Renovating Pastures
Profitable pasture renovation in autumn depends on good planning, decision-making and time management. A paddock renovation plan for autumn should be devised in summer, identifying paddocks that require over-sowing or a full renovation. These decisions will vary depending on the farming system.
Some of the key factors to consider in a pasture renovation plan include:
- Choose species suited to soil type, rainfall and climate
- Identify where a winter crop fits into the system
- Winter cereals generally provide more quick, early autumn feed than ryegrass
- Cereals are often more suited to areas with low autumn feed than ryegrass
- Cereals can be a good risk management tool to diversify the feedbase
The following series of three videos with agronomist Darrel Rowe provides an overview on autumn pasture renovation.
The first video describes how to decide which perennial ryegrass paddocks are most in need of renovation and some of the factors that may determine which paddocks are sown first. In addition, there is some advice on other autumn cropping options species and where they may best fit into the system.
The second video looks at time of sowing for the different species of both pastures and crops in autumn. It also features some advice on fertiliser, the role of soil testing in a pasture renovation and the pros and cons of the various sowing methods that can be used.
The final video in this series with Darrel Rowe looks at the costs of pasture renovation and the estimated timeframe for a positive return on investment, as well as some advice on sowing rates for selected species in autumn.
