L.PDS.1909 - Final report PDS Sustainable Long Term Leucaena Grass Production in Northern Australia

Summary

This Producer Demonstration Site (PDS), conducted in the Northern Territory, was designed to demonstrate the most suitable leucaena – grass pasture system for northern Australia including optimal row spacing’s for both dryland and irrigated leucaena planting, cultivar choice and long-term management strategies that will support long term, sustainable, high value beef production.

Objectives

By August 2022 the PDS activities will:
1. Demonstrate the most suitable leucaena-grass pasture system for northern Australia across 4 to 6 sites in NT by:
a. Assessing optimal row spacing 6 m to 18 m for dryland and 3.6m or 7.4m for irrigated Leucaena-grass pastures for long term success and
viability.
b. Assessing the most suitable leucaena cultivar for each trial site
c. Determining and documenting effective management strategies to address seasonal growth issues of leucaena-grass pastures
2. Quantify the benefits of leucaena-grass pasture system through a minimum of one round of grazing trials at each site. The trials will be based on 1 AE/ha for a twelve month period with live weight gain assessed at induction, at the conclusion of the wet season, conclusion of the dry season and at turn of ≥350 kg (LW).
3. Promote best management practice to 100 other producers and graziers across a minimum of four field days throughout the three year period.
4. Increase the adoption of best practice leucaena-grass pastures by 10% of the observer producers by the end of the three-year period. This will be assessed through an annual electronic survey of all field day or activity attendees.
5. Provide capacity building through upskilling of local agronomy services in Leucaena best practice through the provision of two Leucaena 101 workshops focussing on advisory and extension knowledge.
6. Development of case studies on each producer site (4 to 6) documenting trial processes, outcomes and feedback for dissemination through The Leucaena Network channels, NTDPIR, NTCA, NT Farmers, Future Beef and MLA media.

Key findings

There was minor psyllid pressure experienced by the plantings in the Douglas Daly region, resulting in a preference for the Cunningham or Wondergraze varieties.
The preferred row spacing was wider than expected at 12m to 14m to enable the jarrah inter-row pastures to be grazed to the same intensity as the leucaena, however more intensive grazing systems would benefit from closer 7m row spacings.
Live weight gains averaging 1.3kg/head/day during the wet season and 0.3kg kg/head/day during the dry season were experienced as part of the grazing trails.

Benefits to industry

Knowledge that leucaena is able to be successfully established in the Northern Territory to improve enterprise productivity.
Facilitation of experienced graziers with local knowledge of strategies for successful leucaena establishment and use.
Capacity building of agricultural service providers to provide current and timely, local advice and support to potential leucaena producers.

MLA action

MLA continues to deliver the Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) program, supporting livestock producers working in peer-to-peer groups to pursue new skills, knowledge and management practices applicable to their own commercial livestock production system.

Future research