Catchment:
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Wimmera
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Collaborating Producer:
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Mark McKew
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Location:
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Warrak, 15 km east of Ararat
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Producer Group:
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Perennial Pasture Systems group, Stawell/Ararat
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Site Co-ordinator:
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Greg Maybery
Department of Primary Industries,
Horsham.
P: 0400 557 821
E: greg.maybery@dpi.vic.gov.au
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Production and Environmental Challenges
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Hilly terrain and infertile acid soils leads to low productivity from the remanent native pastures. Current practise is set stocking with large paddocks due to few water points leading to low utilisation of the valley and slopes and overgrazing of the hill tops.
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Innovation being tested:
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A 100 ha paddock has been split into 6 smaller paddocks based on land class and aspect. Deferred grazing treatment will be imposed in spring 2007, followed by best bet rotational grazing strategies that have been developed from local research trials. The focus is to increase the density of perennial native species and improve productivity and utilization of pastures grown in these marginal steep hill landscapes.
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Base pasture:
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On southerly aspects, 40- 50% native grasses (Microleana, Elymus, Austrodanthonia), 50% annuals (mostly Vulpia spp.). Some onion grass and Yorkshire fog grass. Northern aspects have more onion grass and Austrodanthonia.
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Animal systems:
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Wool sheep, usually grazed with wethers
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