The Riverina Local Land Service, alongside two landholders based in Harefield and Henty, embarked on a project to assess the concept of multi-species grazing crops — hypothesising a more diversified diet will reduce animal health issues commonly associated with mono-culture crops. Two case studies were built around both landholders trialling a grazing mixture of Wheat, Vetch, Rye Corn and Tillage Radish, among other mixes, on their cattle and sheep stock in the winter of 2020. At the time of writing, preliminary results have shown potential benefits of improved soil health and water infiltration, reductions to the cost of production by $130-$150 per hectare, and reduced levels of Nitrate poisoning and metabolic issues in livestock. The efforts of The Riverina LLS and their two enthusiastic farmer participants have seen that multi-species cover cropping be added as an additional tool to be harnessed for the improvement of land management and soil health; paving the way for RDCs to embark on future research. Presenter: Michael Gooden.#GrazingManagement#Permaculture#RegenerativeAgriculture#FarmingAgriculture#NSW#SoilHealth#ScientificInformation#NationalLandcareConference#LandcareConf21
This project is supported by Landcare Australia, through funding from the Australian Government.Landcare Australia is proud to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the Country on which we live and work. We value and respect their deep and continued spiritual and cultural connections to the land, waters and seas, and pay our respects to their Ancestors and Elders past, present and future.