L5 - Improved Pastures - Grasses

which one is correct?

A.The number of beef cattle in Australia is approximately 70 million.

B. Grazing lands occupy approx 60% of Australian continent.

C. Improved pasture supports less than 10% of livestock in Australia.

D. The large area of native pasture in Australia underpins our beef supply into the European market.

B. Grazing lands occupy approx 60% of Australian continent.

WHICH NATIVE PASTURE COMMUNITY IS THE MAJOR CATTLE PRODUCING REGION OF QUEENSLAND?

A.The tropical and subtropical tall grass (i.e. black speargrass country)

B.The mulga woodlands

C.The spinifex grasslands

D.The monsoon tallgrass areas (e.g. Cape York)

A.The tropical and subtropical tall grass (i.e. black speargrass country)

THERE WERE SEVERAL MAIN REASONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF IMPROVED TROPICAL PASTURE SPECIES INTO NORTHERN AUSTRALIA. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING IS CORRECT?

A.Native Australian grasslands are not well adapted to the long dry season in northern Australia

B.Native Australian grasslands are not very palatable to domestic livestock even when young

C.Native grasslands are fragile under intensive grazing

D.Native grasslands do not respond to winter rainfall in the Tropics

C.Native grasslands are fragile under intensive grazing

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS REGARDING BURNING NATIVE PASTURES IS INCORRECT?

A.Burning controls woody regrowth and influences pasture composition

B.Burning removes unpalatable material & stimulates pasture regrowth

C.Burning reduces fire hazards and gives a suitable seedbed for oversowing legumes such as stylo

D.Perennial native grasses in the native pastures are intolerant of burning

D.Perennial native grasses in the native pastures are intolerant of burning

where are most of australia’s agricultural holdings?

-native pastures (77%)

what is the majority of land use in QLD?

-grazing native vegetation

-grazing modification pastures

why sow improved pasture species? (6)

Intensify animal production.

Improve system profitability.

Reduce or remove the need for supplementation.

Higher productivity gives flexibility to meet variety of market requirements.

More resilient under grazing, reduced degradation.

Rotate with crops & improve soil fertility.

variation in pasture species



Botanical group - may be grass (Poaceae) or legume (Fabaceae or Leguminoseae)



Physical structure (grasses: tall, prostrate, ascendant, tufted, stoloniferous) (legumes: trees, shrubs, prostrate, stoloniferous, or creeping vines).



Rooting structure (grasses dense fibrous roots, rhizomes; legumes deeper tap roots, rhizomes)



Adaptation to climate (wet or dry, tropical, subtropical or temperate temperatures, frost)



Adaptation to soil (texture, chemical fertility, acidity, waterlogging, saltiness)

best resource for tropical pastures?

-tropical forages

best selection tool for both tropical and temperate?

pasture Australia

💪🏽:

BUFFEL GRASS(Cenchrus ciliaris; Pennisetum ciliare)

(subtropic, semi-arid)



Adapted to range of soil textures.



Persistent on lighter-textured soils.



Drought tolerant (300 -1000 mm rainfall).



Quick response to relatively low rainfall.



Tolerant of heavy grazing.

limits:

BUFFEL GRASS(Cenchrus ciliaris; Pennisetum ciliare)

(subtropic, semi-arid)



Moderate palatability.



"Fluffy" seed is difficult to sow.



Needs high fertility for production.



Establishment is difficult on clay soils.



Intolerant of high levels of available soil aluminum (Al) and manganese (Mn).



Intolerant of prolonged waterlogging and frost.



Can cause 'big head' in horses.



Invasive in certain sub-humid to arid environments.

BUFFEL GRASS(Cenchrus ciliaris; Pennisetum ciliare)

BUFFEL GRASS(Cenchrus ciliaris; Pennisetum ciliare)

💪🏽:

RHODES GRASS (Chloris gayana)

(tropic, subtropic)



Widely adapted (700 – 1000 mm rainfall).



Easily established.



Early nutritive value.



High salt tolerance.



Tolerant of grazing.



Good seed production.



Good for horses as well as cattle & sheep

limits:

RHODES GRASS (Chloris gayana)

(tropic, subtropic)

Short season of nutritive peak in many cultivars.



Fluffy seed difficult to sow.



Not adapted to acid, infertile soils.



Plants require high fertility to persist.



Low shade tolerance

RHODES GRASS (Chloris gayana)

RHODES GRASS (Chloris gayana)

RHODES GRASS (Chloris gayana)

💪🏽:

GREEN PANIC (Megathyrsus maximus, previously Panicum maximum)



Suitable to wide rainfall conditions (550 mm to 1500 mm)



Very leafy.



High quality feed.



High production potential.



Readily eaten by all stock.



Suited to grazing and cutting.



Shade tolerant.



Drought tolerant.



Early season growth in some lines

limits:

GREEN PANIC (Megathyrsus maximus, previously Panicum maximum)

(tropic, subtropic)



Requires fertile soils.



Intolerant of waterlogging.



Intolerant of heavy grazing.



Becomes stemmy if not cut or grazed frequently.

GREEN PANIC (Megathyrsus maximus, previously Panicum maximum)

GREEN PANIC (Megathyrsus maximus, previously Panicum maximum)

BAMBATSI PANIC (Panicum coloratum)

💪🏽:

BAMBATSI PANIC (Panicum coloratum)

(subtropic)



Well adapted to heavy, self-mulching, black clay soils.



Tolerant of temporary waterlogging and flooding.



Tolerant of drought (prefers 500 – 700 mm rainfall).



Tolerant of moderate soil salinity.



Very persistent once established.



Cold tolerant and drought resistant.



High forage quality.



Lower N-requirement than Panicum maximum

limits:

BAMBATSI PANIC (Panicum coloratum)

(subtropic)



Slow to establish.



Poor cool season growth.



Seed shattering reduces seed harvests.



Not preferred by horses if other options available, e.g. green panic.

BAMBATSI PANIC (Panicum coloratum)

CREEPING BLUE GRASS (Bothriochloa insculpta)

CREEPING BLUE GRASS (Bothriochloa insculpta)

💪🏽:

CREEPING BLUE GRASS (Bothriochloa insculpta)

(subtropic)



Palatable when young and leafy.



Drought tolerant.



Tolerant of heavy grazing.



Grows low-moderately fertile soils.



Effective ground cover to combat erosion

limits:

CREEPING BLUE GRASS (Bothriochloa insculpta)

(subtropic)



Low palatability in some varieties.



Slow regrowth after dry/cool season.



Intolerant of acid soils.



Some varieties susceptible to pasture dieback

SETARIA (Seteria sphacelata)

SETARIA (Seteria sphacelata) on Atherton Tableland

💪🏽:

SETARIA (Seteria sphacelata)

(tropic,subtropic)



Palatable at early growth stages.



Establishes easily from seed.



Persists under moderate grazing.



Adapted to a wide range of soils.



Tolerant of flooding and waterlogging (Prefers 900 mm to 1500 mm rainfall).



Some lines are frost tolerant

limits:

SETARIA (Seteria sphacelata)

(tropic, subtropic)



Quality drops rapidly with on-set of seeding (i.e. at maturity).



High oxalate levels can cause 'big head' in horses.



Not very drought tolerant.

HUMIDICOLA GRASS (Brachiaria humidicola)

HUMIDICOLA GRASS (Brachiaria humidicola)

💪🏽:

HUMIDICOLA GRASS (Brachiaria humidicola)

(tropic)



Adapted to low fertility soils.



Easily established



Excellent ability to suppress weeds.



Maintains good ground cover under heavy grazing.



High LWGs per ha because of supporting high stocking rates.

limits:

HUMIDICOLA GRASS (Brachiaria humidicola)

(tropic)



Can be unpalatable to stock, particularly sheep.



Difficult to maintain companion legume.



Needs frequent grazing/cutting to maintain quality.



Lower quality than other Brachiaria spp

SIGNAL GRASS (Brachiaria decumbens; now Urochloa decumbens)

SIGNAL GRASS (Brachiaria decumbens; now Urochloa decumbens)

💪🏽:

SIGNAL GRASS (Brachiaria decumbens; now Urochloa decumbens)

(tropic, subtropic)



High productivity under intensive management.



Tolerant of heavy grazing.



Persists on low fertility, high Al, acid soils.



Very persistent, maintains green leaf well into seasonally dry periods.



Excellent seed production

limit:

SIGNAL GRASS (Brachiaria decumbens; now Urochloa decumbens)

(tropic,subtropic)



Slow to establish if dormant seed is sown.



Poor compatibility with many legumes.



Low tolerance of waterlogging.



Photosensitization in cattle, sheep and goats (rare in Australia).



Poorly eaten by horses and can cause 'big-head’ disease

KIKUYU GRASS (Pennisetum clandestinum)

KIKUYU GRASS (Pennisetum clandestinum)

💪🏽:

KIKUYU GRASS (Pennisetum clandestinum)

(subtropic)



Persistent and productive under heavy grazing.



Long growing season (survives long dry periods).



Some cool/frost tolerance.



Good ground cover.



Responsive to good fertility.



Suited to subtropics and high-altitude tropics

limits:

KIKUYU GRASS (Pennisetum clandestinum)

(subtropic)



Requires fertile soils for persistence and good feed quality.



Competitive against many legumes.



Rhizomes can create weed problem.



Susceptible to ‘kikuyu yellows’ disease

💪🏽:

RYE GRASS (Lolium perenne and L. multiflorum)



Growth during cooler autumn, winter and spring months.



Very high quality.



High productivity.



Rapid regrowth following grazing.



Easily established.



Self sown if allowed to seed.



Frost tolerant

limits:

RYE GRASS (Lolium perenne and L. multiflorum)



Irrigation required in subtropics.



Not suitable for low fertility soils.



Does not withstand heavy grazing through drought.



Growth constrained by high temperatures

RYE GRASS (Lolium perenne and L. multiflorum)

RYE GRASS (Lolium perenne and L. multiflorum)

perennial RYE GRASS (Lolium perenne)

annual RYE GRASS (L. multiflorum)

integrated rye grass (winter)

SE QLD

irrigated rye grass

-Canterbury plains

-South Island NZ