SCF - Optimal pasture phases for livestock
| Project start date: | 01 May 2014 |
| Project end date: | 31 July 2017 |
| Publication date: | 30 June 2017 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Sheep, Lamb, Grassfed cattle |
| Relevant regions: | Western Australia |
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Summary
Stirlings to Coast Farmers Incorporated (SCF) is a membership based organisation with a steadily increasing membership of over 80 farm businesses.
The MLA project sought “optimal pasture phases for livestock in a crop based rotation”.
The project trials demonstrated:
- Early summer sowing (January-February) of Serradella pod was a viable option. The current district practice of dry seeding bare pasture seed in Autumn on sandplain soils was outperformed by summer pod sowing or seeding when soil is moist after full seasonal break.
- Pasture mixes were more productive over the growing season with a more optimal feedbase.
- Precision planter trials demonstrated that modifications of conventional seeding systems could improve plant establishment efficiency by more that 35%.
- Converting these trial results to practice change could be accelerated with a “Farmer to Farmer” Pasture Check process.
More information
| Project manager: | Michael Taylor |
| Primary researcher: | Stirlings to Coast Farmers |
