Pastures and Rangelands
There are three teams within the Pastures and Rangelands Unit:
Pastures in mixed farming systems: addresses issues associated with the role of pastures in profitable and sustainable mixed farming systems on the tablelands and slopes. Projects are aimed at amelioration of unfavourable soil conditions, particularly acidity and salinity; physiological adaptation and evaluation of superior germ plasm; development of innovative production systems (including pasture cropping and alley farming); and grazing management of native pastures in the high rainfall zone. Projects are conducted in northern, central and southern environments.
Pastures in dairy production systems: addresses issues associated with management of the feed base and seasonal risk in the dairy industry. Projects focus on the critical issue of water use efficiency of forage species (the dairy industry is a major user of irrigation water), the potential of species and ecotypes to contribute to the annual forage production cycle, and aspects of pasture establishment. Guidelines for seasonal risk assessment are also being developed to assist short to medium term feed management decisions.
Sustainable rangelands: includes research aimed at progressively refining the basis for ‘tactical grazing’ and ‘precision pastoralism’, including the matching of forage supply and demand, critical thresholds for species utilisation, and seasonal risk assessment. There is a strong emphasis on the potential of pasture growth modelling to provide both paddock-level projections of forage growth potential and regional-level assessment of land degradation hazard. The unit also addresses some basic issues associated with genetic variation and delineation of provenance in native species.
Key research collaborations
R&D (research and development) fund providers: Grains Research and Development Corporation, Meat & Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation, Land & Water Australia, Rural Industries R&D Corporation, Dairy R&D Corporation, NSW Dairy Industry Development Company, Salinity Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), Desert Knowledge CRC, Stipa Native Grass Association, Central West Farming Systems, Central West Conservation Farming Association, plus Queensland Government agencies, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and various Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs).
Key research infrastructure
NSW DPI facilities are located at Trangie, Tamworth, Wollongbar, Menangle, Orange, Condobolin and Canberra.
Current projects
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Scientific outputs
The Pastures and Rangelands unit has undertaken a series of scientific research projects. They are outlined in these outputs. They are listed by year of publication.
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 |
Scientists
Find a list of Pastures and Rangelands scientists
Contact
Dr Ron Hacker
Research Leader, Pastures & Rangelands
Phone 02 6880 8002
Email: ron.hacker@dpi.nsw.gov.au