaches and aggressively establishing grasses delivered higher establishment-year yields and faster transition to productive systems than single-spray or minimal-input methods, provided rainfall at and soon after sowing was adequate. These demonstrations provide regionally relevant examples and practical insights into pasture preparation, species selection and grazing management under Gippsland conditions. They show how existing knowledge and tools can be applied to improve pasture productivity under similar seasonal and management conditions."
