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Issue No. 14, Mar-Apr 2010
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PDG meetings kick off for 2010
Corryong and Tallangatta Spray Unit Calibration Days Farm walks and pasture meetings held in Biggara and Tallangatta last month kicked off what will be a busy year for the Grazing the Hills project. Tim Paramore facilitated both days which focussed on calibration of spray equipment allowing farmers to be more precise with their spray operations. Correct nozzle choice was discussed and Tim advocated using low pressure air induction nozzles so as to increase droplet size and reduce drift. The larger droplets will not evaporate as readily in the heat especially if a spraying oil is added to the glyphosate. Following the on farm demonstrations both groups retuned for lunch and a presentation from Senior Agronomist, Don Kirkpatrick from Upper Murray Seeds. Don provided information on the range of pasture seed varieties available from UMS and other local seed suppliers drawing on his extensive knowledge on local soil and climatic conditions. The UMAG-Pastures group would like to thank Don and UMS for their support and hope Don can attend other such GTH events. GTH 2009 HarvestStage 1 Demonstration sites The Grazing the Hills project has 11 large demonstration sites across Towong Shire focusing on perennial pasture establishment and management. Most sites are in their second year of a program involving a cereal phase in preparation for the sowing of perennial pasture. These establishment sites have surprised participating growers with the high yields of silage and hay after grazing in the winter. Yields have varied from 5t/ha to 14t/ha. The highest yielding was the triticale grazing variety Endeavour. This yield included a grazing value and a preserved forage value. Tim Paramore and Brooke McKimmie have put together a harvest report which will cover a range of results obtained from data collected from each of the GTH demonstration sites over 2009. This report will be available at the next GTH pasture discussion group meeting to be held in April. 
Stage 2 Demonstration sites Due to the success of the GTH project with nine sites spread across the Towong Shire two new sites have been established, one in the Upper Mitta Valley and the other one in the Nariel Valley. These sites were sown with an annual fodder crop–forage rape. The aim is to demonstrate the cleanup phase over the spring summer and just how much digestible feed can be gained if there is sufficient summer rain. These two sites will be sown with grazing cereals this autumn and then sown with perennial pasture in autumn 2011. |
Lime — does it have any effect?
We now have two sets of soil test results for the Grazing the Hills sites. Most sites have been limed at 2.5T/ha and the response to pH and Aluminium levels has been varied but in some cases quite marked. Sampling was carried out in late 2008 before lime was applied, and in January 2010 when the lime had had a chance to take effect. On Norm Sharp's site at Cudgewa the pH went up from 4.2 to 5.1. The aluminium level dropped from 19.0% to 0.71%. This means that all that aluminium that is usually floating around in the soil solution looking for some phosphorus to attach to and tie up is no longer available. This may explain why the Colwell P has doubled from 26 to 54. The lime has also had the effect of increasing the cation exchange capacity from 3.2 to 7. The cation exchange capacity is a measure of a soils ability to hold nutrients. The lower the number the lighter the soil and the less fertile. These results are certainly dramatic and the rest of the data may be studied at your leisure when we produce the annual report of the sites for 2009. I hope that you enjoy reading it and find it a useful reference. I have been surprised at the quantity of data we have managed to amass in such a comparatively short period. 
April GTH Pasture Discussion Group meetingGTH pasture discussion group meetings are planned for 7pm Tuesday, April 20, at the DSE Office, Jardine Street Corryong, and 7pm Wednesday, April 21, at the Bullioh Hall, Bullioh. Topics for discussion will include: » Sowing plans for this year » Pasture species and variety options » Pre- and post-sowing herbicide and insecticide applications » Fertilizer applications with sowing SHARE OUR NEWSLETTER
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