Publication Date
1997
Description
A sheep grazing experiment in red earth Eucalypt country on semiarid pastures dominated by either Gayndah buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) or wiregrass (Aristida jerichoensis) quantified liveweight, wool production and quality, and financial returns. Wethers were grazed at 0.32 and 0.6 ha/sheep. In year 1 there was no significant effect of either stocking rate or pasture type on liveweight or wool growth rate. Vegetable fault was greater in the fleeces from the wiregrass. The sheep grazing buffel grew better than those on wiregrass when stocking rates were doubled in year 2, while pasture yields remained high. The value of wool produced by flock 2 on the buffel was also higher than that from the wiregrass, due to smaller price discounts, although the base price was higher initially due to lower fibre diameter from the wiregrass. Over two years, there was a 6.7% price advantage of $3.51/ha from the wool produced on the buffel pastures.
Citation
Hall, T J.; Silcock, R G.; Sevil, J J.; and Van der Meulen, J R., "Improving Pasture Composition Increases Wool Returns in Eucalypt Woodlands" (2024). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 78.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1997/session29/78
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Improving Pasture Composition Increases Wool Returns in Eucalypt Woodlands
A sheep grazing experiment in red earth Eucalypt country on semiarid pastures dominated by either Gayndah buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) or wiregrass (Aristida jerichoensis) quantified liveweight, wool production and quality, and financial returns. Wethers were grazed at 0.32 and 0.6 ha/sheep. In year 1 there was no significant effect of either stocking rate or pasture type on liveweight or wool growth rate. Vegetable fault was greater in the fleeces from the wiregrass. The sheep grazing buffel grew better than those on wiregrass when stocking rates were doubled in year 2, while pasture yields remained high. The value of wool produced by flock 2 on the buffel was also higher than that from the wiregrass, due to smaller price discounts, although the base price was higher initially due to lower fibre diameter from the wiregrass. Over two years, there was a 6.7% price advantage of $3.51/ha from the wool produced on the buffel pastures.
