Seminar to outline soil replenishment
Many south-west Victorian farmers have experienced their best growing season for many years and industry leaders are now urging them to replenish their paddocks.
A pasture-update seminar in Stawell on March 27 will give farmers tips on nutrient replacement after a wet year.
A presentation by Andrew Speirs from Meridian Ag will outline the importance of soil testing and making sure paddocks are replenished for the next growing season.
Grassland Society of Southern Australia is combining with Perennial Pasture Systems to present the Meat and Livestock Australia Pasture Update at Stawell Entertainment Centre. The seminar will feature a variety of speakers to set the scene for the rest of 2017.
Mr Speirs said farmers need to take into account the different season after several years of dry weather and should do soil tests to determine how to revive their paddocks.
He said given the better livestock prices, now was also the time to consider improving the overall soil fertility of the property if it was not already adequate.
“Because the yields have been so high, farmers need to look at soil tests and do a nutrient budget for what they’ve removed from those paddocks,” he said.
Some paddocks have cut up to eight tonnes of hay, removing about 25 kilograms of phosphorous out of the system, the equivalent to nearly 300 kilograms of single super plus 300350kg of muriate of potash.
“Farmers need to keep an eye on those high-yielding paddocks and replenish what has been exported,” Mr Speirs said.
“It’s not like other years where pasture growth has been reduced. Quality of hay and silage is down a bit because it was late to harvest, but you’re still taking out all that phosphorous, so farmers will need to look at increasing phosphorous fertiliser application rates as well as potassium and sulphur if on light soils.”
Mr Speirs said rain across southwest Victoria had been in the top 10 percentile, which gave farmers a terrific season overall.
Special guests
The seminar will include MLA market information manager Ben Thomas who will cover the outlook for the livestock market, Nathan Scott from Achieve Ag who will speak on management of dry-feed surplus and Alison Frischke from Birchip Cropping Group who will speak on the use of grazing cereals, including results from the Grain and Graze 3 project.
Irene Sobotta from MLA will bring producers up to date with the latest research projects funded by MLA, while Rachael Campbell from Agriculture Victoria will present the 2016 results of the PPS gibberellic acid demonstration.
The Stawell seminar is one of six pasture updates planned for this year in Victoria and South Australia to raise awareness of research outputs from MLA and partners, showcase producers who have made successful on-farm changes and highlight improved pasture technologies.
The seminar, which costs $20 a person, will start at 4pm and includes a light dinner. People wanting more information can call Rob Shea on 0438 521 357 or email yadin@netconnect. com.au, or call Melinda Caspersz on 1300 137 550.