Projects

Objective:
With direct involvement of farmers and farming groups in trials and extension activities, the Grain & Graze Program aims to boost farm profitability across mixed farming zones in Australia, while helping to protect the environment. The research focuses on cropping, pastures, livestock, profitability, feedbase management, whole-farm economics, biodiversity, social issues, soil and water.

Collaboration:
Grain & Graze is a collaboration between four Rural RDCs - Land & Water Australia, Grains Research & Development Corporation, Meat & Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation and over 60 farmer and landcare groups, research providers and regional management authorities.

Results:
By taking part in the Grain & Graze national research and extension program and changing some of their management practices, mixed farmers Adam and Kellie Walton are increasing their profits, while better managing natural resources including water, soil and biodiversity.

The Waltons are now sowing winter crops on their property, “Wurrook South”, 60 kilometres west of Geelong, to provide winter feed for their sheep - and they are reaping the benefits.

Running a wool and prime lamb operation and cropping barley, wheat, canola, peas and oats, property manager Tom Blackford said the property had experienced several very dry years. Changing some management practices has helped deal with drought conditions and prepare for further dry seasons.

He said sowing a good winter fodder crop of barley, as well as Kellalac and MacKellar wheat varieties, had produced significant winter feed and contributed significantly to pasture renovation.

“As a result, growing a winter crop has been a profitable and beneficial option,” he explained.

“As well as getting some extra return from the paddock by solving the fodder shortage in the grazing system, it will enable a better seedbed to be prepared, resulting in more reliable pasture establishment.

“With our lowest pasture curve occurring in winter, we decided to sow the cereals into lucerne for winter feed and it really has been fantastic. Our paddocks had been overstocked during the dry times but we’re now able to spell them. It has enabled us to better handle the ryegrass weed problem, as planting into the seedbed disrupts its cycle and prevents emergence.”

This year the Waltons joined 8,000 ewes to Merinos and Border Leicesters.

“Before lambing we can now get the ewes into really good condition on the barley and wheat,” Tom said.

Measures of Success:
Assisting the Waltons with practical advice, Grain & Graze technical consultant Simon Falkiner is recording dry matter production before and after stock graze the paddock.

“We have found with our research at Wurrook South and at other sites, that by grazing cereals during winter we are making available somewhere between 1000 and 2000 kilograms of dry matter per hectare for the livestock at a period when dry matter production is the limiting factor in the livestock system,” Simon explained.

“This added production allows weight gains in excess of 200 grams per head per day when, under normal circumstances, weight loss is a real possibility.

“It seems that as long as grazing is completed before the crop reaches growth stage 30 (stem elongation), then final grain yield is not affected.”