Farmers from across Gippsland descended on the property of Briagolong farmer John Mosley last month to take part in Agriculture Victoria’s Climate Resilient Pastures Field Day.
Agriculture Victoria, in conjunction with Gippsland Agricultural Group and Liz Semmens from Vast Agronomy, hosted the field day on Wednesday, May 31, with the prime objective of educating Gippsland farmers on how best to manage their perennial pastures.
In the words of Livestock Industry Development Officer James Paulet, climate-resilient pastures are vital for producers as they allow pastures to withstand seasonal and climate variability.
“A resilient permanent pasture will have longer persistence, will respond quickly to available moisture in the soil profile, which reduces the need to re-sow as often, and savings on annual input costs,” Mr Paulet said.
About 20 participants joined Mr Paulet, along with fellow Climate Resilient Pastures Field Day facilitators Fiona Baker and Liz Semmens for the almost four-hour-long event.
“There was great participation in the field day with farmers taking particular interest in the one-metre soil cores, which can highlight possible restrictions to pasture growth such as high sub-soil acidity,” Mr Paulet said.
The Briagolong event began with morning tea, providing Gippsland farmers with an opportunity to expand their social circle and better acquaint themselves with those in the agricultural industry.
Mr Paulet and Ms Baker directed participants to one of farmer Mosley’s many paddocks, equipping each attendee with a copy of Meat & Livestock Australia’s Pasture Paramedic and a sizeable plastic-ruler-type-tool that folds into a hollow square.
The MLA Pasture Paramedic is a tool containing quick but simple assessments commonly used by agronomists to evaluate the condition of a pasture, allowing farmers to rapidly assess pasture conditions in the medium and high rainfall zones of South East Australia.
As described by Agriculture Victoria, the MLA Pasture Paramedic is a valuable resource that gives a framework for farmers to assess their pastures and determine any options for future development.
In the paddock, Ms Baker guided participants through how to use the Pasture Paramedic ensuring Gippsland farmers could utilise the tool on their own farms and identify opportunities to improve their pastures, whether through changing grazing practices or through renovation.
Ms Baker covered various topics relating to the Pasture Paramedic and best pasture management practices, emphasising the importance and positives of understanding your pasture.
She also touched on trash – clumps of dead, dry grass on the soil surface.
After the wet summers we’ve had the last few years, those in the agricultural industry are seeing a build-up of ‘trash’ on the soil surface, causing a restriction for sub-clover germination as well as fostering a perfect environment for slugs to inhabit and reproduce, damaging both clover and grasses.
Participants then examined a deep soil core, discussing how soil could influence decisions in pasture management before seeing Gippsland Agriculture Group’s new soil corer in action.
As fertiliser prices are relatively high, facilitators emphasised that a soil test is a cheap option, and will help you plan how to maintain your soil nutrition.
Following lunch, Ms Semmens led a presentation on options for sewing to provide spring feed and incorporating options into a renovation improvement plan for sowing pastures in autumn.
The event closed with a discussion that included material from all three sessions to assist farmers in identifying opportunities to implement on their own property.
Agriculture Victoria’s Climate Resilient Pastures Field Day is one of the organisation’s many field days, which aligns with topical issues and assists with agricultural recovery after emergencies such as floods, fires, storms, and drought.
For Gippsland producers interested in upcoming events, keep an eye on Agriculture Victoria’s events page at www.agriculture.vic.gov.au or their social media.
Gippsland Agriculture Group’s newsletter is another great way to stay up to date with all things ag. You can subscribe to the GAGG monthly newsletter here: https://gippslandag.com.au/communications/newsletters
