FILLING feed gaps is not the only thing dual purpose crops offer, but if the dry period continues, what should producers be doing?
NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) technical specialist in grain services, Peter Matthews, Orange, said there were many advantages of using dual purpose crops in mixed farming systems.
“It allows producers to rest pasture paddocks to allow them to recover through autumn into early winter to build another feed source,” he said.
“Particularly this season, growers that have sown grazing crops early enough have been supporting a lot of livestock up to date because pasture growth has been slow due to lack of range and adverse conditions.”
Another advantage is the high quality feed source the crop provides when managed properly.
“Dual purpose crops can provide large volumes of high protein, high energy feed that is very nutritious and highly digestible.
“Sheep and cattle can be finished on grazing crops growing at maximum growth rates.”
Central Tablelands Local Land Services (LLS) senior officer (livestock), Brett Littler, Mudgee, said on cereal crops high growth rates could be achieved and livestock finished.
“Yearling and weaner cattle quite often do over one kilogram per day, and can get as high as 1.5-1.6 kg per day,” Mr Littler said.
He said lambs could gain as much as 300 grams a day, but this was influenced by crop nutrition and the animal health and genetic potential.
Mr Littler said more producers, especially in the central mixed farming zone, now used dual purpose crops as an extra tool tool in the tool kit for finishing animals and a handy way of filling the winter feed gap.
There has been an increase in canola grazing in 2017 as more research information become available relative to crop performance and recovery.
As the 2017 crops start to reach the reproductive growth stage (Z31), producers were monitoring crops and deciding whether to remove stock to ensure yield potentials or leave stock on and bear the risks.
Removing stock at Z31 will help with crop recovery and sustainability, but will mean increased supplement feeding in some circumstances that bears more input costs.
This is a difficult decision for some producers, having to weigh up the costs of supplement feeding with the potential gain in grain yield and quality, and therefore grade and price benefits, from removing livestock from crops with the current feed stress (and vice-versa).
Despite the choice moving forward, producers need to ensure crop nutrition moving forward.
“Producers need to monitor nitrogen levels,” Mr Matthews said. “Those that choose to leave stock on slightly longer than harvest the grain for stock feed need to consider nitrogen to ensure the grain protein is not lowered.”
Producers are encouraged to discuss options moving forward with LLS officers, agronomists, DPI specialists and other bodies that may assist with information.
Current Research:
The NSW Department of Primary Industries, in collaboration with the Grains Research and Development Corporation, are currently completing trials throughout the state to evaluate the performance of the latest dual purpose cereal crop varieties.
In the 2017 season, 72 commercial and breeding lines of wheat, barley, triticale and oats are under evaluation across eight sites. Trial locations include Holbrook, Wagga Wagga, Cowra, Canowindra, Bathurst, Spicer Creek, Purleweigh and Somerton.
The trial aims to determine the suitability of the different varieties in grazing systems throughout a range of regions to maximise all areas of production
Results from the trial not only hope to increase grain production and forage management for high grain production, but also provide information on how to improve crop management of these varieties to boost returns from livestock production.
June ABARES figures indicate of the total 459,000 hectare of winter cereal crops sown in NSW, 10 to 13 per cent are varieties suitable for grazing, or as much as 595,000 hectares.
Largest cereal by area is wheat, followed by oats, however, grazing wheat only accounts for 10pc of wheat’s area, while grazing oats is upwards of 40pc of the total.
Of the 60,000ha of canola sown in NSW, growers and agronomists are indicating 25,000ha to 30,000ha would be grazed this season. This is about 5pc of the total area sown to canola.