Offered Papers Theme A: Efficient Production from Grassland
Description
Centurion (Centrosema pascuorum), an annual legume, was first sown for evaluation in the Northern Territory in the late 1970s (Cameron & McCosker, 1986; Clements et al.,1984). The bred cultivar Cavalcade (Line 2/2, Cameron, 2003b) was released in 1984, and Bundey (CPI 75115, Cameron, 2003a) in 1986. Seed availability limited the use of the legume for 10 years. In the Northern Territory, it is now used mainly as a hay crop, but is used also as a component of grazed mixed pastures. Most of the hay is made into feed cubes and pellets to feed cattle in the live export trade to southeast Asia. Up to 40% of the 50,000t of feed cubes and pellets used each year to feed 300,000 head of live export cattle, before, during and after shipping, are made from Centrosema pascuorum. Approximately 5,000ha of Cavalcade and Bundey are sown each year, mostly for hay. In 1998 annual production of hay and seed reached 20,000 and 177t, respectively. Over the last 5 years, on average 17,326t of hay valued at $2.61m has been produced. In the same period, on average 35.6t of seed valued at $0.234m has been produced and sold in the Northern Territory, interstate and overseas. While 2 farmers produced most of the seed, and 25 farmers produced most of the hay, >100 farmers make some use of the legume.
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Centrosema pascuorum in Australia’s Northern Territory: A Tropical Forage Legume Success Story
Centurion (Centrosema pascuorum), an annual legume, was first sown for evaluation in the Northern Territory in the late 1970s (Cameron & McCosker, 1986; Clements et al.,1984). The bred cultivar Cavalcade (Line 2/2, Cameron, 2003b) was released in 1984, and Bundey (CPI 75115, Cameron, 2003a) in 1986. Seed availability limited the use of the legume for 10 years. In the Northern Territory, it is now used mainly as a hay crop, but is used also as a component of grazed mixed pastures. Most of the hay is made into feed cubes and pellets to feed cattle in the live export trade to southeast Asia. Up to 40% of the 50,000t of feed cubes and pellets used each year to feed 300,000 head of live export cattle, before, during and after shipping, are made from Centrosema pascuorum. Approximately 5,000ha of Cavalcade and Bundey are sown each year, mostly for hay. In 1998 annual production of hay and seed reached 20,000 and 177t, respectively. Over the last 5 years, on average 17,326t of hay valued at $2.61m has been produced. In the same period, on average 35.6t of seed valued at $0.234m has been produced and sold in the Northern Territory, interstate and overseas. While 2 farmers produced most of the seed, and 25 farmers produced most of the hay, >100 farmers make some use of the legume.
