Run-down Pasture Recovery Field Day helps producers make decisions
Thirty seven producers from the upper Murray region attended the latest in a series of Run-down Pasture Recovery Field Days held across southern NSW by NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).
NSW DPI district agronomist, Nathan Ferguson, said the field day held at the Tooma Hall last week was very informative.
"Of particular interest was a visit to cattle farmer Rob Cox’s property to view a phalaris paddock that was run-down," he said.
"The aim of the field day was to help produces develop skills to aid them in making important decisions about what to do with an under performing pasture, that is too good to kill, but not good enough to keep.
"In the past re-sowing a perennial pasture was the first cab off the rank, we now believe that it should be the last option."
Mr Ferguson said farmers need to ask themselves how cost effective is re-sowing rather than trying to work with what you’ve got.
"The first step is to identify the species present in the pasture, work out whether they are winter or summer growers, and if they are a short or a long season species. Then determine their value as a fodder source.
"Once you have identified what species are in the paddock, you need to work out if there is enough of them, and if not, how can you promote them in the paddock," he said.
Mr Ferguson said one of the drivers of shifting re-sowing from the first option to the last option was the rising cost of establishing perennial pastures.
He referred producers to work by NSW DPI economist based at Tamworth, Fiona Scott, who has completed a cash-flow budget and economic analysis on sowing a perennial pasture.
"NSW DPI is looking at different ways of presenting the results from this analysis to make it easier for farmers to understand," Mr Ferguson said.
To find out more about cash-flow budgets, he urged farmers to attend a Run-down Pasture Recovery Field Day in their district or to contact their local NSW DPI district agronomist.
Field days will be held in the coming months at Adelong, Gundagai, Tarcutta, Holbrook and Yass. Contact Nathan Ferguson on (02) 6947 4188 or your local NSW DPI district agronomist for further information.
Photo available from sarahc@sf.nsw.gov.au
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Media contact: Sarah Chester on (02) 6036 2110 or 0417 207 669