How do I make my pastures more productive?

While it is recognised that pasture persistence is an issue for Australian livestock producers, research has also revealed the feedbase is failing to operate at full productivity, effectively undermining gains made in other on-farm changes.

A combination of interventions and implementing paddock and grazing management changes, most producers have an opportunity to significantly lift feedbase productivity, and reduce supplementary feeding costs. A feedbase operating at optimum capacity can also help increase  business resilience to assist  with climate variation and meeting market specifications  in an increasingly complex, but growing global demand for protein.

Pastures which achieve high productivity and maintain productivity for longer periods reduce the reliance on supplementary feed, such as grain and fodder. It also improves the opportunity to achieve market compliance, which lifts Australia’s competitiveness on the global market.

What techniques can I use to lift pasture productivity?

• growing the right species for your environment and production system
• managing soil health by improving nutrient deficiencies
• growing legumes to supply free nitrogen to the pasture
• managing weeds and pests
• encouraging regeneration by managing the seed bank and grazing regime
• selecting drought tolerant and resilient species
• sowing additional species into existing pastures.