The Issues: Native Pastures

We used to set-stock our native pastures. Grazing them for a short period and then resting them has rejuvenated the perennial component of our pastures. I can see that grazing management has the potential to double my stocking rates. We also get less bare ground and less erosion because we have better control of our stock.
Bill Hoffman, Jamestown, SA

Significant areas of the high to medium areas of Australia’s grazing land still contain native pastures and are a significant feed base for wool production.

Native pastures can provide a green pick through out the year, which is important in maintaining the high tensile strength often found in wool grown from these pastures.

Many native pastures are also quite persistent in adverse soil conditions such as high soil acidity.The long-term value of these pastures for wool production relies on the maintenance of a high level of diversity and the persistence of the productive perennial grass species.

Often native grasslands run low levels of stock and return low levels of profit per hectare. The economic viability of these native pasture systems relies on managing large areas of land.

Productive Solutions

Opportunities exist to lift the production of these pastures through better management while still retaining the integrity and sustainability of native pasture systems.

Because of the variation in species represented in native pastures and the diversity of environments in which they occur, the response of native pastures to various management changes will vary from location to location. The two major means of improving native grass productivity are through grazing management and the careful application of fertilizer:

* Short intensity rotational grazing has been shown to improve productivity of native pastures and increase their perennial grass component compared with set stocking.
* Many native pastures contain clover and have the ability to respond to phosphorus fertilizers. Provided the pastures are managed to limit the clover growth, significant increases in production can be achieved while still maintaining the native perennial grasses.

Want to know more?

Visit Land, Water & Wool's Native Vegetation and Biodiversity sub-program