Pasture production and grazing management in context
The productivity and profitability of many grazing enterprises in the high-rainfall and sheep-wheat zones of Australia can be greatly improved by increasing the amount of pasture grown. The quantity and quality of pasture, and when it can be grown, underpin strategic decisions such as time of lambing, flock structure, stocking rates and target markets. The health and fertility of the soil and stage of growth at which pasture is grazed have a major effect on pasture growth and quality. Developing production systems in areas that influence pasture growth and utilisation will boost productivity and profitability.
Pasture is the cheapest source of feed for all grazing-based livestock enterprises; growing more quality feed at the right times of the year can create opportunities to increase stocking rates, increase lamb growth rates and reduce reliance on supplementary feeding.
This module contains three procedures designed to help sheep producers grow more and better-quality pastures. Getting these procedures right will allow them to make best use of their farm’s physical resources such as rainfall, sunlight and soil type.
Even though the environment presents some constraints, management has a large impact on how much pasture can be grown throughout the year and between years. This makes it difficult for sheep producers to know where to invest their time and dollars. Determining priorities for growing more pasture is a ‘decision tree’ to help producers work through the options and move straight to the procedure most likely to yield the highest gains.