vue - Hard-seeded legumes & their fit in mixed farming systems (B Hackney, CSU)

This presentation looks at the results from two CSU based research projects looking at quantifying & improving the production potential of sheep grazing biserrula-based pastures in southern NSW & WA. In a controlled experiment, lactating merino ewes gained an average of 210g/hd/day & their sucker lambs 265g/hd/day on biserrula-based pasture, while ewes grazing naturalised volunteer pastures lost 75g/hd/day & their lambs grew at less than half the rate of the lambs on biserrula, indicating that biserrula pastures present a useful quality fodder for lactating ewes. Mixed pastures significantly reduced the incidence of photosensitisation in non-pigmented animals grazing biserrula. Pigmented animals, even those who contained light pigmentation, showed little or no clinical signs of photosensitisation indicating that pigment can confer protection against photosensitisation.