Have the right option in the ground for fast feed

For example, while we like many other farmers partially destocked and drought fed, our winter dual purpose crops, plus tropical grass pastures, have been a Godsend.

These dual purpose crops were sown after a good rain event in late February into subsoil moisture.

Leading into October 2017 we had experienced five consecutive months with little effective rainfall, but October 2017 was an above average rainfall month.

Tropical grasses, in our case premier digit, took off and within weeks provide more than three tonnes a hectare of good quality grazing.

Our stock had largely survived on dual purpose cereal crops (had been sown on good subsoil moisture) and supplementary hay to that stage.

Tropical pastures were able to carry the property through the summer of 2017-18 on periodic, well below average rainfall and the feed build-up from the October 2017 moisture.

A good rain event in late February/early March 2018 again resulted in a big boost of tropical grass feed, that helped feed stock well into winter.

No further significant rain occurred until 40 millimetres over two weeks in late August/early September 2018, with only periodic small events since.

While early September is a little early for tropical grass to take off in our area (at 500 metres above sea level), growth has been excellent since that break and after four weeks was sufficiently good stock feed.

Winter annuals, like clovers and annual ryegrass, had provided no winter/spring feed over the winter/spring dry.

Winter cereals eventually anchored sufficiently for grazing by mid-July (two months later than normal) and together with cotton seed and hay had carried a reduced herd until the tropical grasses got going.

The beauty about tropical grasses is that with reasonable grazing management they can quickly provide feed on any rain event from late August until the following late autumn or even early winter.

And on top of that they can last indefinitely, grow well on lighter soils, as well as other soils, and can be very good quality if soil fertility is good, and can provide good carryover feed into dry times.

Lucerne is perhaps a better choice for mixed farmers on non-acidic soils and can provide good feed any time of the year following a useable rain event.

But lucerne requires periodic re-sowing (fine in a mixed cropping/pasture rotation), can’t tolerate soil acidity, can leave soil bare in dry times, and in flushes can prove a bloat worry.

Tropical grasses on medium to lighter textured soils can grow from relatively small rainfall events.

On mixed soil type properties, provided there is sufficient area of light soil, this area can be the first option for sowing to tropicals.

In recent drought years these pastures have commonly been the most productive part of the farm by a mile.

Like improved native pastures and winter perennials (like phalaris), annual legumes are an important part of a tropical grass pasture.

However, in years like 2017 and 2018 they have commonly provided next to no autumn, winter or spring feed.

But if earlier maturing, hard seeded varieties are used they can still have good soil seed reserves for establishing next autumn/winter should the season be more normal.

Because tropical grasses can be so important to the farm business, and last indefinitely, good establishment is important.

A good idea is to grow a winter crop for three years to ensure weeds are not allowed to set seed in the crop or fallow, and sow when soil temperatures reach around 16 degrees.

For may areas that is around late October. If seed of the variety you want is not available it is best to go a further crop and sow the following spring.

Next week: New winter wheats improve options for dual purpose winter crops.