L.FAP.2400 - Tropical Pastures for Livestock Production in NSW

Summary

This manual provides practical guidance for NSW livestock producers on the selection, establishment and management of tropical pastures. It outlines suitable species, grazing and fertility management, and the role tropical grasses can play in improving feed supply, pasture persistence and livestock productivity across a range of NSW environments.

Objectives

The aim of this project was develop a producer friendly guide to the use of Tropical Pastures in NSW, that would:

(1) Explain the role and benefits of tropical pastures in NSW grazing systems.
(2) Assist producers to select suitable tropical pasture species for different environments and soil types.
(3) Provide practical guidance on pasture establishment and renovation.
(4) Support the integration and management of companion legumes.
(5) Improve pasture productivity, persistence, feed quality and livestock performance through best-practice management.

Key findings

- Tropical pastures can improve the productivity, persistence and resilience of livestock feedbases across a wide range of NSW environments.
- Tropical grasses are highly responsive to summer rainfall, helping producers better utilise rainfall that is often underused by temperate pastures.
- Species such as digit grass and Bambatsi panic can provide long-term persistence, high groundcover, drought resilience and improved water-use efficiency.

Benefits to industry

This manual supports the adoption and effective management of tropical pastures across NSW, helping livestock producers improve feed supply, pasture persistence and drought resilience. By providing practical, research-based guidance on species selection, establishment and management, it contributes to increased livestock productivity, improved groundcover and soil health, better utilisation of summer rainfall, and enhanced farm profitability.

MLA action

MLA funded this project to summarise the results of multiple R&D projects in producer friendly format. MLA will now promote and disseminate the manual to producers, advisors and industry stakeholders to support the adoption and effective management of tropical pastures in NSW grazing systems.