A pinch of saltbush boosts sheep and soil health

WA producer Cam Gethin is turning salt-affected paddocks into reliable feed sources by integrating saltbush and legumes – boosting sheep performance, reducing supplementary feeding and improving land use.

Like many producers in WA’s Eastern Wheatbelt, Cam has battled with unproductive, salt-affected land, unsuitable for cropping. With the rising cost of supplementary feeding, he was eager to explore alternatives to keep his sheep operation viable.

As part of an MLA-funded Producer Demonstration Site (PDS), Cam trialled integrating forage shrubs and legumes into his farming system.

He planted 10,000 Anameka™ saltbush plants across 10ha. This was undersown with spineless medics and rose clover to create a self-sustaining feedbase capable of filling the summer and autumn feed gap.

“We’ve got land that’s increasingly difficult to crop but this project helped us find a way to make use of it while improving the resilience of our sheep enterprise,” Cam said.

The saltbush provided a durable, drought-resistant feed source, while the legumes helped improve soil fertility and offered additional grazing options.

“We had a lucky break with 120mm of summer rain and that helped to establish the pasture mix. The sheep held condition well and I didn’t have to feed them as often as I usually would,” Cam said.

Beating weeds

One of the biggest challenges Cam faced in the first year was weed competition.

“Wild oats took off in some sections and that became a fire risk,” he said. “Now, I leave boom spray tracks for easier weed control.”

Grazing management was also a key learning.

“Sheep will strip saltbush right down to sticks but it bounces back in three months. I’ve learned to time grazing carefully to avoid overgrazing during the establishment phase.”

Cam now sees perennial shrubs as an essential part of his feedbase.

“It’s like having a shed full of hay standing in the paddock. I know it’s there if I need it,” he said.

This confidence allows him to carry more sheep through the summer and autumn, knowing there is a buffer if seasonal conditions are tough.

“Beyond feed security, the saltbush paddock provides edible shelter, which has been great for lamb survival.”