Pasture 365: development and adoption of multispecies pastures underway
Long-term field trial ‘Pasture 365’ has commenced focal activities at Agriculture Victoria’s Ellinbank Research Farm.
This innovative project aims to find a forage mix that can grow successfully 365 days of the year.
Funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s Future Drought Fund, the five-year program is a major initiative to support the development and adoption of multi-species pastures for beef, sheep and dairy production.
Previous research from overseas has demonstrated that multispecies pastures have a longer green cover and possibly higher nutritive value that conventional ryegrass under drought and drying climatic conditions.
With 16 plots in the ground and four different species combinations being studied, the work at Ellinbank has established multiple pasture mixes in preparation for assessing which blends may work well in a changing climate.
The project will, over the next year, establish several satellite sites across the Gippsland region to test new mixes under different regional conditions. A site has already been established at the Gippsland Agricultural Group Research Farm near Bairnsdale.
Led by Deakin University Centre for Regional and Rural Futures, the project has a national approach to research. Partners conducting comparable trials include:
University of Melbourne
Bush Heritage Australia
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
South Australian Research and Development Institute
Department of Primary Industries and Regions (SA)
Flinders University
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, WA
University of Western Australia
Food & Fibre Gippsland is involved in the 365-day temperate feed production project in its capacity as the Gippsland Node of the Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (Vic Hub).
Vic Hub’s aim is for farmers and regional communities to benefit from major, long-term investments into drought preparedness.
For more information about Pasture 365, please email Dr Julian Hill, Vic Hub - Gippsland Node Lead.
