Stocktake Sale on now: wide range of books at up to 70% off!
Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > AN > EA04074
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 46(8)

Monitoring ley pastures and their response to winter cleaning

E. C. Wolfe A D , J. A. Paul A B and P. D. Cregan A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.

B Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, PO Box E240, Kingston, ACT 2604, Australia.

C ‘Teneriffe’, Ladysmith, NSW 2656, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: twolfe@csu.edu.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(8) 1023-1033 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA04074
Submitted: 9 April 2004  Accepted: 8 October 2005   Published: 5 July 2006

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to evaluate subterranean clover-based leys on farms and in experiments using several pasture parameters, and to assess the impact of winter cleaning on the productivity and botanical composition of clover swards. Annual pastures were monitored on a group of 5 farms in the Wagga district and compared with an experimental subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) pasture. The major problem in the farm paddocks was a lack of legume biomass due to poor legume densities, a consequence of the use of the soft-seeded cultivar Woogenellup and a high content of grassy weeds. The farmers in the group were unaware of the tools, parameters and benchmarks for making quantitative pasture comparisons. In 2 experiments, a range of subterranean clover swards were generated through the use of cultivars, seeding rate and winter cleaning treatments, grazed at 15 sheep/ha and monitored for 3 years. Appropriate benchmark values for the seed pool of subterranean clover were 300–350 kg/ha in winter and 600–700 kg/ha in summer. On the basis of both winter production, a function of May seedling density (target >1000 seedlings/m2) and spring production, which depended on the cultivar maturity, Junee was superior at Wagga to either Dalkeith (earlier maturing) or Woogenellup (softer seeded). Winter cleaning, using selective herbicides (fluazifop, simazine) to remove grasses and weeds, was advantageous in achieving a high content (>90%) and productivity of subterranean clover, provided that the legume content of the pasture was at least 28%, or >20% of total ground area before herbicide application in winter. In winter-cleaned swards, legume growth increased by up to 80%, legume biomass was improved by up to 46% and legume content increased from <50 to >95%. The main disadvantages of winter cleaning were increased areas of bare ground and reduced total biomass for several weeks after herbicide application, and the rapid development of ryegrass that was resistant to at least 1 of the herbicides used. The strategic use of observations to monitor the performance of pastures and their response to management is discussed.

Additional keywords: biomass, botanical composition, cover, seed pool, seedling density, subterranean clover.


Acknowledgments

The investigation was made possible through a postgraduate studentship (J. A. Paul) provided by the Grains Research and Development Corporation, and this support is gratefully acknowledged. During the investigation, John Angus and Mark Peoples provided guidance and encouragement, and Brian Dear helped with access to equipment and facilities. Bernard Ellem gave valuable advice on the statistical analysis of the data.


References


Allan CJ, Mason WK, Reeve IJ, Hooper S (2003) Evaluation of the impact of SGS on livestock producers and their practices. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 1031–1040.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | (verified 16 May 2006)

Peoples MB, Gault RR, Scammell GJ, Dear BS, Virgona J, Sandral GA, Paul J, Wolfe EC, Angus JF (1998) The effect of pasture management on the contributions of fixed N to the N economy of ley-farming systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 459–474.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Puckridge DW, French RJ (1983) The annual legume pasture in cereal–ley farming systems of southern Australia, a review. Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment 9, 229–267.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Reeve IJ, Kaine G, Lees JW, Barclay X (2000) Producer perceptions of pasture decline and grazing management. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 331–341.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Reeves TG, Ewing MA (1993) Is ley farming in Mediterranean zones just a passing phase? In ‘Grasslands for our world’. (Ed. MJ Baker) pp. 810–818. (SIR Publishing: Wellington)

Rigby S, Latta R (1995) The performance of medics in the Mallee. Mallee Farmer Newsletter 12, 10–11. open url image1

Robertson SM, Wimalasuriya RK (2004) Limitations to pasture and sheep enterprises and options for improvement in the Victorian Mallee. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, 841–849.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Stephenson DW (1993) Barley grass control with herbicides in subterranean clover pasture. 2. Effect on pasture and wheat in the year following spraying. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, 743–749.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Stephenson DW, Mitchell GJ (1993) Barley grass control with herbicides in subterranean clover pasture. 1. Effect on pasture in the year of spraying. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, 737–741.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Stockdale CR (1984) Evaluation of techniques for estimating the yield of irrigated pastures intensively grazed by dairy cows. 1. Visual assessment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 24, 300–304.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Taylor GB, Rossiter RC, Palmer MJ (1984) Long term patterns of seed softening and seedling establishment from single seed crops of subterranean clover. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 24, 200–212.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Thorn CW (1992) Management of annual legume pastures for crop and animal production. In ‘Transfer of biologically fixed nitrogen to wheat’. (Ed. JF Angus) pp. 93–108. (GRDC: Canberra)

Thorn CW, Perry MW (1987) Effect of chemical removal of grasses from pasture leys on pasture and sheep production. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 27, 349–357.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Tothill JC (1978) Measuring botanical composition of grasslands. In ‘Measurement of grassland vegetation and animal production’. Bulletin 52, Commonwealth Bureau of Pastures and Field Crops. (Ed. L’t Mannetje) pp. 22–62. (CAB International: Farnham Royal)

Venn NR (1984) Control of annual grasses in pasture and legume crops with fluazifop-butyl. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 24, 612–616.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Wallace A, Evans PM, Bowran D (1995) Effective barley grass (Hordeum spp.) control in annual medics with 2,2-DPA herbicide. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 35, 725–730.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Wilson AD, Simpson RJ (1993) The pasture resource base: status and issues. In ‘Pasture management, technology for the 21st century’. (Eds DR Kemp, DL Michalk) pp. 1–26. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)

Wolfe EC, Dear BS (2001) The population dynamics of pastures, with particular reference to southern Australia. In ‘Competition and succession in pastures’. (Eds PG Tow, A Lazenby) pp. 119–148. (CABI Publishing: Wallingford)