Grazing management, species choice, establishment, productivity, and soil fertility will be key aspects of a field day that features outstanding tropical grass pastures and livestock productivity on a large-scale property.
The 2230 hectares of highly productive tropical grasses, together with legumes, will feature at the Suncorp-sponsored field day to be held on “Towri”, Boggabri, the property of George and Maree Avendano, on Monday, March 7.
The Avendano aggregation runs an almost 1000 breeding cow breeding unit, with offspring regularly marketed at weights ranging from 450 to 700 kilograms a head and pregnancy testing ensuring calving rates are in the high 90 per cent range. These “Towri” perennial grass pasture stands (with more than 1000ha to be established) are on a range of soil types from sandy acidic, Kurrajong loams to tight clays.
In a previous era soil fertility was low, soil quality tended to be degraded from decades of cultivation (pre-glyphosate zero-till time) and productivity was low.
Much of the property was commonly described as second rate.
While financial loans have been a integral part of the properties’ growth and development, the Avendanos have built their business entirely from income generated from it and their families’ hard and well-planned efforts (including sons Matthew, Tom and Richard, the latter now an agronomist).
Winter fodder crops are used to clean up country before sowing to tropical pastures as well as for winter feed.
Tropical grasses have been successfully established most years with few if any failures, testament to planning and correct agronomy, such as species selection, sowing depth, soil fertility and post sowing management.
An under-emphasised aspect of the Avendano pastures is their grazing management. It is best described as flexible rotational grazing, not grazing pastures too hard, maintaining ground cover and allowing them to reach flowering whenever possible.
“Treat pastures kindly and they will perform for you,” Mr Avendano believes.
Legumes are generally added the autumn after tropical grass establishment with a range of species generally used, depending on soil type.
“Towri” property group success acknowledges and addresses the almost universal fact that Australian soils are naturally low in elements such as phosphorus, sulphur and, until legumes thrive, nitrogen.
The Avendanos addressed sulphur and phosphorus soil deficiency from day one when they bought their initial property 26 years ago.
Mr Avendano said single super had been the cheapest way to address these pasture production-limiting elements.
While winter legumes are depended on to build soil nitrogen the Avendanos have never been reluctant to add urea to boost levels should dry springs reduce their impact.
For example this year they added 40 tonnes of urea in early summer ahead of a good rainfall forecast (with just barely enough falling for incorporation).
Mr Avendano can’t stress too strongly for the need to adequately correct soil deficiencies.
The field day aims to cover issues relevant throughout the state. It starts between 9am and 10am for registration, and morning tea and lunch are provided. It will finish about 2pm.
The fee is $90 a head and numbers are limited to 50. Directions will be given when you book. Book via my email below.
- Next week: Reliable early sown productive dual purpose crops.
- Bob Freebairn is an agricultural consultant based at Coonabarabran. Email robert.freebairn@bigpond.com or contact 0428 752 149.