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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 49(10)

Dry matter production and grain yield from grazed wheat in southern New South Wales

K. G. McMullen A C D and J. M. Virgona A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A EH Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.

B School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University, PO Box 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.

C NSW DPI, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, PMB Pine Gully Road, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: guy.mcmullen@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Animal Production Science 49(10) 769-776 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09055
Submitted: 2 April 2009  Accepted: 24 June 2009   Published: 16 September 2009

Abstract

In southern New South Wales, Australia, grazing wheat during the vegetative and early reproductive growth stages (typically during winter) can provide a valuable contribution of high quality feed during a period of low pasture growth. This paper reports results from a series of experiments investigating the agronomic management of grazed wheats in southern NSW.

The effect of sowing date and grazing on dry matter production and subsequent grain yield of a range of wheat cultivars was measured in five experiments in 2004 and 2005. In all experiments, results were compared with ungrazed spring wheat (cv. Diamondbird). Grain yield of the best winter cultivar was either the same or significantly greater than the spring cultivar in each of the five experiments. Within the winter wheat cultivars, there was significant variation in grain yield, protein content and screenings, depending on site and year with the cultivar Marombi out-yielding all others. Interestingly, this cultivar usually had the least dry matter post-grazing but the greatest dry matter by anthesis of the winter wheats. Generally, if sowing of the winter wheat was delayed, then the effects on yield were small or non-existent.

The results are discussed with respect to the benefits of incorporating grazing cereals into cropping programs in the medium rainfall zone of southern Australia.


Acknowledgements

This work was conducted as part of the Murrumbidgee Grain & Graze Regional Project within the National Grain and Graze Initiative. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided through that Initiative by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation and Land and Water Australia. We also thank FarmLink Research and the local Project Steering Committee for project management and guidance. We also thank Vince van der Rijt, Rod Fisher, Graeme Heath and Craig Muir for their excellent technical support, and John Pattison, Mark and Peter Yates, Duncan Lander and David and Cathy Fox for their cooperation and the provision of land and animals. We would also like to thank the referees for their insightful comments that have contributed to this paper.


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