LAND MANAGEMENT
Fertiliser
Since its conception, Webb Black Simmentals has worked with Murrindindi Fertilisers and has applied biological products designed to increase soil health and stimulate soil biology. The programs are site specific to soil and tissue tests, as well as physical observation, which bring all elements in ratio to increase soil, plant and animal health.
An added benefit of gaining these ratios is a decrease in broadleaf and insect pressure resulting in less chemical requirements.
The basis of the prescription blends applied is compost/coal and a high calcium lime, with other major nutrients and trace elements added as required. With this blend being applied and the use of aerating we have found that the soil has significantly opened up, resulting in greater water infiltration and water holding capacity. This has resulted in a longer growing season as moisture is retained in the soil for a greater period of time and plants are able to establish a more significant root structure.
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| Rape and Oat crop at Yea. April 2009 | |
Fodder Production
We implement summer crops primarily Brassica/rape in our fodder production programs to narrow the feed gap over summer and utilize current unseasonal rainfall. Early oats are over sown into the rape depending on soil moisture and follow up rain forecasts, giving dual fodder
in late autumn and early winter.
Grazing Management
For best utilization of pastures and summer crops, we have found that a 6 to 7 week cell/rotational grazing optimizes fodder.
Using this grazing method is proving that a higher quality fodder can be grown as paddocks are more evenly grazed and areas are not targeted by the stock. Paddock recovery is found to be faster using these grazing systems.
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| Sowing rye grass after the Feb 2009 fires | ||
Murrindindi Fertilisers
During the Spring 10ha Leafmore Rape was sown at 4kg/ha with 60kg/ha Granular Sowing Blend.
The sowing blend consists of 30kg/ha Guano, 24kg/ha MAP, and 6kg/ha Boron Humates.
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| Leafmore Rape Crop |
The paddock was divided into 4 cells with 37 heifers grazing from the 2nd of January 2008 through to 20th March 2009.
Resulting in 92 days of grazing over the hottest and driest period on record.
The average weight going into the paddock was 328kg with a finishing weight of 412kg, 0.91kg/day growth rate.
It was then over‐sown with 100kg/ha oats, 100kg/ha of Murrindindi
Fertilisers Granular Granular Sowing Blend.
50kg/ha Guano, 40kg/ha MAP, 10kg/ha Boron Humates.
Twenty seven bulls started grazing the Oat‐Rape mix on the 8th May 2009 through to the 7th July 2009.
Averaging 430kg entering the paddock and 509.3 kg leaving Resulting in an average 1.3 kg/day
growth rate the elite averaging up to 1.7kg/day.The oats was then cut, raked and baled as silage
with a total yield of 61.5t
For the 12 month fodder program, the cost efficiency resulted in every $1 spent recovered $1.5
return based on a commercial enterprise.
