Choosing forage/pasture

species
Craig Birchall,
craig.Birchall@une.edu.au
ERS, UNE
Things to consider
• Amount of growth
• Season of growth
• Quality of feed
• Storage of fodder ?

We wont be discussing supplements in this

presentation
• New variety or species are easy to adopt,

• But, improved management is probably even more

important!!
Feed growth curves

http://www.evergraze.com.au/library-content/regional-pasture-growth-rates/
Feed curves and demand
Availability/Timing
Can the forage be stored?
Forage trees – a living haystack ?
Leucaena in Australia
Constraints to forage/pasture
production??
• What constraints do you have?
Constraints to forage/pasture
production??
• Rainfall
• Temperature
• Latitude
• Soil
• pH, salinity, sodicity
• Nutrition – N, P, K, S
• Waterlogging

• Legume v grass
Legumes v grasses
• What will influence your decision?
Legumes v grasses
• Quality of forage
• N fixation
• better growth,
• N supply for system
Good agronomy is important
Good agronomy is important
Good agronomy is very important!!!
Now, on to the websites….
• http://tropicalforages.info/
• http://www.feedipedia.org/