1. Benefits of grazing crops to growers Summary of DAFWA trials
Jonathan England
DAFWA Narrogin

2. Condition gain +0.25 CS valued at $154/ha (0.3 CS change worth $7.70)
Newdegate Wedgetail sown 11 April at 75kg/ha. Grazed for 24 days from 17th June with scanned twin bearing at 25 ewes/ha in late pregnancy. Crop grew at 49kg/ha /day, pasture grew at 7kg/day in next paddock.  Deferred clover pasture –better seed set.
Condition gain CS valued at $154/ha (0.3 CS change worth $7.70)
Ungrazed crop yield 2.23t/ha vs grazed crop 2.09t/ha
11 Jul
30 Oct
20 Jun
30 Oct

3. Newdegate 2009 - Wedgetail sown early April
Newdegate Wedgetail sown early April. Farmer grazed for about a week from 16th July with ewes with lambs at foot. Managed a quick second grazing. Deferred clover pastures, happy with yield around 1.5t/ha.

4. Ungrazed crop yield 1.66 t/ha vs grazed crop 0.81 t/ha
Dumbleyung 2009 – Sown to hybrid canola 19th May. 35 lambs/ha in 3rd August, out 24th August, grew at 260g/hd/day. Flowering delayed by 4 weeks.
Total liveweight gain of 189kg/ha valued at $425/ha (assumes $5/kg cwt dressing at 45%)
Ungrazed crop yield 1.66 t/ha vs grazed crop 0.81 t/ha
Grazing commenced 3rd Aug
26th Aug, 2 days after grazing
2nd Oct, 39 days after grazing
11 Jul
30 Oct

5. Pingelly 2010 Dash barley 50% of Ave GSR , 40 days ≤3˚C
Yield grazed 1.21 t/ha vs ungrazed 1.68 t/ha Value of grazing $420/ha
Grazed at v high dse, 1190 GD/ha, moderate recovery but higher screenings
PGR 8kg/ha/day
CGR 85kg

6. Pingelly 2010 Wyalkatchem wheat 50% of Ave GSR , 40 days ≤3˚C
Yield grazed 1.73t/ha vs ungrazed 2.23t/ha Value of grazing $450/ha
Grazed at high dse, 602 GD/ha, shorter season variety, recovered well
PGR 8kg/ha/day
CGR 35kg

7. Wagin 2010 Mallee and Bravo Canola, 59% of Ave GSR, 44 days ≤3˚C
15 Aug
Grazed at mod- high dse, frost and dry finish affected yield, ungrazed area performed as expected
PGR 8 kg/ha/day
CGR 30 to 85kg
9 Sep
Grazed yield 170kg/ha Actual ungrazed harvested yield was 200kg/ha, not 450 as was hand harvested
Mallee HT
Grazing $130/ha
Bravo TT
Grazing $77/ha

8. Wagin 2010 Wedgetail wheat, 59% of Ave GSR, 44 days ≤3˚C
PGR 7kg/ha/day
CGR 30kg
27 July
24 June
Yield grazed 0.72t/ha vs ungrazed 0.79t/ha Value of grazing $200/ha
Grazed at moderate dse, 375GD/ha, long season variety, frosts and dry finish low yields
10 Aug
22 July

9. PGR 20kg/ha/day Pastures from space
Kojonup Thunder TT canola – Approx 50% of Ave GSR
8 Jun
21 Oct
Grazed
Ungrazed
PGR 20kg/ha/day Pastures from space
Thunder TT 2010 Yield Ewes and 75 dse/ha
grazed grazing days / ha
ungrazed 1.26

10. PGR 20kg/ha/day Pastures from space
Kojonup 2010, Wedgetail wheat, Approx 50% of Ave GSR, Katanning 27 days ≤3˚C, Bridgetown 71 days ≤3˚C
2.7t/ha grazed vs
2.5t/ha ungrazed
Grazing $115/ha
8 Jun
PGR 20kg/ha/day Pastures from space
Grazed at low dse, 126GD/ha, disease and frost affected ungrazed yield

11. 2010 Animal production summary
Farm
Cereal
Total days
Stock
DSE /ha
Ave CS change /30 days
Daily Wt gain kg/hd
Total grazing value $/ha
Value of MJ/ha
$ at $50 dse
Page
Dash Barley 7
Ewe
17.5
0.04
0.25 $ $ $
Lambs
0.3
Wedgetail Wheat 86
0.64
0.49 $ $ $
0.45
Spooner 14
26.7
0.73
0.34 $ $ $
Pasture
1.6
0.17
0.24 $ $ $
Stevenson 21
Hgts
31.5
0.59
0.58 $ $ $
Canola
Cronin
Bravo TT
7.5 22
0.36
0.32 $ $
Mallee TT hybrid
35.8
0.31 $ $ $
10.5
6.9
0.63 $ $ $
at $1.60/kg lwt
10 MJ Grain as fed $250
Using whole year GM

12. 2010 Crop production summary
Farm
Cereal
Status
FOO Pre
FOO Post
Yield
Hect Weight
Screen %
Protein %
Page
Dash Barley
Grazed
411
236
1.21
65.9
78.2
11.1
Ungrazed
1003
1.68
67.4
68.8
10.5
Wedgetail Wheat
633
330
1.73
84.2
2.46
11.3
878
2.23 84
0.99
10.3
Spooner
1132
665
0.72
74.8
14.9
1451
1512
0.79
75.7
1.5
13.4
Stevenson na
2.7
78.1
0.97
13.5
2.5
0.73
13.7
Canola
Oil%
Admix Total %
Cronin
Bravo TT
555
321
158
62.9
39.4
9.85
435
1194
412
67.2
39.1
5.74
Mallee TT hybrid
824
300
185
60.2
32.6
8.47
650
872
489
70.6
39.7
4.52
Warburton
Thunder TT
1235
67.1
45.6
3.23
1260
72.4
43.9

13. Summary of grazing crops work
Grazing crops can increase returns to cropped paddocks and allow pastures to be deferred, however seasonal constraints can affect both the timing of grazing and the yield and grain quality from the crops.
Longer season varieties may struggle to finish after grazing, especially with little follow up rain and continued frosts.
Grazing existing varieties and planting earlier is likely to be the best option. This can allow early grazing, lower disease risk, lower frost risk and have little effect on yield.

14. Southern Green Ryecorn Ballarat 3 March 2011
Southern Green Ryecorn Ballarat 3 March Volunteers germinated 3 weeks ago. Grows biomass at least twice as quickly as Winteroo oats. Grows in low rainfall environments, suited to poorer sandy soils.
Photo from Wrightson Seeds, Ballarat demonstration site