L.PDS.1903 - North Coast Grazing Maize Group

Summary

This Producer Demonstration Site was terminated in the very early stages of the project before the demonstration activities commenced. The project was originally intended to engage a group of 12 beef producers who were going to implement direct grazing of a maize crop to provide supplementary feed in autumn and/or winter, and record the benefits of implementing this new practice.

The project was terminated early on as there was difficulty in engaging the producers as planned.

Objectives

By October 2023, in the North Coast NSW region
1. Six farmers will demonstrate the commercial viability of direct grazing maize crops to fill the Autumn/Winter feed gap in the NSW North coast area, by meeting the following targets:
a. Achieve a whole crop dry matter yield of 25T/Ha each year
b. Demonstrate a minimum average daily gain of 1kg/head/day on the maize paddocks over the grazing period (100-120 days).
c. 100% of core group producers better understand the impact of growing grazing maize on soil fertility, through soil testing and keeping records of fertilizer use.
d. 75% of core producers will continue to routinely use a fodder crop such as maize

2. Conduct annual gross margin analysis to assess the differences in “normal” management (autumn
sell off/low stocking rate) vs grazing standing maize to turn off stock at a later date.
a. Achieve a 10% increase in kg beef/Ha (compared to normal management for age class)
b. Achieve increased returns per hectare greater than crop growing costs (Gross margin)
compared to normal management

3. Conduct an annual field day, webinars and prepare case studies to share trial results and increase
awareness of the concepts with the observer producer group
a. Target attendance of 40 farmers each annual field day.
b. At the end of the project, 70% of farmers attending events have increased their
understanding how grazing standing maize can be used fill a winter feed gap

Key findings

This Producer Demonstration Site was terminated in the very early stages of the project before the demonstration activities commenced.

Benefits to industry

This Producer Demonstration Site was terminated in the very early stages of the project before the demonstration activities commenced.

MLA action

This final online summary will be published on the MLA R&D website.

Future research

There is no future research required in the short term.