MfBfP 2006/W01: Applying Nitrogen To Increase Beef Produced/ha

Summary

The project began with three group members trailing 3 different nitrogen applications rates in paddocks that had been subdivided into three sections. Nitrogen was applied after each grazing at a nil, moderate (50kg urea/ha) and high (100kg urea/ha) application rates. The trial was carried out in the Mansfield area of north east Victoria. The long term average rainfall varies between 600 and 750mm. The shout tern average has been significantly less. The farms were all over 200ha with the paddocks sizes in each trial being approximately 10ha. Stock grazed on the trial paddocks varied from cows and calves, trading steers and merino ewes The aim at the start of the trial was to graze the pasture when the grass was at the 3 leaf stage and grazed down to 1000kg DM/ha. Following grazing the amount of feed eaten was estimated and the paddocks were re-fertilised with the same amount of urea. A further aim of the trial was to measure animal performance on the fertilised pastures. However not all went to plan. 2006 was a drought year and it affected how the trial was run and how long it was to run