In this section:
Pasture Utilisation
Nick Edwards, Janelle Hocking Edwards, Mick Deland
Integrated Production Systems
A common perception is that the major bottle-neck to high production from pasture in Australia is the very low level of pasture utilisation achieved with most grazing systems. Furthermore, livestock 'at pasture' do not receive an optimum diet for maximal growth, with dry-land pasture during spring and pasture under irrigation typically having an excess of soluble nitrogen relative to its energy level. Nevertheless, growth rates of up to 2kg/head/day (cattle) and 200g/head/day (sheep) are routinely achieved in such extensive systems. These levels of production are usually achieved at the expense of efficient pasture utilisation and, as a consequence, the profitability and sustainability of a high input system to further increase pasture growth is doubtful.
Strategic rotational grazing is currently being advocated as the system that optimises pasture dry matter utilisation by animals in extensive grazing systems, however, strategies to optimise pasture utilisation under irrigation have not been studied to the same extent. Little research has been conducted in South Australia to evaluate non-dairying production systems utilising irrigation.
SARDI has embarked on the evaluation of high technology grazing systems that explicitly target the maximal utilisation of pasture, with Struan Research Centre being repositioned as a National Centre of Excellence for efficient and profitable utilisation of the feed base resource. Such grazing systems are capable of running up to 50 DSE equivalents for most of the growing season under dry-land conditions. The 'TechnograzingTM System' which has been installed at Struan is an intensive stocking and grazing management concept developed in New Zealand for production of bull beef. This system differs from other rotational grazing systems in that it is claimed to increase production by 60% by improving labour efficiency and production per hectare. Both dryland and centre pivot irrigated Technosystems are being set up at Struan.
Prime lambs, beef and dairy cattle may be grazed using this system under both dry-land and irrigation with the aims being to optimise both prime lamb and beef production.
The potential of the high technology grazing systems is two fold:
- to increase the carrying capacity of the region
- to finish different stock classes to specific markets based on grass systems.
Research projects may include:
- characterising the maximal beef production potential of the Southern Australian pasture environment
- assessing the impact of maximising pasture utilisation on meat quality (lamb and beef)
- establishing whether production differences between traditional and Technograzing occur simply due to poor feed utilisation or whether nutrient imbalances are occuring (i.e. does strategic supplementation enahance animal production?).
Further information contact:
Dr Nick Edwards
