Managing native pastures for improved animal production and biodiversity

Summary

Traditionally, native pastures in the hill areas of the Mid North of South Australia are continuously grazed at the same time each year (usually from the autumn break in May until harvest in December) to fit in with the cropping program. Over time, this has reduced the population of native perennial grasses and produced pastures dominated by undesirable annual grasses such as wild oats and barley grass.

Valuable data about the impact of the new grazing regime was provided to woolgrowers and researchers, based on plant and soil measurements including pasture growth rates, change in native and annual pasture species, species diversity, water use efficiency, water infiltration rates and soil biological activity.

The focus of Managing native pastures in South Australia for improved animal production and biodiversity was to help woolgrowers conserve and improve native pasture biodiversity by rotational grazing and to lift profits through increased production. Specifically the research aimed to evaluate the effect of grazing management of native pastures on sheep productivity, farm financial returns and ecosystem function of native pastures.

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