Waterhouse – Phosphorus use efficiency
| Project start date: | 01 November 2014 |
| Project end date: | 26 July 2016 |
| Publication date: | 26 July 2016 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Sheep, Goat, Lamb, Grassfed cattle, Grainfed cattle |
Summary
The Waterhouse pasture legume phosphorus efficiency project set out to assess the performance of six alternative pasture legume species and determine how efficient they are at utilising phosphorus and converting it to biomass for grazing. The trial site was located in north east Tasmania at Waterhouse.
From commencement of the project, the trial site experienced significant moisture stress due to drought. Site establishment was delayed, waiting on the autumn break in 2015, and when it was sown in June 2015, low rainfall and the resulting plant growth in spring was insufficient for conducting biomass cuts for assessment.
In January 2016 there was a significant rainfall event (>100mm), and it was hoped (and forecast) that further rain would be received through the autumn, and the trial site would recover sufficiently for the project to continue. Weed management was implemented in autumn, however, with another dry autumn and low persistence of many of the trial legume species, it has been decided that there is little value in continuing with this project at this time.
The trial site is currently being rehabilitated and the producer group has been made aware of the decision to wrap up the project.
