Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
In tropical Australia beef cattle grow rapidly during the wet summer months when the native pastures are growing actively. In the dry season the native pastures are of low quality and cattle lose weight. Trapping runoff water during the wet months in artificial ponds to grow paragrass (Brachiaria mutica) for dry season grazing has been a very successful means of overcoming the dry season forage problem. In central Queensland the area planted to paragrass in artificial ponds exceeds 25 000 ha. Fattening steers are introduced to ponded paragrass in March-April. Weaners and breeding cows are given access when the steers are sold. Ponded paragrass in the dry season has transformed many ranches from cattle breeding to breeding and fattening enterprises and carrying capacity has increased.
Citation
Wildin, J H., "Pastures in Artificial Ponds for Dry Season Grazing in Tropical Australia" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 13.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1985/ses15/13)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Pastures in Artificial Ponds for Dry Season Grazing in Tropical Australia
Kyoto Japan
In tropical Australia beef cattle grow rapidly during the wet summer months when the native pastures are growing actively. In the dry season the native pastures are of low quality and cattle lose weight. Trapping runoff water during the wet months in artificial ponds to grow paragrass (Brachiaria mutica) for dry season grazing has been a very successful means of overcoming the dry season forage problem. In central Queensland the area planted to paragrass in artificial ponds exceeds 25 000 ha. Fattening steers are introduced to ponded paragrass in March-April. Weaners and breeding cows are given access when the steers are sold. Ponded paragrass in the dry season has transformed many ranches from cattle breeding to breeding and fattening enterprises and carrying capacity has increased.
