Adapting Grazing Strategies for Year-Round Success

Dec 17,2024 Feed 365 Project, Project Update Article, 2024, Project Update, Projects, RAD2125,

By Kate Parker & Simon Kruger

The FEED365 Project is wrapping up its third year, focusing on developing pasture management strategies that ensure year-round feed availability while reducing reliance on supplementary feeding. The West Midlands Group (WMG) has partnered with two producers at Warradarge and Gillingarra to trial solutions for addressing early winter and late spring/summer feed gaps. These trials explore a combination of pasture and cropping systems to improve livestock feed supply throughout the year.

Growers have faced significant challenges this season, including a particularly dry start and below-average rainfall during critical growing months. Rainfall data from Badgingarra Research Station highlights the difficult conditions, with 2024 totals sitting below the long-term average (533.4 mm).

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Annual
2024	0.0	5.8	5.2	4.8	38.2	104.2	158.4	86.4	9.6	40.0	14.8	6.2	473.6
LTA	10.6	15.4	15.4	25.9	66.2	97.3	102.7	84.7	47.4	26.4	17.7	8.6	533.4

Table 1. Rainfall (mm) for 2024 at Badgingarra Research Station.

This seasonal challenge has emphasised the importance of flexible grazing strategies to maintain feed continuity. At the Warradarge site, the focus has shifted from in season grazing towards whole crop grazing at the end of season to make the most of available resources. Meanwhile, at Gillingarra, mixed pasture systems are being tested to address feed gaps later in the season.

At the Warradarge site, where crops advanced rapidly to head, opportunities for pre-growth stage 30 grazing were limited. In response, the site adopted a form of a “Grain and Graze” strategy, exploring the potential of grazing crops as livestock feed. A traditional grain and graze system would be to graze crops before growth stage 30 and then to harvest grain as normal; the strategy currently being implemented at the Warradarge site is a further exploration of this, looking into the potential for grazing whole unharvested crops. Research is limited on this adaptive strategy with most information on late season grazing being on failed crops or stubble. The FEED365 project will investigate the potential of this novel strategy to give farmers more options late in the season.

The serradella and barley paddock at the Warradarge FEED365 site.

A mob of sheep is currently grazing an unharvested barley and serradella paddock, which recorded an average pre-graze biomass of 3911 kg/ha of dry matter. Lamb weights were recorded prior to grazing, and will be tracked at 3 and 6 weeks to measure weight gains over the period. Once grazing on the barley concludes, the sheep will move onto an unharvested triticale paddock for further monitoring. Early indications suggest whole crop grazing could offer benefits such as reduced supplementary feed costs, efficient crop biomass utilisation, and improved soil cover—though careful management is needed to avoid risks like acidosis and soil erosion.

At the Gillingarra site, the trials have focused on combining annual and perennial pasture species to extend grazing opportunities and build system resilience. By integrating species such as lupin, vetch, and barley into existing perennial grass pastures, the site aims to provide reliable late spring and summer feed options. Results so far show promising improvements in pasture production and feed availability, offering a flexible solution for addressing seasonal feed gaps.

The cover cropped perennial paddock at the Gillingarra FEED365 site.

As the FEED365 Project enters its final stages, WMG will continue monitoring livestock performance at both sites over the summer, while analysing the economics of 3 years worth of data collected over the projects lifetime. The preliminary findings demonstrate that whole crop grazing and cover cropping systems can play a critical role in reducing feed costs, increasing animal performance, and addressing seasonal challenges when managed effectively.

Looking ahead, WMG will share further results from the summer grazing trials early in the new year. A farmer discussion event will provide an opportunity to explore the economics of the FEED365 demonstration sites, comparing livestock performance, pasture production, and financial outcomes of different treatments. Stay tuned for event details and more insights into the future of sustainable grazing and pasture systems.