The farmer s perspective Case studies f fur farmers wh are successfully using saltbush n their farms
2 Meet the farmers Matt Curtis Mildura, Victria 2500 hectares 70-90% crp and 1000 hectares bluebush, 750 Merin Ewes Jhn Arentz Manangatang, Victria 3300 hectares, 60-70% crp, 600 Merin ewes, 400 600 trade lambs (seasn dependent) Brett Byd Kerang, Victria 2800 hectares, 50% crp, 1000 Merin ewes, 100 head cattle, trade cattle Brentn Krehn Waikerie, Suth Australia 5600 hectares, 65% crp, 1100 self-replacing Merins ewes with pll merin Ram Stud Jhn Arentz talks t a grup f farmers inspecting his saltbush in 2012
3 Why have they planted saltbush? Matt Curtis 70 hectares f Old Man Saltbush planted t fill feed gaps that frequently ccur during April-May and prir t harvest Jhn Arentz 110 hectares f Eyre s Green Saltbush planted as an alternative t nn-prfitable crpping n heavy, cnstrained sils. Als has 50 hectares f lucerne planted n marginal sils Brett Byd 120 hectares f Old Man Saltbush planted n pr sils where a high water table were threatening sustainability. Saltbush has been used t pump grundwater and reduce the water table Brentn Krehn 160 hectares f Old Man Saltbush planted t cver the September t harvest feed gap created by a mve t intensive crpping. Saltbush have als turned unprductive and nn-arable grund int prductive land The lcatin f saltbush n cnstrained sils at Jhn Arentz s prperty
4 Hw have the saltbush sites been setup? Matt Curtis 50 hectares f established saltbush and 20 hectares which has been recently planted Started planting in 2003, mainly funded thrugh NRM incentives Saltbush planted n 4 x 4 metre spacing's Sites are fenced int 10 hectare lts Jhn Arentz Saltbush at Matt Curtis s prperty 110 hectares f Eyre s Green and 50 hectares f lucerne Started planting in 2004, funded mainly thrugh NRM incentives Planed in single rws with 10 metres between rws and 4.5 metres between plants within rw. If he was t start again he wuld use 12 metre rw spacing and 8 metres between plants within the rw Initially sites were fenced int 20 hectare lts, hwever lt size has nw been reduced t 10 hectares Jhn Arentz s Eyres Green saltbush planted n 10 m rw spacing s. The wide spacing allws grazing cereals t be swn in the inter-rw
5 Brett Byd 120 hectares f saltbush has been established since 2000 Saltbush has been direct seeded at wn cst Saltbush has been planted in single rws with 3 metres between rws and between rws and 1 metre between plants within rws. This cnfiguratin prvided 3000 plants per hectare. If he was t start again he wuld establish pairs f 2 rws that were 2 metres apart with spacing f 10 metres between the paired rws. Fr high water table sites, at least 1000 plants per hectare is required. Brentn Krehn Brett Byd s saltbush that was established using direct seeding 160 hectares f saltbush planted since 1995. De Kch Old Man Saltbush has been planted with 16 hectares f Eyre s Green Giant. He has nt nticed much f difference in the grazing value between the tw varieties. Saltbush planted in single rws 3 metres apart with 1.8 metre between plants in the rw resulting in abut 2000 plants per hectare. If he was t start again he wuld plant the saltbush rws 5 metres apart with 2 metres x 5 metres and keep n tp with management e.g. grazing and hedging Saltbush lts vary in size frm 1.6 t 16 hectares. The size f the lts are determined by the area f marginal sil the saltbush area is targeted at. All are fenced as their wn water surce. Sme f Brentn Krehn s initial saltbush still ging strng
6 The benefit f having saltbush n-farm Matt Curtis Saltbush have clsed feed gaps in the pre harvest and April-May perid Areas f saltbush are gd areas fr weaning lambs as they are a small area with gd fencing The saltbush areas can als be used as cnfinement feed areas The saltbush is utilising land that is nt suitable fr crpping Lcating sheep in saltbush areas allws fr easier management f sheep at busy times Jhn Arentz The saltbush is used t fill feed gaps. Ewes g in frm September t crutching in March Having sheep running n saltbush ver summer maintains grundcver n paddcks. If cnditins and prices allw, trade lambs may be purchased t lightly graze paddcks ver summer. Saltbush areas are a gd envirnment fr sheep Brett Byd Withut the saltbush, he wuld nt be running many sheep withut perennials Saltbush has drught prfed his livestck peratin Saltbush is used as a supplementary feeding area: cattle are fed fr 4-6 weeks with grain and hay fllwed by 4-6 weeks f grain and hay nly Saltbush prvide gd prtectin fr the animals: Every cw r sheep has its wn bush t stick its head under! Having saltbush is a big bnus t the farm: yu knw the feed is available The saltbush patches als lk gd and enhance bidiversity: fr example, Echidnas can be fund in the saltbush area Brett Byd s cattle are fed hay and grain with saltbush fr 4-6 weeks prir t mving int feedlt
7 Brentn Krehn Planting saltbush has made nn-prductive land mre prductive and imprved its value. The sil types that saltbush are targeted at are the heavy stny flat s and un-crppable deep sands. Saltbush was initially grwn n sme better sils but in hindsight shuld nt have, even thugh it is the mst prductive saltbush patch. Saltbush areas imprve the prductivity f the livestck. They are great fr jining as they are small paddcks and great cnceptin rates are achieved. They are als fantastic lambing areas because f shelter prvided and reduced risk f miss-mthering. Furthermre, because the ewes are drinking s much water, they seem t prduce mre milk and therefre have mre success in carrying twins and triplets. Saltbush lts als duble as feedlts fr fattening weathers. Extra rughage frm the saltbush reduces the amunt f grain and hay they are eating. Saltbush helps clse feed gaps arund September and allws sheep numbers and the cnditin f stck t be maintained thrugh that perid. Saltbush will nt fatten stck. As sheep have an alternative feed surce, grasses can be sprayed ut f the pastures in spring. Brentn Krehn adds value t his livestck by feedltting merin wethers with hay and grain in saltbush lts
8 Management cnsideratins Regular grazing at high stcking rates and management is needed t cntrl plant height (<1metre). Matt s rule f thumb is 200 sheep fr 1 mnth n his 10 hectare saltbush lts. Brett has rlled saltbush where plants have gt ut f cntrl, hwever regular intensive grazing is his preferred management ptin. Brentn has trialled varius strategies and is nw having a rtary blade hedger custm built. Hedging f shrubs is best dne frm early establishment (first 2-3 years). The lnger yu leave it the harder it becmes. Shrubs hedged and managed frm early in life tend t prduce mre edible feed when they becme lder. Saltbush itself is nt a balanced diet. All farmers are supplementary feeding with hay r grain are trying t prduce feed in the inter-rw. Even with hay, livestck will nly maintain weight. Livestck need feedlt ratins supplied t gain significant weight. The cst f establishment is initially a large investment. Fencing is the biggest cst, especially the cnstructin f fences n the heavy stny sils that the saltbush are targeted at. The cst f water can be high as livestck drink 2-3 times mre water than usual. The Krehn s have mnitred water use by ewes n stubbles and fund in ht weather they can drink 6 litres per ewe per day. Hwever they think that ewes n saltbush are cnsuming 12-18 litres per ewe per day in any weather. Mustering can be an issue in dense saltbush plantatins: Mustering prblems can be reduced thrugh site design such as wider rw and plant spacing s and leaving space between fences and arund gateways. Saltbush height als needs t be managed s that the musterer can see the livestck. Matt Curtis leaves lts f rm between fences and the saltbush t make managing and mustering sheep easier.