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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 46(8)

Crop stubbles are as important for sheep production as annual pastures in the Victorian Mallee

S. M. Robertson
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Primary Industries Research Victoria, Department of Primary Industries, Private Bag 1, Walpeup, Vic. 3507, Australia.

B Current address: ‘Nindethana’, Turners Lane, Old Junee, NSW 2652, Australia.

C Email: susanrob@dragnet.com.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(8) 993-1003 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA04033
Submitted: 7 March 2004  Accepted: 23 July 2004   Published: 5 July 2006

Abstract

The impact of different management strategies on production and profit can be evaluated with knowledge of how sheep production responds to changes in the available feed base and sheep or pasture management. This study aimed to quantify on-farm pasture and sheep production in mixed sheep and cropping systems in the Victorian Mallee of south-eastern Australia (325 ± 50 mm annual rainfall) as a prelude to computer simulation modelling. During 2001 (average rainfall) and 2002 (extreme drought) pasture production, the feed base and sheep production were monitored in 15 paddocks on 5 properties located across the region. Crop stubbles were the major source of feed for 6 months of the year, enabling ewes to maintain liveweight. There was more variation in pasture parameters between paddocks at the 1 location than between locations. The botanical composition, plant density, soil fertility and management were key variables associated with between-paddock variation in pasture production. Variation in pasture production between years was larger than within-year differences. In contrast, stocking rates were not much lower in the drought year of 2002 than in 2001. This study suggests there is potential for management to improve pasture production, and demonstrates the importance of feed sources other than annual pasture for sheep production in environments where the annual pasture growing season is short.

Additional keywords: farming system, grass, medic, wool.


Acknowledgments

This work would not have been possible without the co-operation of the producers who allowed monitoring of their properties, and the Birchip Cropping Group for access to their Systems Trial. Assistance from DPI staff at the Mallee Research Station, particularly Mr Kevin Grayling, and elsewhere, is gratefully acknowledged. Mr Kieran Ransom and Dr Chris Korte provided advice on the monitoring protocol. Dr Jenny Smith conducted the statistical analyses. Emeritus Professor Ted Wolfe provided comments on the manuscript.


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