Pastures 365 is a national project that explores whether mixed-species pastures can fill seasonal feed gaps and build more resilient grazing systems in an increasingly variable climate across southern Australia.
Commencing in 2023, the project will run for five years through to February 2028. Led by Deakin University, the project execution will be a collaboration between multiple delivery partners across four states; Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia.
Livestock enterprises in southern Australia typically face feed gaps in summer through to early winter due to low pasture growth that is amplified under drought conditions.
If feed has not been conserved on-farm, farmers will often need to purchase expensive feed supplements at these times to maintain animal productivity. When the homegrown feedbase fails, destocking occurs. This is a significant financial cost to grazing enterprises and concern for stock is often cited as a top stressor during drought.
This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund
Project Aims
The project will test whether species-diverse pastures can provide year-round feed and remove the summer and early winter feed gap, helping grazing businesses become more resilient to drought and climate change.
While species-diverse pastures (SDP) may build resilience, they have yet to be robustly tested. The project proposes a long-term, unified assessment of how SDP affect soil moisture and feed biomass, two critical elements in closing the feed gap.
Project Scope
Consistent trials will be implemented across focal sites in four states supported by producer-led satellite sites, providing a strong adoption pathway via national FDF hubs, producer groups and other regional
networks.
Data will support bioeconomic modelling to test SDP under future climates, best management guides and an online decision-support tool. The project will also measure farmer well-being over time.
This holistic program will improve farmer capacity, strengthen networks, and support community wellbeing during drought.
The project aims to evaluate local mixes of up to 20 species, including a range of annual and perennial legumes, grasses and herbs and to develop agronomic packages to suit. The project will feature strong co-design with farmers and industry.
Deliverables
Service Delivery Areas
The Project geography includes nine long-term focal sites in four states (Vic, Tas, SA, WA) across three industries (sheep, beef, dairy). In Western Australia, the sites are located at the DPIRD Research stations at Manjimup and Katanning and a number of producer-led satellite farm locations.
WA Trial Sites
Pasture combinations under trial
Below are treatments [pasture combinations] common at trial sites in all states. Each treatment combination increases in complexity. The trials will evaluate which combinations of species provide better pasture persistence and productivity over time, and at what times of the year they will contribute useful biomass.
| Mix | Species combination |
|---|---|
| Mix 1: | Perennial ryegrass and white clover; |
| Mix 6: | Perennial ryegrass, continental cocksfoot, white clover, strawberry clover, red clover, chicory and plantain; |
| Mix 10: | Perennial ryegrass, continental cocksfoot, Mediterranean cocksfoot, tall fescue, white clover, strawberry clover, red clover, lucerne, chicory, plantain, sheep’s burnet, and 2 annuals Saia black oats and tillage radish. |
WA Trial site [1] DPIRD Research Station Manjimup, WA
WA only species mix
In WA there are two focal sites at the DPIRD Research Stations of Manjimup and Katanning. These sites have additional species mixtures tailored to the different climatic conditions at each site. There are a total of 10 small plot treatments, replicated four times and managed by regular cutting. Soil moisture probes continuously monitor temperature and humidity every 10cm to a depth of 80cm.
Other treatments being tested in WA – Manjimup site only:
| Mix | Species combination |
|---|---|
| Mix 53: | Annual Tetraploid ryegrass and subclover; |
| Mix 48: | Annual Tetraploid ryegrass and subclover, crimson clover, arrowleaf clover; |
| Mix 50: | Chicory, Cocksfoot Mediterranean, Cocksfoot Continental, Lucerne, Plantain, Raphnobrassica; |
| Mix 51: | Cocksfoot Mediterranean and Tedera (legume); |
| Mix 52: | Lotus corniculatus (Bird’s-foot trefoil), cocksfoot Mediterranean (lower density) and Paspalum notatum (bahia grass); |
| Mix 65: | Native grass (perennial) mix and subclover; |
| Mix 47: | Perennial Ryegrass, Cocksfoot Mediterranean, Tall Fescue Continental and the annual clovers subclover, arrowleaf clover and balansa clover. |
Get involved
Add your details via the form below to receive alerts about the project, such as field days to view pastures at the WA DPIRD and farmer sites, and updates on tools like the pasture best management guides, the bioeconomic modelling tool, and the pasture selection decision tool.
News
Follow team members on social media for updates on the project work.
WA Project Team
– Project Lead
WA Trials
Dr Daniel Kidd, GGA
– Project Manager
WA Project Comm
Contact
Project enquiries to GGA Head of Projects Dr Daniel Kidd daniel.kidd@gga.org.au
Collaborators
