Sustainability of beef production from brigalow lands after cultivation and mining. 1. Sown pasture growth and carrying capacity
Colin J. Paton
A E , Jeffrey F. Clewett B , Alice R. Melland B , Tom Newsome C , Jochen Eberhard B , John McL Bennett D and Craig P. Baillie B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A EcoRich Grazing, PO Box 284, Goombungee, Qld 4354, Australia.
B Centre for Agricultural Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, 437–535 West Street, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.
C Outcross Pty Ltd, PO Box 1668, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
D Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Southern Queensland,437–535 West Street, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: colin@ecorichgrazing.com.au
Animal Production Science 61(12) 1246-1261 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN20135
Submitted: 9 April 2020 Accepted: 5 March 2021 Published: 14 May 2021
Journal Compilation © CSIRO 2021 Open Access CC BY-NC
Abstract
Context: New Acland coal mine in south-eastern Queensland is seeking to rehabilitate mined land to pastures that are safe, stable and sustainable for beef production. Little is known of the productivity and sustainability of grazing previously mined land in the Darling Downs study region. Additionally, information is required to specify management guidelines for sustainable grazing of regional land types retired from cultivation.
Aims: Identify pasture growth characteristics, rainfall use efficiencies and long-term carrying capacities of subtropical sown pastures established on lands rehabilitated after open-cut coal mining in comparison to sown pastures established on un-mined but previously cultivated lands.
Methods: Pasture growth and quality (% nitrogen) were observed using the Swiftsynd methodology in ungrazed exclosures with three sites on rehabilitated lands of the Acland Grazing Trial over a 5-year period (2014–2018), and 13 sites on unmined lands over periods of 2–5 years providing data for modelling pasture growth.
Key results: Peak pasture yield (TSDM for autumn harvests) averaged for 2017 and 2018 was greater (P < 0.1) on rehabilitated sites than unmined Poplar Box land type sites (5957 and 2233 kg/ha respectively) but similar to Brigalow Uplands and Mountain Coolibah land type sites (3946 and 3413 kg/ha respectively). Pasture rundown was evident, with pasture N uptake decreasing over 5 years at some sites. Soil mineral N supply (potentially mineralisable N and mineral N) in spring was a useful indicator of N uptake over the following growing season. Simulations using the GRASP pasture growth model for the grazing trial period predicted rainfall use efficiencies of 12.0, 7.0, 9.1 and 4.8 kg/ha.mm rainfall for rehabilitated sites and unmined sites on Brigalow Uplands, Mountain Coolibah and Poplar Box land types respectively. Long-term carrying capacities based on estimates of long-term median pasture growth and 30% utilisation were 4.39, 3.58 and 5.92 ha/adult equivalent respectively for the unmined land types, and 2.45 ha/adult equivalent for the rehabilitated lands.
Conclusions: Rehabilitated land can be as productive as unmined but previously cultivated land.
Implications: Grazing management plans for sustainable management of mined and unmined lands can be developed using data from the present study. The plans will assist with the transition of rehabilitated lands to commercial agriculture.
Keywords: GRASP, land type, LTCC, nitrogen, pasture quality, pasture rundown.
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