Mallee Farmer Edition 10

The

Mallee Farmer FOR FA RM E R S I N T H E M A L L E E REGION

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An insight into women in agriculture

ISSUE 10 • Autumn 2016

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Mallee drought employment program

Comparing break crop performance

Celebrating women in agriculture

Meet four Mallee women carving out their own futures on the land P2

This publication is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

The

Mallee Farmer Contents Mallee seasonal outlook summary

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Supporting women on farms

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Kate Wilson: Women in ag

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Yvonne Anderson: Women in ag

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Julie Puckle: Women in ag

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Janet Robins: Women in Ag

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Mapping livestock grazing in large Mallee paddocks

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2015 Mallee National Variety Testing wheat and barley trials

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Grazing shrub performance update A ripper of a stripper – Victorian growers get excited

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Release approaching for new calci virus

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Dieback of Hopbush in Mallee

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The Birchip Landcare Group

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Southern Mallee Drought Employment Program

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Northern Mallee farmers evaluate the profitability of rotations

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Comparing break crop performance in the SA Mallee

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Native forage shrubs for low rainfall areas

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Grain response to CO2

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Farmers proud of Conservation Covenant

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Conservation covenants available for landowners

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RabbitScan - Mallee to help communities map rabbit hotspots

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The role of seedbanks in conservation

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Cover Image Kate Wilson Photo: Mallee CMA

the Mallee Farmer (see pages 2 to 6).

While I’m the first to say that everyone involved in the farming enterprise plays an important role, the stories with Kate Wilson, Yvonne Anderson, Julie Puckle and Janet Robins give us an insight into the many and varied ways women continue to contribute to Victorian agriculture.

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Regional Landcare in the Mallee

Cameras in motion

Celebrating women in agriculture

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The Mallee CMA, together with the Mallee Regional Landcare Programme, was a proud sponsor of the 27th annual Women on Farms Gathering, which was held in Hopetoun from 18-20 March 2016. This support included providing critical, on-the ground assistance for the event through the employees of the Southern Mallee Drought Employment Program, which is part of the Victorian Government’s drought response (see more on our local crews on page 20); as well as facilitating former Victorian Country Hour presenter Libby Price to attend the event as a guest speaker.

In keeping with the tradition of the Mallee Farmer, this edition also includes the latest updates on important research projects underway across the region, including mapping livestock grazing in large paddocks (page 7); assessing the profitability of crop rotations (page 22); using perennial forage shrubs as alternative fodder sources (page 27); and an update on the impending release of a new strain of calici virus to tackle the rabbit numbers across the region.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contribute to this edition of the Mallee Farmer – your work is always valued and appreciated. Particular thanks must also go to the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme, which has provided the funding for this publication and many of the research projects detailed within.

I hope you enjoy this edition of the Mallee Farmer.

Sharyon Peart

The Women on Farms Gathering also provided an opportunity to put the spotlight on a few of the high achieving women in agriculture across the Victorian Mallee, many of whom attended the event and a few of whom we meet in the case studies included in this edition of

Chairperson

DISCLAIMER

advice on the applicability or otherwise of the information in this document.

The information in this document has been published in good faith by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA).

This publication and the information contained within may be of assistance to you but the Mallee CMA Board and staff do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purpose and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence that may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. You should obtain specialist

Mallee CMA Board

Neither the Mallee CMA nor any of the agencies/organisations/people who have supplied information published in the Mallee Farmer endorse the information contained in this document, nor do they endorse any products identified by trade name. The information in this document is made available on the understanding that neither the Mallee CMA, nor any the people who have supplied information published in the Mallee Farmer will have any liability arising from any reliance upon any information in this document.

The

Mallee Farmer

Mallee seasonal outlook summary Many of us are now back from a well-deserved break and getting our teeth into the planning for the fast approaching 2016 season.

By

By Rob Sonogan, AGRIvision Consultants and GRDC Southern Panel Member

Storm activity in the Mallee

2016 seasonal conditions Repeated storm activity in January across the region saw rainfall from almost nothing to 100mm plus. From brown to green, from dust to waterlogging, it can all be found across the Mallee.

This has resulted in the near “normal” importance of paddock by paddock planning and working through the issues of chemical carry-over, fertiliser needs, economics, crop choice etc. These storms added many benefits where they delivered measurable totals. Chemical breakdown has commenced from last season’s applications; mineralisation of nutrients is occurring especially of nitrogen; crop leaf and root disease carry-over is being impacted upon, and of course the more current action of urgency is for summer weed control to be carried out in a timely manner.

Soil moisture that is stored at depth is worth ‘it’s weight in gold’ come this spring as crops are filling, and early summer weed control, when weeds are small, has proven to be one of the best investments you can make. Timing is critical!

I am extremely conscious of the amount of financial ‘pain’ existing across the Mallee, especially where two seasons in a row have failed to deliver enough rainfall to grow an economic crop. It is so important to discuss both your financial and agronomic situation with trusted advisors. Any one percent saved on input costs without subjecting crops to a yield penalty is critical. Discussions on nutritional requirements, crop choice, seed treatments etc all become increasingly urgent under such circumstances.

Rain or rain-event?

I was pulled up the other day when I referred to the rain we had just received as an 8mm rain event. My wife had just asked, why I had started referring to rain as a “rain event?” and it got me to thinking, what has changed? I didn’t even realise that I had been for some time doing just as she queried.

Thinking back over the decades, I clearly

remember that when it used to rain in the Mallee it actually rained. In the 70s and 80s a westerly/south-westerly front would move across the region and deliver quite consistent rainfall with some variation from north to south (generally increasing to the south).

However, over the past two decades, this widespread frontal rain has all but disappeared. It has been replaced with a more localised storm activity all year round that delivers erratic falls needing a rain gauge in every paddock (sometimes two!) to measure its variability with some accuracy.

Tied into this observation is that not only is the rainfall more erratic, but there has been a lot less of it! In my defence I will be sticking to referring to it as a rain event for when it does rain these days, it is an event to celebrate!

Soil carbon, up or down?

At a recent research meeting I was extremely interested to hear about the analysis of the fate of soil carbon from many long term research trials across Australia. These trials ranged from 10 to 20 years to as long as 100 years including a range of farming systems across a broad range of climates.

To the ‘horror’ of some and ‘amazement’ of others, it was concluded that over the long term, soil organic carbon was not significantly influenced by rotation nor soil treatment (including a range from full cultivation to stubble retention and direct drill) but strongly correlated to annual rainfall.

example, 300mm annual rainfall (Mallee) achieved one percent OC maximum whereas in a 500mm annual rainfall area it achieved a three percent OC level, at 700mm a five percent OC etc. The implications of this work are very important to me when discussing Mallee soil OC levels and where they are heading.

If the Mallee has received on average 80 to 100mm less rain during the past 15 years to that of the 60s and 70s when soil sampling really began recording soil OC levels, then for land managers to even maintain soil OC at those levels will be a massive feat! This research would suggest that we can expect reductions in our soil OC if the annual rainfall continues at these lower levels.

I am sure many will want to discuss and query the implications of these findings and how we can best attempt to maintain current soil organic carbon levels.

Historical Mallee statistics Twenty years ago the previous nine-year average of 47 Mallee farms was: • Average owned farm size was 1,851ha valued at $485ha with 1.7 labour units • 22 percent was in fallow, 24 percent was in pasture, 40 percent was to cereals and 10 percent to legumes • Income. 72 percent of income came from cereals, eight percent from legumes, 13 percent from livestock and 0.5 percent from non-farm income.

• Expenses. 12 percent of costs were for chemicals, 13 percent upon fertiliser, 11 percent upon fuel and oil, 10 percent interest and bank charges.

For more information Contact Rob Sonogan at AGRIvision Consultants Pty Ltd 259 Beveridge Street Swan Hill 3585 Mob: 0407 359 982 Ph: 5032 3377

For every 100mm of annual rainfall above 300 mm it was an almost straight line graph that a one percent increase in soil organic carbon (OC) occurred. For

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The

Mallee Farmer

Supporting women on farms The Mallee CMA and the Mallee Regional Landcare Program is pleased to support the 2016 Women on Farms Gathering at Hopetoun.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA The role of women in the Mallee has changed at evolved in the past 100 years. In this issue of Mallee Farmer we met four women from the Hopetoun area who have made substantial and varied contributions to their families, businesses and communities. “…Mallee women are developing into a distinct type. Away out back, the heat, the hard living, the rough tucker, and the absence of liquid refreshments, have a tendency to modify the graceful outlines of the female form turning into straight up and down right lines; but the clear air, the virtuous life and physical exercises strengthen their lungs, toughen their muscles, harden their hearts and give them a free and independent gait and demeanour. They are lithe, erect, strong-limbed and as graceful of movement as wild turkeys. These Mallee girls have a charm, peculiarly their own”. The Bendigo Independent January 26, 1901 The women of the Mallee have always been a sturdy lot.

From the earliest days of Mallee settlement, from the mid-1800s, the sheer challenge of the semi-arid climate, the isolation and the unpredictability of seasons and crops has tested everyone who settled here, including its women.

Originally established as a pastoral run, Hopetoun is typical of the story of Mallee settlement. The Corrong Run, on the Yarriambiack Creek, was acquired by Edward Lascelles in 1877.

The Australian Dictionary of Biography notes: “On all his Mallee properties Lascelles faced the great problem of vermin eradication and succeeded with rabbit-proof fencing, methods of poisoning and clearing. In the late 1880s he began to plan the subdivision of Lake Corrong run into 480-acre (194 ha) allotments for wheat growing and the new service centre of Hopetoun was surveyed. An irrigation and town

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water supply was set up largely financed

by Lascelles. Nearby an experimental farm was laid out with lucerne and wheat paddocks, a large orchard and a vegetable garden. The farm became a show place and Lascelles revelled in this proof of the district’s prospects.”

Lascelles was the first to introduce into Victoria the system of share-farming whereby the tenant delivered a third of his harvest to the company, but when yields were very low the company did not take its share.

In the early 1890s the Hopetoun settlement grew, attracting pioneers from South Australia and Britain as well as Victoria. It was in 1887, as Lascelles was undertaking much of the formative work for the settlement, that he married his cousin, Ethel Dennys, building their residence, Hopetoun House, four years later.

A severe drought from 1895 to 1902 added urgency to efforts to channel water from the Grampians to the new settlement (it finally arrived in 1899) but the Hopetoun settlement was sufficiently established to survive.

Lascelles encouraged settlers to remain on their holdings by extending credit with the local store-keepers, writing off debts and issuing a meat ration at weekly ‘killing days’. He eventually left Hopetoun and returned to Geelong in 1898 and although the company’s Mallee settlements were not a financial success, the many wheat farms that had become financially and socially ingrained in the Malle ultimately proved its worth as an excellent grain-growing region.

Soldier settlers were granted farm plots after the end of the first World War and Hopetoun’s population reached 1000 around this time. Hardships continued, however, and the Mallee’s women began to look outward and mobilise themselves into effective, politically-active organisations, particularly as the Great Depression took hold in the 1930s.

Mallee branches of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) were established as well as an organisation called the Mallee Women’s Association, in the Carwarp area.

Reporting on the group’s establishment, in 1935, the Melbourne Argus noted: “Discussing the unsatisfactory conditions at present existing in the marginal area, the womenfolk recalled that many of them had worked with their husbands in the fields helping to clear and fence the blocks. They had gone without many of the necessities of life to put all the money they could scrape together into improving their farms. Now some of them were faced with an intimation from the Closer Settlement Commission that sustenance would no longer be granted”.

The organisations lobbied for increased compensation for Mallee settlers, organized protest meetings and sought out publicity in local and metropolitan newspapers and on ABC radio.

Although the focus was largely economic, the women also had a constant eye for the country around them. In 1936 the local branches of the CWA pushed for the Government to cooperate with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in “conducting research in methods of soil erosion in the Mallee and establishing floating nurseries of native trees to form windbreaks”. The members explained similar problems with sand drift had been overcome in South Africa with the use of Australian acacias, one woman relating that in drought years her “garden had been completely obscured with sand, except for the shrubs and trees”.

The spirit of independence and caring for country and community has been handed from generation to generation.

In the 90 years since those pioneering Mallee women organized themselves and responded to those early trials, the challenges have evolved and changed, but the determination of Mallee women has remained.

There are fewer of us today, but still, with a charm “peculiarly our own”!

The

Mallee Farmer

Kate Wilson: Women in Ag Kate Wilson is so passionate about the Mallee and its place in farming that it’s difficult to imagine she didn’t always have a clear career path in mind.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA Now an agronomist specializing in Mallee farming systems and a partner with her husband Grant in a 20,000acre farming operation, Kate grew up at Woomelang before setting off to see the world.

“Mum’s family (Farrells) farmed at Willangie east of Woomelang – her father and grandfather were pioneers there,” Kate said.

“But I did well at college, got a job at Hopetoun as a trainee sales agronomist, then a year later finally got the job I had always wanted, working for the rural agency run by Les and Barbara Knight at Woomelang.

“That was in 1994 and, as they say, the rest is history!”

Kate had met her future husband Grant when she returned from the USA and the couple married in 1996. Their son Toby was born in 1997 and daughter Meg two years later.

“My dad worked for them, but soon after I was born we moved away and lived in a number of country towns during my primary school years as dad’s work took him to different places,” she said.

the decisions we make is incredibly satisfying, both on our farm and in the work I do with other people,” she said.

“It’s great to go out and have someone turning circles and not knowing what to do about a particular problem and to help them make a decision or fix it.”

Kate said it was an exciting time to be working in the region, with the dramatic shift to no-till farming methods in the past 20 years.

“There is something new every year and, to quote the old cliché, no two

Kate at home in a healthy soil paddock

“Then when I was just starting high school mum and dad bought the café at Woomelang and we moved back.

“Probably from that point on I was a farm girl because every school holidays I would be over at my cousin’s farm -- I just loved it.”

After finishing high school, Kate headed overseas, travelling for two years before returning to Woomelang.

“There were a few families around the area who had hosted Agricultural Exchange Students,” Kate said.

“I worked part time when the kids were young but in 2003 I went back to full-time work,” Kate said.

“I got the idea to go the other way and go overseas again, on an agricultural exchange and ended up on a Santa Gertrudis ranch in Texas for the best part of three years.

“Grant took over on the farm from his dad in 2005. We were farming 7000 acres then, and we have now just hit 20,000 acres.

“The wife and mother of the family I worked for was a dentist, and she was all about having a career not a job. She encouraged me to go to college because she told me I couldn’t ‘spend the rest of my life fixing fences’. She actually paid for me to go to college in Texas for a semester.”

Kate said it was the push she needed and she enrolled in Longerenong Agricultural College near Horsham when she returned home.

“Most of the students were straight out of school and no one there knew my age until they found my driver’s licence – then they threw me a Silver Jubilee Party because I was 25!

“We have had to take some big risks over the duration and I guess at times for Grant’s sake I’m just glad that I love farming so much.

“I wouldn’t really say that the love of farming brought us together – that was probably the Hoodoo Gurus! But we both have the same values and goals, so that plays a big part in success, I think.”

Kate said her on-farm involvement included being employed as the farm’s agronomy consultant and having input to planning and practical agronomy decisions.

“I am all about the soil – the capacity of the soil to produce food. Getting results you can see and measure from

years are the same,” Kate said.

“The change in Mallee farming methods and the willingness of farmers to get on board with the no-till methods has been so exciting because my real passion is for the soil.

“Without healthy soil we don’t have anything and here in the Mallee what we have done is turn marginal country into a highly productive cropping region through improved techniques, varieties, soil management and chemical use.

“Look at last year, for example. We had 103 millimetres of growing season rainfall and we produced some really good crops. In previous years when we’ve had similar rainfall, in years like 1982, the place would have blown away.

“It is incredibly satisfying for me. It’s a privilege to be part of people’s businesses and that they allow me to be along for the ride.” kate.wilson@agrivision.net.au

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The

Mallee Farmer

Yvonne Anderson: Women in Ag Yvonne Anderson’s optimism and resourcefulness has carried her through some challenging times in her 79 years on the farm.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA. But she has a simple philosophy about what makes farming work, in any era.

It’s taking your opportunities and doing what’s needed at the time.

Yvonne and her husband Eric both grew up in the southern Mallee, Yvonne (Moloney) at Patchewollock and Eric at Hopetoun, both the children of Mallee pioneering families.

“Like most girls from that era, I didn’t go away to work. I met Eric on a holiday at Lorne and when we married, I moved to the property at Hopetoun,” Yvonne said “I was a full-on farm worker in the early days, marking lambs and generally helping Eric whenever I could, as well as doing bookwork,” she said.

“Then things got very tough for everyone in the 1980s when I don’t think there would have been a farmer in that time who wasn’t paying around 20 to 23 percent interest on their loans. It was hard to stay in there, but you’ve got to just find a way.

“So I took on my own business. I bought some chooks, lined up businesses and private customers in Hopetoun and started selling eggs.

“At the peak, I would have had 300 to 400 chooks and would have been turning out 200 dozen eggs a week. We also did meat birds and we would grow out 100 or so at a time, clean them and sell them off around the district.

“It was a full time job – you were forever cleaning pens and changing water troughs and it was hard to get away.

“You would go up three or four times a day to gather eggs and clean them, but we had it down to a pretty fine art. I discovered if you put rice hulls in the nest the eggs are much cleaner and the hulls made good mulch around the garden

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when you were finished with it.

“It was a good little business and I did it for about 35 years. In the tough times we certainly lived on that money and it also meant we could do things we couldn’t have if we hadn’t had that business.”

Yvonne and Eric raised three children and Yvonne was active in the community as well as nurturing what was regarded as one of the best gardens in the district.

“The block we lived on initially was just a bare block out in the middle of nowhere.

People say it’s an oasis, but it was 50 years in the making!” Yvonne said.

“I guess the garden was just something for me because I always just loved gardening, we created what was here and it was here just to enjoy. We used to have open days for people to come and visit.”

Right through their lives, Yvonne has continued to learn, doing courses in grain

and wool marketing and book keeping to assist with running the business side of the farm business.

“I suppose the both of us were just doing what we had to do,” Yvonne said.

“You just hopped in and did it and tried to keep improving yourself. I still read farm magazines and so on to keep abreast of what’s going on so I can talk to other farmers who are still farming.

“I really did love farming and I love the Mallee with all its beauty – golden grain, beautiful sunsets, lovely birds and the amazing way the land bounces back to life with a carpet of green in just a matter of days after we get a heavy rain.

“To the outsider it might appear easy because it’s a lovely way of life but it doesn’t just happen, it’s what you make happen. We get a lot of satisfaction knowing that we leave our piece of Mallee land in better condition than when we came here.”

Yvonne Anderson

The

Mallee Farmer

Julie Puckle: Women in Ag For Julie Puckle, assuming the business management responsibilities for running their family property has been an evolving and expanding role, in her 34 years on the farm.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA

Julie and her husband Graeme have built their 10,000-acres from an initial 500acre sharefarm holding, and are looking forward to a fifth generation of Mallee farmers in the family.

Growing up on a farm at Patchewollock Julie (Smith) found being interested in the business side of the property was a natural fit.

“I’d always been interested in accountancy and had been accepted for an accounting-business degree at university – but I got a job at the bank and then married Graeme,” Julie said.

“For 25 years or more we always had to travel with all the sharefarming, with properties 20 or more kilometres apart sometimes. The distances make it all the harder – the time factor of having to shift in the middle of harvest is a big one, for example, because it can be a half day or full-day operation to move from one property to another.

“We only stopped the sharefarming about five years ago and it’s just so much easier having the farming operation all together, but sharefarming has been very good to us over the years; it just gave us that extra that helped us keep growing.”

Julie Puckle

“But it made sense for me to take up the bookwork and that role has really just kept growing as our business has grown and farming has changed.

“We worked with Graeme’s parents on the home property and we have actually sharefarmed on eight or more different farms over the years” Julie said.

Julie said there had never been any regrets on a decision to allow their middle child, son Lucas, who is now 31, to leave school at 16 to come home to the farm.

For many years Graeme was shearing and a contract sprayer, as well as working the farm.

“There was really never any doubt about what he would do,” Julie said. “You can pick kids who are going to be farmers from when they’re little I think, and he was one. He’d get home from school, grab something to eat, then head off with Graeme and you wouldn’t see him again until tea time.

“So it was incredibly busy. We built a house on the family farm in 1988 but because we didn’t own the land and we couldn’t borrow money, we built it in stages – to lock-up stage after the first harvest, then we walked away for 12 months until the next harvest and we finished it off.”

Over time the property was transitioned to Graeme and Julie and the couple embarked on an expansion plan that’s continued ever since.

“We bought our first expansion in 1992, then bought two lots in 1996 another lot in 2000, and so on and so on. It was just a case of the land coming up for sale around us and we knew that we were trying to establish and grow for ourselves and also our family.

“He’s lucky, in a sense, because farming is at the point where even in our area land is around $1000 an acre, so if you want to go farming you nearly have to be born into it now.

“While the costs these days are very high, the advancements in the past 20 years have been amazing,” Julie said.

“On the business side, the transition from PC software-based accounting to cloudaccounting has been amazing, from my point of view. It’s so much quicker and easier, and the accountant can access the data and business information in realtime.

“On farm, technological advances such as GPS and farm mapping have changed the game and considerable on-farm storage is commonplace, I think, out of necessity. We want to get to the point so we can sell when we want to sell, and really, the only way to do that is to be able to store the grain yourself. Gone are the days when farmers took every load to the silo at harvest time and took what they could get for it. Many of our grain sales and transfers are now conducted online.”

Julie said she believed being able to adapt to change is more important than ever.

“In the 1990s we diversified into hay production for both the export and domestic dairy market,” she said.

“Initially this was to try and reduce the impact severe frost can have on your income - something we experienced in 1996. It’s been very worthwhile, because something can still be salvaged from a frosted crop if you cut hay.

“Over the past two seasons it’s also been the case with crops that haven’t finished because of moisture stress. Because paddocks cut for hay are cut before seed set this helps with grass control in paddocks as well.

“It’s not just a $2 industry any more. Your machinery is worth a fortune, your inputs are huge and that can be tough if you have a very mediocre year.”

“I think we’ve always taken that view that we need to prepare for the future, and perhaps your decision-making might be different if you didn’t have another generation coming along,” she said.

Julie and Graeme are now working towards transitioning their business to the next generation, with Lucas’ wife Teri likely to assume more of the businessmanagement role in future years.

“We try to look to the future, but the farm business has changed vastly in the past 20 years – I wonder how our children and grandchildren will be farming 20 years from now?”

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The

Mallee Farmer Janet Robins

Janet Robins: Women in Ag Spending a day on the header, the tractor, or in a shearing shed classing wool were nothing out of the ordinary for Janet Robins in her nearly 40 years on the family farm.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA Janet and her husband Keith up until this year have operated a mixed cereal and sheep farm on a 3000-acre property east of Hopetoun, as well as an additional 800-acre share farm property.

Having grown up on a farm at Willenabrina (an hour’s drive southwest of Hopetoun) the farming lifestyle was nothing new to Janet (Sturrock).

Milking cows as a child was a tradition that followed on for quite a few years after she moved to Hopetoun to “save a few bob on milk and cream”, which, with young children, Janet says was quite substantial.

“After having a really wet summer one year and quite a substantial amount of grain unharvested or downgraded after getting too much rain on it, we lost quite a bit of potential income. That hurt!

“It also brought home to me the urgency of getting the harvest off as quickly as possible in case the weather turned again.”

Janet said Keith had previously been stripping and carting the grain by himself because there had been a few years of crops being downgraded through rain and hail and we didn’t have anyone working for us,” she says.

“It was hard to see the header sitting in the corner of the paddock turned off in perfect stripping weather while Keith was in town carting the grain.”

As with many women on farms, early in the farming partnership, Janet took on the task of doing the bookwork.

“So Keith and I talked about it and I decided to have a go at driving the PTO header we had at the time while he was off at the silo with the full truck.

“I guess my involvement in the practical farming sense really began when we’d been a few years on the farm. Our children were getting to school age and my time was a bit more freed-up,” Janet says.

“I’d spent time on the tractor with Keith and I had a bit of an idea how it all worked – and I figured if a neighbor could trust his 14-year-old son, surely I could do it too!

“Back then, we didn’t work quite as many acres and the machinery wasn’t as big as it is these days and Keith was doing all the outdoors farm work by himself.

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“So after a few laps with Keith showing me what to do I was left on my own. I was pretty nervous, but I got there. And the rest is history, as they say! I’ve been doing it ever since and would also then

sometimes do a shift on the tractor in cropping to help out.”

About 10 years ago, the Robins’ moved to “no till” farming practices and Janet says it made sense for Keith to spray the paddocks and for her to drive the tractor with the seeder behind.

“It was quite a time-saver that we could both be out there doing what had to be done, and being an outdoorsy kind of girl, I quite enjoyed being out in the paddocks.”

Janet also studied to become the district’s first female woolclasser and worked for quite a few years in local sheds.

“The flexibility of shearing seasons meant that it didn’t clash with busy farm times, and I really enjoyed it,” Janet says.

“I suppose it’s been a pretty hands-on working partnership between us, and except when there were the equipment breakdowns that inevitably go with farming and machinery, I’ve loved it.”

“Being as ‘hands-on’ as I was could test the ‘friendship’ between us at times, because I tend to voice my opinion on different things that wasn’t always appreciated.

“But there are definitely more pluses than minuses and it’s a way of doing things that just made sense and worked for us.”

The

Mallee Farmer

Mapping livestock grazing in large Mallee paddocks The integration of cropping and grazing remains a major management challenge, as paddock sizes tend to be large to benefit efficient cropping practices.

By Michael Moodie, Zac Economou, Mark Trotter, Ali Frischke and James Murray, Mallee Sustainable Farming, VIC, University of New England, Birchip Cropping Group.

Background Furthermore, Mallee paddocks are also characterised by extreme soil variability and these variable soil types support different levels of feed availability and have different susceptibilities to soil erosion. Technology such as portable fencing systems and virtual fencing potentially offer a solution to the issue of grazing large Mallee paddocks with high soil variability. However, to effectively design and deploy these innovative grazing techniques, the grazing behaviour of livestock in these paddocks needs to be understood and quantified.

This project has begun to address this knowledge gap by quantifying livestock (sheep) grazing habits in a large Mallee paddock with variable soil types.

Methodology A flock of two-year-old merino ewes (approximately 200) grazed a 107 ha paddock near Nandaly during summer (barley stubble) and then again in winter grazing (vetch) in 2015. Prior to the commencement of grazing, 25 animals within the flock were fitted with University New England (UNE) Tracker II GPS collars (Pictured). Livestock monitoring was supported with on-ground assessment of vegetative soil cover and feed quantity over both grazing periods. At the conclusion of each grazing period, the collars were removed and the data downloaded from the GPS devices. Data was then analysed for the purpose of quantifying variable grazing pressure.

Results Summer grazing Initially the sheep spent most time grazing the lighter soil types in the paddock before moving on to the other zones. This may suggest preferences for certain zones or soil types before feed became limited and utilisation of other areas became necessary.

By the end of the summer period, paddock utilisation was relatively even.

During summer, grazing speeds and distance travelled were very high as the sheep constantly searched for spilt grain.

The amount of spilt grain declined from around 80 kg/ha when the sheep were introduced to approximately 20 kg/ha when they were removed 40 days later.

Very little green pick was available during the grazing period and as a result they lost condition over this time.

Winter grazing Grazing intensity was much more spatially variable on the sown vetch pasture in winter than on the cereal stubble in summer. The sheep concentrated grazing on the western end of the paddock during the first 10 days after which paddock utilisation by the livestock slowly increased over time. However, during any 10-day period, livestock spent 50 percent of the time grazing only 25 percent of the paddock and a further 25 percent was not utilised.

Spatially variable grazing led to underutilisation of pasture on the eastern end of the paddock where approximately 2.5 t/ha vetch still remained when the sheep were removed. This represents a significant under-utilisation of the feed base. Two hundred ewes with lambs at foot grazed the paddock, or 5.6 Dry Sheep Equivalent (DSE) per hectare. However, as grazing occurred on only 75 percent of the area, the stocking pressure on the utilised part of the paddock was 7.3 DSE/ ha. It is logical that, with improved grazing management an additional 65 ewes with lambs could have been fed. Alternatively, a quarter of the paddock could have been cut for hay. If 1.5 t/ha of vetch hay was cut from 25 percent of the paddock, an additional $150/ha of profit would have been made on a quarter of the paddock or the equivalent of approximately $4000 additional profit.

Sheep fitted with a UNE Tracker II GPS collars

7

The

Mallee Farmer Implications for commercial practice Currently there is no easy solution to overcoming the problem of uneven grazing by livestock in large paddocks.

Management actions such as moving water points, increasing mob sizes and rotating sheep in and out of paddocks regularly are likely to improve paddock utilisation but will not fully resolve the issue. Rapid fencing systems such as portable electric fencing have been used effectively by some Mallee farmers, but require resources to erect and dismantle. The development of such new technologies as virtual fencing could drastically improve the utilisation of large Mallee paddocks and the data from this project can start making an economic case for investing in more flexible fencing technologies.

Grazing residency index (hours spent grazing) in 30x30 m cells for 10 day intervals over the winter grazing period

Acknowledgements This project is supported by Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Mallee Sustainable Farming, University of New England and BCG through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

Further Information

Michael Moodie, Mallee Sustainable Farming Email: michael@msfp.org.au Phone: 0448 612 892

Figure 3 Grazing residency index (hours spent grazing) in 30x30 m cells for 10 day intervals over the winter grazing period

Spatially variable grazing led to under-­‐utilisation of pasture on the eastern end of the paddock where approximately 2.5 t/ha vetch still remained when the sheep were removed.

This represents a significant under-­‐utilisation of the feed base. Two hundred ewes with lambs at foot grazed the paddock, or 5.6 Dry Sheep Equivalent (DSE) per hectare. However, as grazing occurred on only 75 percent of the area, the stocking pressure on the utilised part of the paddock was 7.3 DSE/ha. It is logical that, with improved grazing management an additional 65 ewes with lambs could have been fed. Alternatively, a quarter of the paddock could have been cut for hay. If 1.5 t/ha of vetch hay were cut from 25 percent of the paddock, an additional $150/ha of profit would have been made on a quarter of the paddock or the equivalent of approximately $4000 additional profit.

Cumulative utilisation of the three soil type zones (light, moderate, heavy) over the summer grazing period

Figure 2 Cumulative utilisation of the three soil type zones (light, moderate, heavy) over 8the summer grazing period

The

Mallee Farmer

2015 Mallee National Variety Testing wheat and barley trials National Variety Trials (NVT) provide farmers and the grains industry with unbiased and accurate information on the performance of crop varieties in each cropping region.

By

By Roy Latta Dodgshun Medlin Research & Development They are coordinated by the Australian Crop Accreditation System (ACAS) for the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). Dodgshun Medlin delivers the Victorian Mallee component of the NVT program in collaboration with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI).

Wheat Table 1. Mallee 2015 wheat NVT grain yields as a percentage of site average yield (t/ha) Sites experienced frost conditions several times during the flowering period, so results should be interpreted with caution. April to October rainfall was less than 150mm at all sites, with the heavier soil types at Quambatook, Ultima and Birchip having the lowest yields. The Quambatook results were not published.

Beckom and Scepter yielded more than the site average at all eight trial sites.

Cutlass yielded well above average at the sites yielding more than 2t/ha.

However, variety decisions should not be based on a single year of trial data. Long-term averages and trialling new varieties on-farm, gives greater

confidence around variety selection.

Table 2. Mallee wheat variety 2015 average yield from 8 sites, long term (2010–2014) average yield (t/ha), breeder and variety characteristics Average yields from the eight trial sites during 2015 (Table 2) show Beckom with a five percent yield increase over Cosmick, Emu Rock, Scepter and Shield. The remaining varieties were a further five percent or more lower. The higher Beckom yields generally resulted in lower protein content. Grain quality and site information is available on nvtonline.com.au The five-year average yields for 20102014 (not including 2015) have Corack yielding at least three percent more than all other varieties with five years’ data (37 trials). Trojan, with four years’ results, leads Shield and Grenade CL. After three years of trials, Mace leads Cobra, and Cosmick leads Beckom and Hatchet CL after two years. Cutlass and Scepter have only one year’s data and are not presented.

As well as yield, maturity, market access and disease susceptibility are key selection criteria. There are a range of early to mid-maturing varieties of AH quality with levels of root and plant fungal disease tolerance and/or resistance, as opposed to the CCN, stem and leaf rust susceptible APW quality variety Corack.

Trojan with APW quality and moderate disease resistance is a leading mid to late maturing variety, however improved disease resistance is available in other similar maturing varieties.

Barley Table 3. Mallee 2015 Barley NVT grain yields as a percentage of site average yield (t/h*Highest and statistically similar yielding varieties

Dodgshun Medlin research team member Shannon Blandthorn harvests NVT cereal plots 2015.

Compass and the new variety, Rosalind, LaTrobe, Hindmarsh and the new Clearfield Spartacus CL were the highest yielding varieties in Victoria for 2015 (Table 3) with each variety returning more than the average site yield at all seven trial sites, apart from Spartacus CL at Murrayville.

NVT Commander and La Trobe Barley Varieties

Compass had less than two percent screenings at three of the seven sites, Fathom and Spartacus CL at two, and LaTrobe at one. Screenings in Hindmarsh and Rosalind were higher than two percent at all seven Victorian sites.

Table 4. Mallee barley variety 2015 average yields from 7 sites, long term (2005-2014) average yield (t/ ha) and number of trials and variety characteristics Variety decisions should not be based on a single year of trial data. Long-term averages and trialling of new varieties on-farm gives greater confidence around variety selection. Compass (20 trials) leads Fathom (48 trials) in long term yield results (Table 4), but the malting variety Hindmarsh (52 trials over eight years) and its potential replacement LaTrobe (27 trials over four years) also have yielded well during their time in trials. Rosalind and Spartacus CL have only one year’s data and are not included in long term yields.

Further Information Further information about grain quality and reports from more than 600 individual trial sites are available on nvtonline.com.au

9

Medlin delivers the Victorian Mallee component of the NVT program in collaboration with the South The Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI).

Wheat

Mallee Farmer

Table 1. Mallee 2015 wheat NVT grain yields as a percentage of site average yield (t/ha)

Variety Walpeup Hopetoun Kyalite Merrinee Birchip Ultima Murrayville Manangatang Site ave t/ha 2.18 2.12 1.61 1.66 1.19 0.90 1.48 2.06 Axe 108* 86 113* 104 125* 109 93 105 Beckom 116* 112 126* 109 112 108 111* 114* Cobra 106* 83 86 104 99 97 76 97 Corack 111* 96 109 102 105 111* 91 105 Cosmick 106 108 109 104 100 92 123* 108 Cutlass 108* 119* 106 98 69 73 109 109 Derrimut 101 100 114 99 92 83 106 96 Emu Rock 109* 90 114* 123* 128* 109 76 122* Estoc 98 111 93 93 97 97 97 95 Sites experienced onditions several times flowering 100 period, so results be interpreted Grenade CL 109* frost c94 99 104 during the 105 95 should 98 with caution.

April to October rainfall at all sites, with the heavier soil types Hatchet CL 71 87 80 was less 93 than 150mm 121* 116* 99 62 at Kord CL 99 100 99 the l100 100 116* Quambatook, Ultima and Birchip having owest yields. 106 The Quambatook results were not p99 ublished.

Mace 102 100 96 100 104 111* 104 90

Phantom 100 105 91 85 67 84 101 84 Beckom and Scepter yielded more than the site average at all eight trial sites. Cutlass yielded well above Scepter 111* 104 106 112 127* 116* 113* 111* average a t t he s ites y ielding m ore t han 2 t/ha.

H owever, v ariety d ecisions s hould n ot b e b ased on a single Scout 100 100 104 105 103 84 102 97 year of trial d103 ata. Long-­‐term and trialling Shield 101 averages 115* 123* new varieties 114 on-­‐farm, 107 gives greater 93 confidence 113* around Trojan 99 115* 99 89 90 96 105 101 variety selection. *Highest and statistically similar yielding varieties

Table 2. Mallee wheat variety 2015 average yield from 8 sites, long term (2010–2014) average yield (t/ha), breeder and variety characteristics

Variety 2015 Long-­‐term 2010-­‐14 Breeder Maturity Quality Susceptible to

ave ave No of

t/ha t/ha trials Axe 1.7 2.5 37 AGT Early AH CCN, YLS Beckom 1.9 2.8 15 AGT Mid AH Boron tolerant Cobra 1.6 2.6 21 Longreach Early AH

Corack 1.7 2.8 37 AGT Early APW CCN, leaf and stem rust Cosmick 1.8 2.9 15 Intergrain Early-­‐mid AH CCN, leaf and stem rust Cutlass 1.7

AGT Mid-­‐late APW Boron tolerant Derrimut 1.7 2.6 37 Nuseed Early-­‐mid AH YLS Emu Rock 1.8 2.7 37 Intergrain Early AH CCN Estoc 1.6 2.7 37 AGT Mid-­‐late APW

Grenade CL 1.7 2.6 29 AGT Early-­‐mid AH YLS, Imidazolinone tolerant Hatchet CL 1.4 2.4 15 AGT Early AH YLS, Imidazolinone tolerant Kord CL 1.7 2.6 31 AGT Mid AH Imidazolinone tolerant Mace 1.7 2.8 21 AGT Early AH Stripe rust Phantom 1.5 2.6 37 Longreach Mid-­‐late AH YLS, Boron tolerant Scepter 1.8

AGT Early-­‐mid AH

Scout 1.7 2.7 37 Longreach Mid AH YLS Shield 1.8 2.7 29 AGT Early-­‐mid AH

Trojan 1.7 2.9 29 Longreach Mid-­‐late APW

Key to Table 2: AGT Australian Grain Technologies, AH Australian Hard, APW Australian Prime White, CCN Cereal Cyst Nematode, YLS Yellow Leaf Spot

Average yields from the eight trial sites during 2015 (Table 2) show Beckom with a five percent yield increase over Cosmick, Emu Rock, Scepter and Shield. The remaining varieties were a further five percent or more lower. The higher Beckom yields generally resulted in lower protein content. Grain quality and site 10 information is available on nvtonline.com.au

Barley

The

Mallee Farmer

Table 3. Mallee 2015 Barley NVT grain yields as a percentage of site average yield (t/ha)

Variety Walpeup Hopetoun Rainbow Murrayville Birchip Manangatang Ultima Site a ve t /ha 2.9 2.6 2.0 2.1 1.2 2.4 0.9 Barley Compass 117* 111* 123* 100 149* 124* 129* Table 3.

Mallee 2015 Barley NVT grain yields as a percentage of site average yield (t/ha) Rosalind 122* 113* 119* 117* 146* 129* 133*

La Trobe 101 111* 107 111* 137* 119* 130* Hindmarsh Walpeup 112* Hopetoun 108* 115* 108 150* 135* Variety Rainbow Murrayville Birchip 111 Manangatang Ultima Commander 88 105 89 98 66 79 85 Site ave t/ha 2.9 2.6 2.0 2.1 1.2 2.4 0.9 Keel 109 105 111 110* 109 115 93 129* Compass 117* 111* 123* 100 149* 124* Fleet 99 104 81 101 79 94 93 133* Rosalind 122* 113* 119* 117* 146* 129* Fathom 104 99 99 120* 125 108 116 La Trobe 101 111* 107 111* 137* 119* 130* Buloke 98 99 98 97 106 98 114 Hindmarsh 112* 108* 115* 108 150* 111 135* Scope CL 106 98 102 97 99 99 109 Commander 105 89 98 66 79 Flagship 88 94 89 95 102 95 98 91 85 Keel SY Rattler 109 105 111 110* 109 115 91 87 92 97 84 92 76 93 Fleet 104 81 101 79 94 Schooner 99 93 86 86 94 96 89 84 93 Fathom 104 99 85 99 120* 125 108 Bass 89 83 105 80 93 80 116 Buloke 98 99 98 97 106 98 114 Spartacus CL 115* 108* 116* 96 154* 117 134* 109 Scope CL 106 98 102 97 99 99 *Highest a nd s tatistically s imilar y ielding v arieties Flagship 94 89 95 102 95 98 91

SY Rattler 91 87 92 97 84 92 76 Compass and the new variety, Rosalind, LaTrobe, Hindmarsh and the new Clearfield Spartacus CL were the Schooner 93 86 86 94 96 89 84 highest yielding varieties in Victoria for 2015 (Table 3) with each variety returning more than the average Bass 89 85 83 105 80 93 80 site yield at all seven trial sites, apart from Spartacus CL at Murrayville.

Spartacus CL 115* 108* 116* 96 154* 117 134*

Compass less than tswo percent screenings at three of the seven sites, Fathom and Spartacus CL at *Highest and hsad tatistically imilar yielding varieties two, and LaTrobe at one. Screenings in Hindmarsh and Rosalind were higher than two percent at all seven

Compass and the new variety, Rosalind, LaTrobe, Hindmarsh and the new Clearfield Spartacus CL were the Victorian sites. highest yielding varieties in Victoria for 2015 (Table 3) with each variety returning more than the average

site yield at all seven trial sites, apart from Spartacus CL at Murrayville.

Table 4. Mallee barley variety 2015 average yields from 7 sites, long term (2005-­‐2014) average yield (t/ha) and number of trials and variety characteristics

Compass had less than two percent screenings at three of the seven sites, Fathom and Spartacus CL at Variety 2015 2010-­‐14 Trial No Maturity Malt quality Susceptible to two, and LaTrobe at one. Screenings in Hindmarsh and Rosalind were higher than two percent at all seven Compass 2.4 3.0 20 Early-­‐mid Pending

Victorian sites. 2.4 Rosalind

Early-­‐mid Potential

La Trobe 2.3 2.8 27 Early Yes

Hindmarsh 2.3 2.8 52 Early Yes Spot f orm n et blotch Table 4. Mallee barley variety 2015 average yields from 7 sites, long term (2005-­‐2014) average yield (t/ha) Commander 1.8 2.7 59 Early-­‐mid Yes Most f oliar d iseases and number of trials and variety characteristics Keel 2.2 2.8 58 Early No Leaf rust, net form net

blotch Variety 2015 2010-­‐14 Trial No Maturity Malt quality Susceptible to Fleet 1.9 2.8 59 Mid No Net form net blotch Compass 2.4 2.2 3.0 20 Early-­‐mid Pending form net b lotch Fathom 2.9 33 Early No Net Rosalind 2.4 2.0 2.6 59 Early-­‐mid Potential

Buloke Mid Yes Cereal cyst nematode La TScope robe CL 2.3 2.0 2.8 27 Early Yes

2.5 37 Mid Yes Imidazolinone tolerant Hindmarsh 2.3 2.0 2.8 52 Early Yes Flagship 2.4 54 Mid Yes Spot form net blotch SY R attler 1.7 2.4 20 Mid Pending

diseases Commander 1.8 2.7 59 Early-­‐mid Yes Most foliar 2.3 59 Released 1983, no longer competitive in ynield r quality Keel Schooner 2.2 1.8 2.8 58 Early No Leaf rust, et foorm net Bass 1.8 2.6 39 Mid Yes Cereal c yst n ematode blotch Spartacus CL 1.9 2.2 Early Fleet 2.8 59 Mid No Net form net blotch

Fathom 2.2 2.9 33 Early No Net form net blotch Buloke 2.0 2.6 59 Mid Yes Cereal cyst nematode Scope CL 2.0 2.5 37 Mid Yes Imidazolinone tolerant Flagship 2.0 2.4 54 Mid Yes

SY Rattler 1.7 2.4 20 Mid Pending

Schooner 1.8 2.3 59 Released 1983, no longer competitive in yield or quality Bass 1.8 2.6 39 Mid Yes Cereal cyst nematode 11 Spartacus CL 2.2 Early

The

Mallee Farmer Ewes grazing Old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) in the Manangatang shrub experiment, June 2014.

Grazing shrub performance update The Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources have been evaluating perennial shrubs in the Mallee.

By Chris Korte and Mick Brady Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources This article updates information on a trial at Manangatang reported previously and also provides results of shrub establishment at five demonstration sites.

The Mallee CMA has recently published a guide to successfully using shrubpasture mixes for grazing livestock called “Native forage shrubs for low-

12

rainfall area �. Additional plant survival information was collected from the trial at Manangatang in November 2015, over four years after planting.

Manangatang trial The trial at Manangatang was on a flat site, unsuitable for annual cropping because of high salt and boron levels.

Six shrub species that had performed best in a previous trial at Walpeup were planted in August 2011 and grew ungrazed until June 2014 when grazing occurred. Plants remained ungrazed until November 2015 when plant survival was measured again. Table 1 shows the proportion of plants that survived from planting to grazing (2014) and to the last measurement (2015); the

amount of edible forage per plant in 2014 and herbage removed after two weeks grazing in 2014.

Shrub establishment (three years) and regrowth at this site has been very slow due to dry seasons. Old man saltbush establishment at the site in previous years by the farmer have been much faster in more favourable seasons, the first grazing occurring after a year and annual grazing being required thereafter.

Old man saltbush and River Murray saltbush performed best in terms of production of edible herbage, with Old man saltbush being more palatable of the two to sheep. Relative growth will not always follow the patterns observed at Manangatang because different

The PICTURE CAPTION: Ewes grazing Old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) in the Manangatang shrub experiment, June 2014. Note – photo can be cropped

FIRST PAR: The Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA) and Department of Economic shrub species can be better adapted to measured to establish initial survival • To avoid plants being killed, grazing Development, ave been valuating in should the Mbe allee. different sites. Jobs, Transport and Resources (Table 2).hSpecies site e means are perennial shrubs of shrubs timed to from 5-20 groups of 10-20 plants in a allow regrowth of frost susceptible A notable result in this experiment was row. Survival ranged from excellent at species to harden before frosts

Mallee Farmer

that survival of two species (Rhagodia Carwarp to relatively poor at Birchip. occur. and Tar bush) was markedly reduced Chris Korte and Mick Brady Tar bush had poorer survival than other • The new Native forage shrubs following grazing. Other research has species at three sites. Plants were still for low-rainfall areas guide shown that these species are highly Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources very small in late November 2014. For is a valuable resource when tolerant of heavy grazing as occurred in example, the amount of edible forage considering how to incorporate June-July 2014. onAOld man saltbush, the largest shrub, shrubs intoDgrazing systems.

The Mallee Catchment Management uthority (CMA) and Department of Economic evelopment, averaged 4 g DM per plant.

Plant deaths in Rhagodia and Tar bush Jobs, TShrub ransport and caused Resources ave inbsurvival een hrubs allee. This are thought to have been establishment (by three (yDEDJTR) ears) and hregrowth at etvaluating his site has pberennial een very sslow due in to the dry M seasons.

Differences between heavy frosts in the spring of 2014 killing mainly reflected Old man grazing. saltbush establishment demonstration at the site in psites revious years by the farmer have faster in article following updates information and baeen lso mpuch rovides results regrowth Tar bush oisn a trial at Manangatang reported previously Acknowledgements the amounts of rain received at different known to have low seedling tolerance totd more favourable seasons, he first grazing occurring after a year and annual grazing being required of shrub establishment at five emonstration sites. sites, both before and after planting. The This project is supported by frost. Old man saltbush, grazed almost survival data collected will be used to thereafter. the Department of Economic as hard as Rhagodia and Tar bush interpret future observations made at the Development, Jobsfor andgrazing The Mallee MA frost has resistant recently published a guide to successfully using shrub-­‐pasture mixes presumably had C more demonstration sites. man insaltbush nd River i n t erms o f p roduction o f e dible regrowth. Old Grazing autumn, ainstead of Murray saltbush performed best Transport and Mallee CMA 1 livestock cregrowth alled “Native forage shrubs for low-­‐rainfall area ”. Additional plant survival information June, to allow to harden before It is not recommended that farmers through funding from the herbage, with Old man saltbush being more palatable of the two to sheep. Relative growth will not frosts presumably have plant all six shrub species together asover four y Australian Government’s was could collected from the reduced trial at Manangatang in November 2015, ears after planting. always ollow the patterns observed at Manangatang because different shrub species can be better shrub deaths fromffrost. was done in both the Manangatang trial National Landcare Programme. and five demonstration sites. Instead adapted to different sites. it is recommended that three to four Shrub demonstration Further Information species are selected based on likelihood The sameA six speciesresult listed in naotable in Table this eas xperiment w as t hat s urvival o f t wo s pecies ( Rhagodia nd Korte, Tar boush) was The t rial t M anangatang w o n a

f lat s ite, u nsuitable f or a nnual c ropping baecause f high salt and of waterlogging and soil type. This is Chris Senior Scientist 1 were planted using water jetting explained in Native forage shrubs for markedly reduced grazing. ther research has in shown that these are highly atboron five sites in the winter of 2015 by levels.

Six shrub sfollowing pecies that had O performed best a previous trial species aDEDJTR t Walpeup were planted low-rainfall areas guide.

Mallee CMA. Over 1000 shrubs were chris.korte@@ecodev.vic.gov.au

Manangatang trial

tolerant of heavy grazing as occurred in June-­‐July 2014.

in August 2011 and the grew ungrazed until June 2014 when grazing occurred. Plants remained planted at each site, with number in each species varying because of plant ungrazed until November 2015 when plant measured again. able frosts 1 shows the deaths in Rhagodia bush are sturvival hought w to as have been caused by hTeavy in the spring availability.Plant Significantly fewer River and Tar Key messages saltbush plants were planted thansother proportion of kpilling lants that urvived from p lanting o grazing and to seedling the last tolerance measurement of 2014 regrowth following g•razing.

Testablishment ar btush is known to have low to frost.

Shrub and(2014) growth species. can on some sites, maan saltbush, razed faorage lmost aps er hard abe s Rslow Thar bush prresumably ad mtore rost (2015); Old the mount of egdible plant ihagodia n 2014 and nd Mallee erbage emoved ahfter wo fw eeks grazing especially with dry winter/springs.

In late November 2015 plants were resistant regrowth. Grazing in autumn, instead of June, to allow regrowth to harden before frosts in 2014.

could presumably have reduced shrub deaths from frost.

Table 1 Plant survival, growth and herbage removal from Manangatang shrub trial

Shrub demonstration

Plant survival (%) Edible forage Herbage removed after Species The same six species listed in Table 1 were planted using water jetting at five sites in the winter of (g DM/plant) 2 weeks (%) 2014 2015 2015 by Mallee CMA. Over 1000 shrubs w ere planted at each site, with the number in each species Old man saltbush 93% fewer River saltbush 307 plants were planted than 79% varying because of plant a100% vailability. Significantly other species.

Rhagodia 80% 5% 144 >80% River MIn urray 95% were measured 93% to establish initial 303 43% late sNaltbush ovember 2015 plants survival (Table 2). Species site means are from 5-­‐20 groups of 10-­‐20 plants in a row. Survival ranged 89% 37% to River saltbush 95% 64 from excellent at Carwarp relatively poor at Birchip. Tar bush had poorer survival than other species at three sites. Plants 92% 14% Ruby saltbush 98% 59 were still very small in late November 2014. For example, the amount of edible forage on Old man >80% Tar bush 91% 36 saltbush, the largest shrub, averaged 4 g 34% DM per plant.

Table 2 Survival of shrubs from planting to November 2015 at Mallee sites. Results are only shown where more than 50 plants were planted.

Common name Botanical name Birchip Millewa Murrayville Patchewollock Carwarp Mean 1 One of the first Atriplex things that was noticed was that our previous report had used different common Old man saltbush 47% 87% 83% 93% 99% 82% names for shrubs nummularia from the guide. This article uses the same plant names as the guide.

16% 57% 67% 89% 92% Rhagodia preissii 64% Rhagodia River Murray Atriplex 39% 88% 87% 95% 98% 81% saltbush rhagodioildes River saltbush -­‐ 78% -­‐ 65% 98% Atriplex anmicola 80% Enchyleana 47% 80% 82% 94% 98% Ruby saltbush 80% tormentosa Tar bush 8% 31% 79% 32% 92% Eremophila glabra 48% All shrubs

36% 71% 77% 83% 96% 73%

Differences in survival between demonstration sites mainly reflected the amounts of rain received at different sites, both before and after planting. The survival data collected will be used to interpret

13

The

Mallee Farmer Shelbourne Reynolds combine harvester stripper front

A ripper of a stripper – Victorian growers get excited As part of a joint stubble retention project, Vic No-Till with the help of Hutcheon and Pearce, demonstrated a Shelbourne Reynolds combine harvester stripper front on notill CTF farms across Victoria including the Mallee, Northern Victoria and the Western District during Harvest 2015.

By Kerry Grigg The front created great excitement and enthusiasm among growers who could see multiple benefits of incorporating a Shelbourne into their system. Although it might not fit into everyone’s system, it certainly gave growers a lot to think about.

Following is a wrap up of the thoughts of four Victorian growers who were part of the tour.

The stripper header was originally conceived by Keith Shelbourne in the mid-1980s as a derivative of the rotary head fitted to the company’s pea harvesters. The first models were put on the market in the UK in 1989. The basic concept of the stripper header is that a rearwards rotating rotor fitted in the front of the header has eight rows of stripping fingers that strip grain from the crop as the combine moves the head forwards while it spins backwards.

The speed of the rotor can be varied according to crop conditions. After the grain has been stripped by the rotor, a series of deflectors within the header deflect the grain back into a conventional

14

auger and pan. This auger then moves the material to the centre where it enters the feeder house of the combine. Eightyfive percent of the grain is threshed by the header meaning that the material entering the combine is predominantly grain, chaff, leaf and minimal straw. The benefit of this reduced bulk entering the combine is significantly improved capacity and efficiency. Other benefits include improved performance in down, lodged and hailed crops, both in terms of crop recovery and speed as well as improved performance in green, high moisture and weed infested crops.

Ross Watson, Mallee Early adopter of zero-till CTF Sandy country at Bulga, northwest of Swan Hill Shelbourne harvested: 40 ha of light wheat crop (yielding one tonne/ha) Results: Slight efficiencies in harvester, used less fuel, got through more tonne an hour in low yielding crop Merits in Ross’s system: Biggest gains will be from leaving 2/3’rds more of the stubble to improve soil health. Efficiency gains aren’t as significant in low yielding crops as in higher yielding crops, but the

Shelbourne still has merit Ross Watson is one of the earliest adopters of zero-till CTF farming in the Mallee, and says the Shelbourne would be the final piece of the puzzle for a system he has been perfecting since the 1990s.

“If I had the finances I reckon I’d go that way,” Ross says. “I was more impressed than I would’ve thought. The stubble is twice as high as the stubble left by the cutter bar front, it certainly is impressive.”

The demonstration at Ross’s property was on a GRDC CTF monitoring site. He set the demonstration up with a double skip row, going up and back with the Shelbourne then leaving two rows for the standard cutter bar front. He recorded fuel usage, tonne harvested and the work rate with both fronts, then analysed the figures.

“I can see some benefits straight away, in efficiencies even though these aren’t going to be as huge as other areas with higher yielding crops. In my one tonne/ ha crop there were some gains, but just imagine those efficiencies in a three tonne crop, they would be incredible,” he says.

Continued onto page 19

LANDCARE LINKS

Autumn 2016

Regional Landcare in the Mallee

by Kevin Chaplin

Welcome to the autumn edition of the Mallee Farmer’s Landcare Links.

Landcare Links has kicked off 2016 as many Landcare groups launch into their pest plant and animal control programs. Almost $500,000 has been secured by the Mallee’s Landcare groups to tackle the rabbit scourge and to address the explosion of Boxthorn and Cactus infestations across the region.

These programs prove, along with a few other smaller projects focusing on revegetation and rehabilitation of degraded areas and building the capacity of the community, that Landcare in the Mallee is looking very strong indeed.

With rabbit numbers appearing to be on the rise in some areas, a series of timely information sessions focussing on the impending release of the next strain of Calicivirus known as the K5 strain have just been completed with a high level of interest shown by landholders. A series of six information sessions were held across the region with the highlight being the presentation from Dr Tarnya Cox, the project leader of the RHDV (rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus) K5 Boost program.

Dr Cox outlined timelines for the programs

and what they hope to achieve with its release. Ben Perry from the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources spoke about the timing of various control measures that would help support the release of the virus, giving the program maximum impact on local infestations. The Mallee Catchment Management Authority then rounded the sessions off with a presentation that focussed on how the local community and their Landcare groups could get involved.

The community can get involved with the release of the virus by registering their landcare group area as a virus release site with follow-up monitoring of local rabbit numbers by using the latest mobile technology in the form of Rabbitscan on their mobile phones. By doing this, community members will help establish how effective the program has been.

All sessions were well received, with landholders keen to see their local areas get involved with the program and, hopefully, start seeing a lot less rabbits in the future. For more information on the upcoming RHDV K5 strain release, please read the article from the Invasive Animals CRC in this issue.

The new Mallee Conservation and Landcare Group (the old Kulkyne Way Landcare Group) has decided to focus more on preservation of remnant areas of native bushland rather than just pest plant and animal control. They have formed the new group by approaching all Mallee landholders who have conservation covenants on their properties and inviting them to become members.

www.malleecma.vic.gov.au

Group have once again become active after a period of hiatus and are looking to get back into the fray. Other groups such as the Manangatang Landcare Group and the Millewa-Carwarp Landcare Group are powering on with multiple programs running simultaneously, keeping their facilitators on their toes. Some groups, such as the Kulkyne Way Landcare Group, are looking to re-invent and re-invigorate their group by establishing a new focus and direction.

This new group will represent members from across the whole Mallee and will help support them in their actions and projects as they try to protect and enhance the small isolated areas of remaining bushland on their properties. Their first project is aimed at saving the threatened Arid Bronze Azure butterfly that occurs on a property in the Kulkyne area. You can read an article about this project in this issue and learn about how interconnected some of our flora and fauna species are and how important it is to keep what we have left.

“Keep on caring on”.

Groups such as the Waitchie Landcare Group and the Swan Hill West Landcare

15

LANDCARE LINKS

Autumn 2016

Release approaching for new calicivirus

by Andreas Glanzing, CEO of the Invasive Animals Co-operative Research Centre

The release of a new strain of calicivirus, to better control rabbits, is now likely to take place in spring 2016 or autumn 2017, pending approvals.

The release of a Korean strain of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus, known as RHDV1 K5, aims to boost the effectiveness of the current RHDV1 strain released in 1996.

Development of the calicivirus strain RHDV1-K5 is a national program and governments have a number of factors to work through prior to release. These include ensuring the impact on wild rabbit populations is maximised; that the necessary approvals are in place and that affected landholders and community groups are fully informed.

Rabbits have major impacts on farming businesses and the environment. A draft report released by the Department of the Environment in late 2015 found that rabbits are a significant threat to biodiversity, affecting 304 nationally threatened plant and animal species. Rabbits also decrease agricultural productivity in excess of $200 million a year. A commitment to sustained and on-going management is imperative but they don’t stop at property boundaries and efforts to tackle them shouldn’t either.

All landholders need to be on board – from farmers and community groups to local governments and conservation land managers – to tackle this threat effectively.

Management is always more effective if neighbours coordinate their rabbit control activities.

Rabbit numbers are increasing and an improved biological control agent in conjunction with a community-led response, using best practice rabbit management principles, is a unique opportunity to mitigate this damage. The national release of the new naturally occurring strain of RHDV1 K5 is part of a 20 year national bio-control plan to further control rabbits. The Invasive Animals CRC rabbit scientific committee are confident that RHDV1 K5 is safe, humane, has a wide reach and will reduce the number of feral rabbits in Australia.

As this product is a new active constituent, under the requirements of the AgVet

16 16

Code, Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) must conduct public consultation before finalising its decision. The public consultation period for the APVMA approval process was completed in January.

Biocontrol is not a silver bullet and we must be vigilant when it comes to managing rabbits. Conventional control methods such as baiting, fumigation, warren ripping, exclusion fencing, shooting and trapping – done humanely – are also needed in line with biocontrol to maintain rabbit numbers at low levels.

Researchers are urging all Australians to help monitor rabbit numbers during the proposed 2016-2017. Landholders, farmers, community groups, councils and everyone across the country has been invited to express their interest to participate in the final stages of the research to support the release of K5.

This research is an important national collaborative project between multiple government and industry partners across Australia funded through the Invasive Animals CRC to deal with Australia’s costliest vertebrate pest animal.

Individuals and groups can get involved by nominating to be a monitoring and/ or release site. You can also get involved by downloading the free RabbitScan App to your phone and map rabbit sightings, helping us better understand where rabbits are.

industry and non-government organisations.

• The partners in this national collaborative project include: • Federal Department of Agriculture • NSW Department of Primary Industries • CSIRO • Australian Wool Innovation • Meat and Livestock Australia • Foundation for Rabbit Free Australia • Victoria Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources • Department of Primary Industries and Regions SA • Department of Agriculture and Food WA • University of Adelaide • Department of Agriculture and Food Queensland • ACT Government Environment and Planning • ACT Government Territory and Municipal Services • Parks Victoria For more information visit – www. pestsmart.org.au/boosting-rabbit-biocontrolrhdv-k5-national-release/

The research team is still accepting online Expressions of Interests (EOIs) from landowners and managers wanting to be involved in the release. The research team will strategically select sites mid-2016 and notify successful applicants.

For enquiries regarding rabbit management in your state or territory jurisdiction, please call or email your local land management authority. Details can be found via PestSmart Connect.

The ‘RHD Boost’ research initiative has been delivered through the Invasive Animals CRC, with major financial and in kind resources provided by the Australian government, state governments, and

Rabbit burrows cause damage to the land

Dieback of Hopbush in Mallee

by Fiona Murdoch

Kulkyne Way Landcare Group has received funding to examine the cause of Hopbush dieback and potential implications for the threatened Arid Bronze Azure butterfly.

Kulkyne Way Landcare Group has received funding under the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Threatened Species Protection Initiative – Community Volunteer Action, to examine the cause of Hopbush dieback and potential implications for the threatened Arid Bronze Azure butterfly.

When we first noticed Hopbush dying on our property in 2011, we weren’t particularly worried. Slender-leafed hopbush (Dodonaeae viscosa ssp. angustissima) is a very common early coloniser of sandy dunes. It is either loved: a fast growing, easy to establish plant which is tolerant of drought and grazing; or it is hated because

critically endangered under the Federal

resources Crop Health Services laboratory

it can rapidly dominate a disturbed area and

Environment Protection and Biodiversity

and samples are currently undergoing

reduce the abundance of more palatable

Conservation Act 1999. The dieback we

fungal culturing and baiting with

grasses.

first noticed in 2011 has now spread across

microscopic analysis to identify pathogenic

our property, and has reduced the cover

causes of the dieback.

Regardless of what we think of Hopbush, it is an important component of the habitat of the sugar ant (Camponotus terebrans).

These generous little ants build their nests at the base of living Hopbush and, deep

of Hopbush by at least 50 percent. If the Hopbush continues to die, this may affect populations of the ant which could, in turn, threaten the population of butterfly.

underground, feed and raise the larvae

Dieback affects individual Hopbush plants

and pupae of the (Ogyris subterrestris

of varying ages and the symptoms seem

subterrestris).

to be most obvious in summer. Hopbush

It is this butterfly that we are really worried about. It is listed under the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 and is considered threatened nationally. The closely related Western Australian Ogyris subterrestris petrina was listed in 2015 as

dieback follows a specific pattern: it starts with a single branch drying out and the leaves turning pale green, then quickly changing colour to orange. After three to six months this spreads to the entire plant and then the leaves fall off. After about a year the branches collapse midway along with the wood reduced to powder, possibly

Hopbush dieback seems most prevalent in the Hattah Kulkyne area but we would like to know if anyone has noticed Hopbush dieback on their property.

This is an example of a “citizen science” project undertaken by a community group that can make a significant contribution to the protection of threatened species. If you are interested in being part of a Landcare group that focusses on carrying out conservation projects on private land, or would like more information on this project, please contact Fiona Murdoch on 0428 240 062 or famurdoch@gmail.com

caused by a wood boring insect which has

Did you know: The larvae of the Arid Bronze

attacked the weakened plant.

Azure butterfly are “myrmecophilus”

We suspect some sort of fungal pathogen is responsible initially, either spread

meaning they occur in association with ants.

by insects or soil borne. Superficially the dieback resembles Phytophthera cinnamomi root rot, although this devastating disease is usually found in areas with annual rainfall greater than Hopbush dieback starts with a single branch and soon

600mm. We have sent plant and soil

all the leaves of the plant have turned orange.& Arid

samples to the Department of Economic,

Bronze Azure butterfly. credit Fiona Murdoch

Development, Jobs, Transport and

17

LANDCARE LINKS

Autumn 2016

The Birchip Landcare Group

by Dorothy Reid, Birchip Landcare Group The Birchip Landcare Group is an active and progressive community group continuing to make impressive progress on a diverse range of activities and initiatives in their local region.

The group has been successful with a number of grant applications in 2015-16 for grants targeting three major funding streams. These grants will provide a substantial boost to local Landcare activity over the next 12 months.

They include an application under the 201516 Avoca Basin Protecting and Enhancing Nationally Significant Communities and Species for a project to link the Towma Bushland Reserve, 15 km north of Birchip, with other local private remnant vegetative areas.

An Aboriginal study tour of local indigenous sites was also a great success and learning opportunity for all involved.

An exciting initiative has been the formation of a committee to fully utilise the recently-restored Birchip Railway Station building. The Birchip Landcare Group is undertaking the project in co-operation with the Birchip Lions Club and Birchip Historical Society. It is envisaged the building will be used to house a display of local natural history artefacts as well as other Landcare initiatives.

The group also applied for a Victorian 2015-16 Landcare Grant for Enhancing and Protecting Remnant Vegetation, to continue developing local biolink corridors and controlling rabbits and African boxthorn infestations.

Assorted seeds of the Mallee

18 18

Anna Heath - South Western Landcare Facilitator.

Phone: 0478 170 765 Beulah Landcare Group Hopetoun Landcare Group Rainbow and District Landcare Group Woomelang and Lascelles Landcare Group.

Sandii Lewis - Eastern Mallee Landcare Facilitator.

Phone: 0400 701 730 Nyah West Landcare group Swan Hill West Landcare Group Manangatang Landcare Group Kooloonong-Natya Landcare Group Waitchie Landcare Group Sea Lake Landcare Group Annuello Landcare Group Robinvale Indigenous Landcare Group.

Jess Cook (Interim) - South Eastern Landcare Facilitator. Phone: 0458 922 033 Berriwillock Landcare Group Birchip Landcare Group Culgoa Landcare Group Lalbert Landcare Group Nullawil Landcare Group Ultima Landcare Group.

Sonia Van Heusden - Northern Mallee Landcare Facilitator. Phone: 0487 178 582 MillewaCarwarp Landcare Group Yelta Landcare Group Kulkyne Way Landcare Group Red Cliffs Landcare Group Lindsey Point Landcare Group.

These grants are on top off existing works in which the group has been busily working on during the second half of 2015. Major areas of wheel cactus were treated in the Curyo region with further work planned for the future.

Project Partners

Kevin Chaplin - Regional Landcare Coordinator.

Phone: 03 5051 4670 Mobile 0428 370 175

Eboni Musgrove - Murrayville Landcare Facilitator. Phone: 0477 550 161 Murrayville Landcare Group.

It is hoped that 185 hectares of BirchipBuloke woodlands across six sites will be protected within the local Landcare area and the North Central CMA region with a Community Volunteer Action Grant.

Engagement with the younger members of the community has continued, with grades 3, 4 and 5 students from the Birchip P-12 college visiting the local ‘Roslyn Wetland’.

The visit was part of the students’ scientific study of the endangered Brown Tree Creeper and Hooded Robin with the students making presentations to the Landcare Group revealing their findings, which were very well received.

Contacts

Mallee Landcare News Mallee Catchment Management Authority Telephone: (03) 5051 4377 PO Box 5017 Mildura Victoria 3502 www.malleecma.vic.gov.au This publication may be of assistance to you but the Mallee Catchment Management Authority refers readers to our Terms and Conditions, available from our website.

Birchip Landcare group members learn about indigenous artefacts

Printed on 80% recycled Australian paper made from pre- and post-consumer waste.

The

Mallee Farmer Continued from page 14 “In terms of the stubble left behind by just taking the heads and leaving the rest behind, this means instead of having stubble as high as one beer can, we’ve got stubble three times that. I can see benefits in shading and slowing down wind speed.”

Ross says in his system, which uses an NDF disc seeder, sowing into the higher stubble load wouldn’t be an issue. But he says with very few Mallee farmers using discs, the extra stubble could be a challenge.

Troy & Grant Keating, Western District Werneth High rainfall zone Heavy brown clay soils prone to waterlogging Going zero-till CTF in 2016 after purchasing JD 1890 disc seeder Shelbourne harvested: 120 ha barley and 10 ha wheat Results: Barley – Shelbourne travelled 8km/ hr, stripped 40-tonne/hr on a 3.8 tonne/ ha crop and used 27-28 litres/hr of fuel (ordinary draper front goes 6km/hr, strips 25-30 tonne/hr and uses 40-45 litres/hr of fuel) Wheat – Shelbourne travelled 8km/hr, stripped 50-60 tonne/hr When Troy and Grant Keating had to pack up the Shelbourne after its demonstration on their Werneth property, Troy tweeted ‘had to say goodbye today after spending some quality time together’.

After deciding to make some significant changes to their farming system this year Troy says the Shelbourne has jumped in their list of priorities after impressive results in their crops.

“We didn’t bother doing skip rows or anything to compare, we were that impressed we just kept going. We knew straight away it was a good thing,” he says.

Troy sees the stripper as being able to increase efficiencies, save fuel and help with their slug problem.

“Slugs are our biggest issue right now, and by taking away their habitat by not leaving as much residue on the ground, the stripper could have a really positive effect. It will take a bit of time and trial and error, but I can see it has potential to make a difference and then we can cut back on slug bait.”

He says it will also help with their residue management because they won’t have so

much trash on the ground.

residue is a bonus for us.”

They are planning to windrow and bale the standing straw, then leave some of the standing stubble so they can compare results over time.

He says in his current system, the trash is threshed through the header then thrown out the sides as cover, but it breaks down too fast and disappears – leaving soils bare again.

“We’re definitely keen to look at it – it was quite impressive with speed, tonne per hour and potential fuel savings. There’s quite a saving just in the fuel side of things. It just seems like it would be a really great tool for us,” Troy says.

Grant Simms, Northern Victoria 6th generation at Pine Grove Clay country, 40km southwest of Echuca Shelbourne harvested: 20 ha light barley crop and 15 ha irrigated wheat crop Results: Massive difference in tonne and ha/hour Barley - slight fuel saving of around 5 litres/hour, slightly better efficiencies and quality on a par with standard front but most excited about the Shelbourne leaving twice as much residue Irrigated wheat – massive increase in efficiency, from cutting 35 tonne/hour with knife front to 62.5 tonne/hour with Shelbourne Once Grant had the Shelbourne attached to his header, he didn’t want to give it back. And he’s now rearranged his farming wish list and put the Shelbourne right near the top.

“I don’t know where to start with the benefits I can see in having the Shelbourne in my system,” Grant says.

“It just opens up so many more options not only on my place, but for others in the district who could benefit.”

Grant and wife Naomi are sixth generation farmers at Pine Grove, which has an annual average rainfall of 430mm but more often than not, is about half that. Grant’s parents Ken and Wendy saw the benefits of using a no-till, direct drilling system in drier cropping areas in the 1980s, and when Grant returned to the farm in 2000, they sold their sheep, went out of hay production and focussed solely on implementing a zero-till, controlled traffic system.

“The big thing we’re trying to do is build the cover on our soils, and the Shelbourne just left behind so much residue. In the light barley crop the residue left behind was as much as what you’d leave behind on a normal front in a heavy crop. In dry years like this it really shows up where paddocks are left bare,” Grant says.

Grant says the Shelbourne would resolve this problem, leaving his soils with better cover for longer.

“I like to harvest as high as I can, but some years you’ve got to put your front down a bit lower to pick up heads or plants that are laying over. This year I had to drop it down lower than I liked because we had a few hail storms come through.

This is the kind of year where the stripper would be ideal, even in a lighter crop.”

Grant says the Shelbourne shone in the heavier irrigated wheat crop, which was going 5-tonne/ha.

“With the knife front we do 35-tonne/hour, but with the Shelbourne we had it going up to 62.5 tonne/hour,” he says.

“That’s just massive. We could’ve got a lot more out of it if we had time to improve the settings on the header; we could easily get close to double. In good growing crops in heavy years, that’s as good as having two headers in the paddock but without the added costs of the second header.”

Grant says the amount of residue in this crop was incredible. The irrigated crop is on his cousin’s place, who is not running a disc machine, so he says they will probably bale the residue for straw because their tyne won’t be able to sow through it.

“But regardless of whether you’re using a tyne or disc, the Shelbourne still gives you options. You can bale the straw for compost and grow mushrooms in it, or cut and bale for animal bedding straw,” he says.

Grant is also excited about getting through his crops more quickly, potentially

For further information Contact Vic No Till Executive Officer Kerry Grigg, 0429 820 429

“The difference between a good harvest or not comes down to the residue.

Any tool that can be used to help build

19

The

Mallee Farmer

Southern Mallee Drought Employment Program By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA. The program is one of three being delivered across the Wimmera-Mallee, as part of the Victorian Government’s drought response package.

The Southern Mallee program is being coordinated by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), with work teams established at Hopetoun and Birchip.

Mallee CMA Chair Sharyon Peart said the program offered farmers, farm workers and other people, whose livelihood is significantly affected by drought up to four days’ work a week to work on Natural Resource Management (NRM) projects

Mallee farmers and communities hit by a succession of poor seasons are taking on meaningful part-time work as part of the Southern Mallee Drought Employment Program. such as weed and rabbit control, watering revegetation sites and fencing.

“We have previously run these types of programs in response to both drought and flood and this time we are employing quite a diverse range of people who have been affected by the dry conditions in the Mallee,” Ms Peart said.

“Involved this time are several farmers and contractors, a fuel supply contractor and a person who was previously working with grain transport and receival,” she said.

“We have found that flexibility is the key

to success in these programs. It offers the opportunity for people to earn some income, but at the level they are able to manage and still focus on the important work that needs to be done on the farm.”

Program participants have noted the flexibility of the program as well as the benefits it provides to themselves, their families and communities.

Birdwoodton fruit grower Angelo Taglierini spent 14 months working throughout the Mallee on a previous program supporting people affected by the 2011 floods. He said the program was important in many ways.

DEP crew tree watering near Birchip

20

The

Mallee Farmer

Drought Employment crew member tree watering.

“It gave me income, and that was certainly important in keeping us going and getting the farm back on track – but it also helped me move on from what happened, got me out and about and gave me experiences that I really wouldn’t have had otherwise,” he said.

“It was work that was enjoyable because I was comfortable with it but I was learning, and I was with a completely different group of people in new areas.

“We would sometimes spend a couple of days away so we got to know each other really well and I have friends I made that I still keep in touch with now.

“It helped financially, but also socially and emotionally. It was a really enjoyable and rewarding opportunity.”

Ms Peart said the current Southern Mallee Drought Employment program had received strong support from Mallee communities, particularly from local governments and community groups who can clearly see the benefits and have embraced the concept.

“The crews are working on projects the community itself see’s to be of value,” Ms Peart said.

“Among the projects are watering native vegetation sites, removing old fencing and rubbish from the local public reserves, including Lake Lascelles and Lake Corrong, as well as weed and pest animal control in partnership with local government and public land managers.

Acknowledgements Drought Employment Program is supported by Mallee CMA through funding from the Victorian Government.

“We think these types of programs are an important contribution we can make to supporting people and holding communities together during a tough time.”

For further information Information about the Drought Employment Program is available at http://www.malleecma.vic.gov. au/southern-mallee-droughtemployment-program

21

The

Mallee Farmer

Northern Mallee farmers evaluate the profitability of rotations Farmers in the Northern Mallee (Millewa and Carwarp regions) are increasingly incorporating broadleaf break crops into their paddock rotations.

By Michael Moodie and Todd McDonald, Mallee Sustainable Farming Background This is in response to agronomic constraints such as brome grass, rhizoctonia and declining soil nitrogen levels threatening the sustainability of the continuous cereal cropping systems that had dominated the region for more than a decade. This change has been supported by local research through the crop sequencing project showing that managing agronomic constraints (particularly depleting brome grass populations and improving soil nitrogen) can increase the productivity of the subsequent cereal cropping phase by 1-2 t/ha and increase profitability by up to $90/ha/year over a four-year period.

However, as this research was conducted at only one site, farmers wanted to know whether the same results would be observed on a commercial scale at a whole of paddock level. In 2014, the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (Mallee CMA) funded a project to compare the impact and profitability of the inclusion of broadleaved break crops in paddock rotations in the Northern Mallee. This article reports the results from the first two years of this project.

commercial equipment. Monitoring is Results focussing on two soil types (light and Agronomic impacts heavy) within each paddock to collect data on weed dynamics, soil fertility and Differences in pre-sowing soil N between nitrogen (N), disease, soil water and rotations where most prevalent on the Break crops had The a significant impact on level of rhizoctonia inoculum in the soil sowingsoils in 2015.

Growing productivity. economics ofthe each light soils than on prior the to heavy in 2015 broadleaf is break cropscompared resulted in a low to medium for rhizoctonia 2015,pea while(farm corresponding intensive rotation being using grossrisk level(Figure 1). in Field 3), vetch margins developed cereal treatment resulted in in aconsultation medium to high with rhizocotnia risk in all paddocks.

On average, 2015 (farm 4) and canola (farm 5) rhizoctonia in 2014 the collaborating farmers. inoculum levels were seven times greater on the heavy soilsincreased and 14 timespre greater on the light soils following cereal sowing soil N the next ayear crop than after a broadleaf break crop. by 15-40 kg/ha relative to cereal based

Method Five paired paddocks where farmers are comparing rotations that include broadleaf break crop options to cereal intensive cropping systems were first implemented in 2014. The paired demonstration paddocks are of a commercial scale and are managed by the participating farmers using

22

Figure 1. Soil mineral nitrogen (0-70 cm – kg/ha) measured for a light soil (top – grey bars) or heavy soil (bottom – black bars) prior to sowing in 2015 following different crops grown in 2014 in five paired focus paddocks in the Northern Mallee.

Crop yield and profitability

The

Mallee Farmer rotation in those paddocks. Smaller differences were observed on heavy soil types with 10 kg /ha or less difference in pre sowing N between rotations.

All rotations have successfully managed to control grass weed populations over the two seasons despite initial weed seed banks of up to 200 plants m2 at the commencement of the projects.

Control of grass weeds in the cereal intensive rotations relied on Clearfield herbicides (farm 1,2 and 5) or oaten hay (farm 3 and 4) in 2014. Less than one grass weed plant per square metre was measured in all paddocks in spring 2015.

Break crops had a significant impact on the level of rhizoctonia inoculum in the soil prior to sowing in 2015. Growing broadleaf break crops resulted in a low to medium risk level for rhizoctonia in 2015, while corresponding intensive cereal treatment resulted in a medium to high rhizocotnia risk in all paddocks.

On average, 2015 rhizoctonia inoculum levels were seven times greater on the heavy soils and 14 times greater on the light soils following a cereal crop than after a broadleaf break crop.

Figure 1. Soil mineral nitrogen (0-70 cm – kg/ha) measured for a light soil (top – grey bars) or heavy soil (bottom – black bars) prior to sowing in 2015 following different crops grown in 2014 in five paired focus paddocks in the Northern Mallee.

Crop yield and profitability Crop yields were similar in 2014 and 2015 with the exception of canola which yielded poorly in 2014 (0.4 t/ha) (Table 1). Legume crops grown in 2014 boosted wheat yield in 2015. On farm 3, wheat following field pea yielded 0.6 t/ ha more than wheat following oaten hay (Figure 2). Similarly, wheat following vetch hay yielded 0.7 t/ha more than following oaten hay on farm 4. However, canola grown in 2014 did not improve the grain yield of the subsequent cereal crop in 2015 (farm 1 and 5).

The profitability of rotations that included a legume break crop option were similar to maintaining an intensive cereal crop rotation in those paddocks, despite above average yields and high gross margins of the cereal crop options in 2014 (Table 1). This is because wheat

Figure 2. Grain yield of wheat in 2015 on farm 3 following field pea (top paddock) or oaten hay (bottom paddock) in 2014.

Crop yields were similar in 2014 and 2015 with the exception of canola which yielded poorly in 2014 (0.4 t/ha) (Table 1). Legume crops grown in 2014 boosted wheat yield in 2015. On farm 3, wheat following field pea yielded 0.6 t/ha more than wheat following oaten hay (Figure 2). Similarly, wheat following vetch hay yielded 0.7 t/ha more than following oaten hay on farm 4. However, canola grown in 2014 did not improve the grain yield of the subsequent cereal crop in 2015 (farm 1 and 5).

following either field pea or vetch hay had approximately twice the gross margin of wheat following oaten hay in 2015. These excellent gross margins were not only a result of increased income from higher grain yields but were also a cheaper crop to produce.

Conversely, growing canola in 2014 resulted in significantly lower cumulative gross margin than maintaining a continuous cereal rotation in those paddocks. However, canola grown on farm 3 in 2015 yielded 1.1 t/ha resulting in a high GM of $410/ha. In this paddock the profitability of a two-year break crop sequence (field pea – canola) has been approximately equal to maintaining continuous wheat in that paddock.

Conclusion This project is demonstrating that including broadleaf break crops in commercial paddocks in the northern Mallee has a significant impact on agronomic factors and the yield and profitability of subsequent cereal crops.

To date, using a legume as a break crop has improved productivity and profitably more significantly than using canola in the rotation. Grass weed control has been effective in both the break crop and intensive cereal rotations although Clearfield herbicides or hay crops have been extensively used in the cereal rotations. These paddocks will continue to be monitored this year and next.

Acknowledgements

This project is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

Thankyou to the collaborating farmers for the time and

effort that each puts into the 1. Yield (grain or hay), gross margin (GM) and cumulative GM following different crop options in Grain yield oTable f wheat in 2015 on farm 3 following field pea (top paddock) or oaten hay (bottom paired paddocks in the northern Mallee in 2014 and 2015. implementation of this project.

The profitability of rotations that included a legume break crop option were similar to maintaining an intensive cereal crop rotation in those paddocks, despite above average yields and high gross margins of the cereal crop options in 2014 (Table 1). This is because wheat following either field pea or vetch hay had approximately twice the gross margin of wheat following oaten hay in 2015. These excellent gross margins were not only a result of increased income from higher grain yields but were also a cheaper crop to produce. Conversely, growing canola in 2014 resulted in significantly lower cumulative gross margin than maintaining a continuous cereal rotation in those paddocks. However, canola grown on farm 3 in 2015 yielded 1.1 t/ha resulting in a high GM of $410/ha. In this paddock the profitability of a two-year break crop sequence (field pea – canola) has been approximately equal to maintaining continuous wheat in that paddock.

in 2014.

n

Farm

2014 Yield (t/ha) 0.4 1.4 1.0 2.1 1.0

GM ($/ha) -­‐7 219 131 366 138

2.2

389

Canola

0.4

-­‐27

Canola Barley

0.4 1.9

-­‐27 293

Crop

Wheat Barley Canola Wheat Wheat

2015 Yield (t/ha) 1.2 1.3 1.1 1.5 2.4

GM ($/ha) 141 115 410 205 454

Wheat

1.8

262

651

0.7

163

136

1.3 1.3

177 177

150 470

Crop

Cumulative GM ($/ha)

Further Information

Michael Moodie, Mallee Farming ct is demonstrating that including broadleaf break crops in commercial paddocks in Sustainable the 2 Email: michael@msfp.org.au Mallee has a significant impact on agronomic factors and the yield and profitability of Phone: 0448612892 nt cereal crops.

3 To date, using a legume as a break crop has improved productivity and 1

Canola Wheat Field Pea Wheat Field Pea Oaten Hay Vetch Hay Oaten Hay

134 334 541 571 592

more significantly than using canola in the rotation. Grass weed control has been effective in 1.9 178 Wheat 1.8 354 532 break crop and 4 intensive cereal rotations although Clearfield herbicides or hay crops have been 2.4 194 Wheat 189 383 ly used in the cereal rotations.

These paddocks w1.1 ill continue to be m onitored this year and 5

edgements

Field Pea Wheat Wheat

ct is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority through funding from the

23

The

Mallee Farmer

Farmers inspecting trial crops at Loxton.

Comparing break crop performance in the SA Mallee Mallee farmers are looking to increase the proportion and diversity of broadleaf break crops in their paddock rotations, however very little localised information is available to support break crop selection and management in low rainfall environments.

By Michael Moodie, Todd McDonald, Nigel Wilhelm and Ray Correll.

Key messages • Break crops faced a range of tough environmental conditions in the Mallee in 2015 including multiple frost and heat shock events.

• The highest grain yields tended to be crops with the quickest maturity such as lentils (0.73 t/ha), vetch (0.64 t/ha) and field peas (0.63 t/ha).

• High value crops such as lentils and vetch were highly profitable due to both excellent prices and

24

reasonable grain yields.

• Break crop productivity and profitability was very different between common Mallee soil types.

Why do the trial?

Mallee farmers are looking to increase the proportion and diversity of broadleaf break crops in their paddock rotations, however very little localised information is available to support break crop selection and management in low rainfall environments. Furthermore, there is extreme soil type variability between Mallee paddocks, which adds additional complexity when selecting an appropriate break crop for these farming systems. To address these knowledge gaps, Mallee Sustainable Farming, with funding from the South Australian Grain Industry

Trust (SAGIT), commenced a three-year project in 2015 to compare broadleaf break crop performance across four soil types in the northern Mallee of South Australia (SA).

How was it done?

Trials were established at Waikerie and Loxton with two trials implemented at each site on contrasting soil types. At the Waikerie site, one trial was located on a sandy loam and the other on a shallow heavier soil with limestone while at Loxton trials were located on either a red loam or a deep sand. In 2015, the Loxton site was sown on 28 April and the Waikerie site on 1 May. Table 1 shows the crop type, variety, target plant population and seeding rate used for each treatment. Each crop was managed independently to ensure that it can reach its potential.

The

Mallee Farmer

January grain prices from the 2016 guide were used to undertake the economic analysis (Table 1).

Table 1. Break crop treatment details for Loxton and Waikerie trial sites

Crop

Variety

Field Pea Vetch Narrow-­‐leaved Lupin Albus Lupin Faba Bean Lentil Desi Chickpea Kabuli Chickpea Canola

PBA Wharton Rasina PBA Barlock Luxor PBA Samira PBA Hurricane PBA Striker Genesis 090 Stingray

Target plants Seeding 2 per m rate (kg/ha) 45 90 60 40 50 90 35 120 20 140 120 50 45 100 35 120 40 2.5

Price ($/t) 550 850 380 380 560 1340 950 1050 530

Agronomic management differences 2015 with average yields below 0.5 t/ha.

What happened? include herbicide choice, fertiliser rates Very low yields were obtained from these and fungicide and pesticide applications. crops on the soils with the lowest water Acknowledgements Gross Margins were calculated for each holding capacity at each site; Loxton South Australian Grain Industry Seasonal Conditions treatment using the Rural Solutions Farm sand and Waikerie flat.

Gross Margin and Enterprise Planning Trust (SAGIT) foraproviding Rainfall in 2015 was below average at both sites with 193 mm recorded at Loxton nd 220 Guide. The January grain prices from the Profitability funding for this project. mm recorded Waikerie November 2014 to October 2015. Growing season rainfall 2016 guide were used a tot undertake thefrom Lentils were the most profitable break Matt Whitney (Dodgshun economic analysis (Table 1). crop option on all soil types in 2015, and

was also below average with Loxton receiving 145 mm and Waikerie 133 mm. However, Medlin) for providing advice on averaged nearly $800/ha profit across sites received timely rainfall of approximately mm in ofmid-­‐April and a further 30-­‐40 Whatboth happened? all sites (Figure 1). This is 4 a 0 reflection trial management.

Seasonal the high e price of $1340/t and mm iConditions n the month of September.

Textremely rials faced xtreme environmental conditions 2015 and Todd McDonaldin (MSF) high and constant yields across all sites Rainfall in f2015 below aaverage with rost was events ffecting the lower ying trial break sites crops. at both Waikerie and Loxton and for their Peter Telfer (SARDI) relativelto the other Vetch at both sites with 193 mm recorded at grain which also had a relatively high40 degrees technical assistance on thein trial. significant heat events with temperatures reaching above on several occasions Loxton and 220 mm recorded at Waikerie price was also a profitable option on all Brenton Kroehn and the fromearly November 2014 to October 2015.

October. soils except the Waikerie flat. Field pea, Growing season rainfall was also below Lowbank Ag Bureau for faba bean and chickpeas returned $75 average with Loxton receiving 145 $200/ha across all sites while canola and assistance in selecting and mmGrain Yield and Waikerie 133 mm. However, narrow leaf lupins usually broke even. setting up the Waikerie site and both sites received timely rainfall of a profitable option and the highest average grain Across all ites in(mid-April Table 2), lentils Albus had blupins oth was the not most consistent approximately 40smm Bulla Burra staff for assistance at any site. andyield a further 30-40t/ha). mm in the month (0.73 Field peas only averaged 0.64 t/ha despite having atthe ighest site. individual thehLoxton of September. Trials faced extreme yield at aconditions ny one sinite of with 1.2 t/ha Summary at the Waikerie sand. Field pea yields were particularly environmental 2015 These trials highlight significant frostaffected events affecting the lower lying trial by frost on the Loxton avariability nd Waikerie flat sites. Vetch grain Further yields winformation ere also good in the productivity and sites at both Waikerie and Loxton and Michael Moodie, profitability break crop with 0heat .63 events t/ha with while narrow leaf lupins, cbetween anola the and faba bean yielded similarly at 0Mallee .5 – 0.53 significant temperatures Sustainable Farming options that may be considered by reaching above 40 degrees on several t/ha. The later maturing crops, Mallee chickpeas and albus lupins, performed the worst in 2015 farmers.

Furthermore, there was occasions in early October.

Email: michael@msfp.org.au large variation in break crop productivity with average yields below 0.5 t/ha. Very low yields were obtained Phone: from these crops on the 0448612892 and profitability between the soil types Grain yield soils with the lowest water holding capacity each paddocks. site; Loxton sand and Waikerie flat. commonly found a int Mallee Across all sites (Table 2), lentils had Trials are continuing at all four sites both the most consistent and the highest average grain yield (0.73 t/ha). Field peas only averaged 0.64 t/ha despite having the highest individual yield at any one site of 1.2 t/ha at the Waikerie sand. Field pea yields were particularly affected by frost on the Loxton and Waikerie flat sites. Vetch grain yields were also good with 0.63 t/ha while narrow leaf lupins, canola and faba bean yielded similarly at 0.5 – 0.53 t/ ha. The later maturing crops, chickpeas and albus lupins, performed the worst in

in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate break crop performance across seasons and provide Mallee farmers with greater confidence when selecting break crops for inclusion in their farming system.

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The

Mallee Farmer Table 2 Grain yield (kg/ha) for each trial site and as an overall average across all sites.

Treatment Loxton Flat Loxton Sand Waikerie Flat Waikerie Sand Overall Albus Lupin 0.28 0.14 0.02 0.30 0.18 Kabuli Chickpea 0.43 0.22 0.05 0.45 0.29 Desi Chickpea 0.55 0.30 0.09 0.77 0.43 Narrow-­‐leaved Lupin 0.71 0.60 0.20 0.49 0.50 Canola 0.52 0.69 0.20 0.66 0.52 Faba bean 0.83 0.55 0.29 0.46 0.53 Vetch 0.77 0.86 0.19 0.69 0.63 Field Pea 0.58 0.71 0.16 1.21 0.66 Lentils 0.96 0.64 0.48 0.82 0.72

p value <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.001 lsd (5%) 0.12 0.19 0.09 0.09 0.23 Profitability Lentils were the most profitable break crop option on all soil types in 2015, and averaged nearly $800/ha profit across all sites (Figure 1). This is a reflection of the extremely high price of $1340/t and high and constant yields across all sites relative to the other break crops. Vetch grain which also had a relatively high price was also a profitable option on all soils except the Waikerie flat. Field pea, faba bean and chickpeas returned $75 -­‐ $200/ha across all sites while canola and narrow leaf lupins usually broke even. Albus lupins was not a profitable option at any site.

Figure 1 Gross margin for each break crop at the four trial sites and for the overall average yield across all sites.

Summary 26 These trials highlight significant variability in the productivity and profitability between the

The

Mallee Farmer

Native forage shrubs for low-rainfall areas Mallee farmers looking to grow native forage shrubs for stockfeed now have a comprehensive ready-reference tool to help with their decision-making and practices.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA Using shrub-pasture mixes is increasingly popular among farmers who have retained grazing livestock as part of their operation.

Mallee CMA chairperson Sharyon Peart said the new field guide, called “Native forage shrubs for low rainfall areas”, was the result of 10 years of research.

“Many farmers have moved out of livestock due to changed farming practices and climatic changes, but those who are retaining stock are doing so because they make a valuable contribution to the viability of their operation,” Ms Peart said.

“However they have identified the need for a hardy, reliable and nutritional feed source to help manage feed gaps at certain times of the year and to support their work in reducing erosion and improving farm health.

“Many have been trialling the native forage options themselves, particularly with saltbush, and there’s also been quite a lot more formal trials and research.

“This guide brings together all of the information, data and findings and presents it simply and in a user-friendly way, and that’s been very well-received by farmers.”

The guide has been very well-received by farmers, including more than 45 local producers who attended information field days at Murrayville and in the Millewa to coincide with the launch of the guide in late 2015.

Ian McNabb has been planting forage shrubs across his property at Carwarp, south of Mildura, for more than 20 years and mainly uses them over summer, when other feed is limited as well as early in the year before pasture takes off.

we have a lot of salty country, which is unsuitable for anything else and we wanted to limit the spread of these areas,” Mr McNabb said.

“Usually we fence off small isolated saltaffected areas where nothing else will grow and plant the shrubs in rows about two metres apart,” he said.

“But in larger areas we are planting the shrubs up to six metres between rows.

“We’ve been able to turn about 600ha of useless ground into grazing country.

“Lucerne is planted on our better ground for feed and ground water control, and we have grazing wheat and barley over the winter, but the saltbush fills the gaps in between.”

The Mallee CMA’s Land and Biodiversity coordinator Leigh Pyke said the effective use of native forage shrubs was an expanding farming practice in this area.

“Shrubs can help fill seasonal feed gaps and allow deferred grazing of annual pastures and cereals, but they also protect and shelter soil, crops, pastures and livestock, and provide a habitat for birds, reptiles and insects,” Mr Pyke said.

“Farmers are finding they are benefitting both the livestock and the management of their whole farm system by using plantings like saltbush and other native forage species,” he said.

“This guide helps them do the sums about the costs and benefits as well as helping them have the best chance of success in planning the development and getting their shrubs established.”

The project was supported by the Mallee CMA, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

Guides are available free from the Mallee CMA (5051 4377) or on the website at malleecma.vic.gov.au Ian McNabb Mallee Farmer and Native forage shrubs booklet

“We started planting shrubs because

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The

Mallee Farmer Glenn Fitzgerald AGFACE project leader

Grain response to CO

2

Victorian scientists are working to develop food crops that will be suited to higher carbon dioxide levels of the future.

By Simone Dalton DEDJTR Victorian Government and University of Melbourne scientists are testing wheats with different fertiliser needs and growth patterns in a bid to overcome future wheat quality problems linked to rising carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.

Today the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 405 parts per million in air, but is expected to jump to 550 ppm by 2050. This will potentially result in lower protein wheat with less baking qualities.

In a bid to better understand this, scientists at Horsham are growing wheat in special outdoor laboratories exposed to the likely 2050 CO2 levels.

Over the past seven years this work, known as AGFACE - Australian Grains Free Air CO2 Enrichment - has tested a range of different varieties of wheat under the elevated CO2.

AGFACE leader Glenn Fitzgerald said scientists had identified that a transpiration efficiency trait implemented

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in one wheat variety – Drysdale - worked well under higher CO2 levels.

“A dry seasons line, Drysdale has good transpiration use efficiency, or needs less water to grow, and actually performed better under the 2050 levels,” Dr Fitzgerald said.

Now this same principle is being applied using experimental wheat lines which can make the most efficient use of nitrogen, a nutrient which influences both grain protein levels and bread quality.

“Higher CO2 reduces grain protein in wheat, so finding a wheat that can reverse this decline would allow us to grow quality grain in the future,” Dr Fitzgerald said.

Another issue being examined is tillering - or the shoots that grow from a plant stem – with the theory being that cutting the number of tillers could provide better grain yield results at harvest.

“Experimental lines with less tillering that might allow more soil water to be available later in the season for grain filling are being tested to see if they perform the same under future CO2 conditions,” Dr Fitzgerald said.

“We don’t know whether these higher

protein and reduced tillering test lines will actually perform better under higher CO2 like Drysdale did, but we are hoping this work will help us unlock the secrets of adapting to the challenges of higher CO2 levels.”

Work in the Australian Grains Free Air CO2 Enrichment program is jointly run by the State Government of Victoria and the University of Melbourne with funding from the Grains Research and Development Corporation, the Australian Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, and the Australian Research Council.

For further information Glenn Fitzgerald glenn.fitzgerald@ecodev.vic. gov.au

The

Mallee Farmer Keith and Lesley Dawes

Farmers proud of Conservation Covenant Manangatang district farmers Keith and Lesley Dawes are justifiably proud of a 300-hectare area of remnant vegetation they volunteered for protection by a conservation covenant six years ago.

By Jacinta Gange, for the Mallee CMA The Dawes’ 3000 hectare mixed farming property is farmed in partnership with their son Cameron, and includes several revegetation sites, wildlife corridors and saltbush plantings, but, from a conservation perspective, it’s the covenanted plot they have the strongest connection to.

“We spent a lot of time there when our kids were growing up, camping and going out and looking at birds and animals,” Keith said. “It’s nice just to have your own little bit of bush – I still enjoy going for a bit of a walk out there.”

The protected area consists of remnant Mallee, pine ridges, open grassland and a salt flat. Keith and Lesley were approached by the Trust for Nature because of the

extent of the remnant vegetation in the area, but also because it provided a wildlife link to the Wandown Reserve, further north.

“The reality was that it was scrub that we were never going to be allowed to clear so we worked through the process and got an arrangement we were happy with,” Keith said.

“I saw a little creature walk right in front of the ute and we realized later it was a quoll.

I have never seen one since, but I know they’re in there and that’s nice to think about.”

As part of the covenant process, a large range of wildlife was identified in surveys at the site, including a wide range of marsupials and birds.

“We have a part of the block set aside where we can put some cabins for ecotourism if we like. We’re not sure that is the way we will go, but it’s an option for us for the future,” he said.

“The birds and insects are obviously good for the environment, and having that vegetation there I think it’s also playing a role in managing the water table, because salinity can be an issue here,” Keith said.

Lesley said, as an animal lover, she was happy to have the conservation covenant in place.

“But having the block there also adds to our own lifestyle and the enjoyment of our property,” he said.

“The environmental value of that bit of scrub became clear to me one day when we were shifting sheep and I was just sitting, waiting, blocking off a track,” she said.

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The

Mallee Farmer

Conservation covenants available for landowners Farmers or landholders wanting to permanently protect “special” areas of their properties now have the opportunity to apply for the protection of conservation covenants.

By Rian Caccianiga, Mallee CMA A conservation covenant is a voluntary but legally binding agreement, made between a private landowner and Trust for Nature. Its purpose is to permanently

conserve and protect the natural, cultural or scientific values of the land.

Once agreed, the covenant is registered on a property’s title and all future landowners will be bound to the obligations set out in the covenant.

The programs are supported by the Mallee CMA through funding from the Australian Government. Applications for covenanting a site are made through the Mallee CMA, and the process application, site assessment and registration are carried out at no cost to the landowner.

Covenants can apply to remnant vegetation or to new revegetation on private land. Only the landowners can apply and the covenants apply only to private land.

Fenced land under a conservation covenant.

Trust for Nature provides initial management advice and will also provide ongoing support, with on-site advice every five years to assist with management.

Many landholders are aware of the value of the native vegetation on their property, not only to themselves, but for the benefit of future generations and the broader community. By conserving a site, landholders can ensure current actions are continued by future landholders for the ongoing conservation of a site.

This project is supported by the Mallee CMA through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.

For more information Project Manager Rian Caccianiga on 03 5051 4365 or email rian.caccianiga@ malleecma.com.au

RabbitScan-Mallee to help communities map rabbit hotspots A new resource has been developed to help landholders and land managers in the Victorian Mallee with mapping rabbits along roadsides, farm paddocks and within natural areas.

By Peter West, Project Coordinator with the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.

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The new RabbitScan-Mallee mapping program (available at www.rabbitscan. org.au/mallee) can be used by anyone to record rabbit activity and share that data with neighbours, professional pest control contractors, landholder groups, local government and the Mallee CMA.

Launched in Ouyen at the United Football Club rooms late last year, the RabbitScan-Mallee mapping program offers landholders a simple method of recording the location of active rabbit warrens using their mobile phones or with their computer to help monitor the spread of rabbit infestations and help

The

Mallee Farmer target their on-ground works to control this pest.

RabbitScan-Mallee was developed after listening to landholders in the Mallee who were keen to see better roadside mapping of rabbits and better warren control. The farmers that helped with the design of this resource really wanted to make it easy for everyone to record rabbit problems and help with their overall control programs that farmers and community groups such as their local Landcare group conduct annually.

How can people use RabbitScan?

The RabbitScan-Mallee resource is completely free, and can be used to record rabbits, rabbit warrens, rabbit dung, the damage/impacts caused by rabbits. It can also record control actions such as warren ripping, fumigation, poison baiting etc. Simply go to the website or download the App (available for Android and Apple device users) to learn more.

RabbitScan-Mallee uses both the RabbitScan website and the RabbitScan phone app so that people can record rabbit activity easily in the field or from a desktop computer.

What makes this system really useful is that the Phone App connects with the website in real-time, so that one person can be recording rabbit warrens along a roadside with a mobile phone, and another can be viewing the rabbit map on the website in another location. It can even display rabbit control works happening in real time!

to ensure 100 percent control.

Professional rabbit control contractors will also find the resource useful to record rabbit treatment data and share that with their employer.

Importantly, RabbitScan-Mallee provides a system that can potentially show all the latest rabbit control data for the Mallee region in one spot, and as people start to record rabbit warrens and control actions, the more useful it will become for helping with coordinating the control areas of rabbit infestations to protect crops, roadsides and native vegetation.

Rabbits have certainly persisted across the Victorian Mallee, and their numbers are steadily rising and by using this latest technology we hope RabbitScan-Mallee will be used to help with the control of rabbits across the entire district.

Download the mobile app The RabbitScan-Mallee program, and the App can record rabbit warrens and control treatments, and updates of the App will enable users to navigate back to those treated warrens to check for signs of reinvasion by rabbits.

Farmers wanting to download the App should go to the RabbitScan-Mallee website www.rabbitscan.org.au/mallee and follow the links, or visit the AppStore or Google play store with their mobile device – Search for ‘Rabbit Scan’.

Workshops and demonstrations During 2015, a series of RabbitScan demonstrations were offered in Ouyen,

Murrayville, Birchip and Patchewollock with the support of Mallee CMA. In the past few months, landholder groups have started using Rabbit Scan to record roadside rabbits throughout the Mallee, and are helping to identify hotspots for rabbit control. The more people and groups that record rabbit hotspots, the more useful the rabbit map will become for deciding where to undertake future control, and how to do so cost-effectively.

Future biocontrol and follow-up Another aim of RabbitScan-Mallee is to help with the release of the new rabbit biocontrol virus later this year or early next year. Mapping rabbits in your local area will help to identify sites for rabbit biocontrol, and to help identify areas for follow-up control using conventional methods after the virus has been released.

RabbitScan-Mallee has been developed with support from Mallee Landcare Group, Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Mildura Rural City Council and the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre.

For more information Contact Peter West, Invasive Animals CRC (peter.west@ invasiveanimals.com) or Kevin Chaplin, Mallee CMA (kevin. chaplin@malleecma.com.au).

For example, it can be used by two or more people in the field to simultaneously map and treat rabbit warrens. One person can be walking along ‘spotting’ for active rabbit warrens and recording their location with the App, and another can be using the RabbitScan-Mallee Map to find and treat the rabbit warrens, and record the ones they have treated.

Both people could then examine the RabbitScan-Mallee Map to see where the rabbit hotspots are, and see where control treatments were most effective.

It can also highlight the warrens that have been ‘missed’ due to some restrictive process such as vegetation that highlights the need for some other control method that may need to be used

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The

Mallee Farmer

The role of seedbanks in conservation Seed storage has long been used by farmers and gardeners to ensure a long term supply of seed for new crops.

By Murray Mallee Seedbank Why store seed A portion of each year’s crop would be set aside as seed for the next year’s harvest.

During the 1900s there was a significant loss of heirloom varieties as gardeners stopped saving and trading their own seeds. Commercial seed companies were relied on, and as a result many seeds that sold slowly simply got dropped from production and disappeared. This loss of variety results in lower genetic variability in our plants which can result in lower adaptability to stresses such as disease or climate change.

The same is true for our local indigenous plant species. The value of storing seed for conservation and revegetation purposes is vital to maintain a wide range of ecological communities locally and globally.

What is a seed bank?

Seed viability can deteriorate over time, depending on the species of seed and the conditions in which it is stored. Mould, insects, heat and humidity all contribute to loss of germination capabilities of precious seed. Correct storage can significantly decrease this deterioration and preserve the value of the seed. If kept dry and cool, seed will survive for short periods of time, however where larger quantities of seed are involved and not required in the short-term, space and maintaining optimal conditions can become difficult and costly.

Local native seedbanks provide facilities which are designed to maintain the best possible environment to ensure seed remains as viable as possible for as long as possible. Seedbanks have dedicated cool rooms and storage protocols which are necessary for native seed and revegetation.

International Seedbanks Some large scale seedbanks spend millions of dollars to preserve many of the worlds plant species – using high tech seed vaults built to withstand centuries and even millennia.

Many people are familiar with the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, located on

32

the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen. It is an enormous and important project but it is used primarily for agricultural species.

Native plant species, especially those that are not threatened or endangered, receive much less attention.

The Millennium Seed Bank Project is a global conservation program, conceived, developed and managed by the Seed Conservation Department at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was thought that using technology initially developed to preserve domesticated (crop) species could be used to conserve non-domesticated (wild) species. Such collections are a resource for habitat restoration and reforestation by enabling species to be put back where lost or in creating new symbiotic (sustainable farming) plant communities adapted to future environmental conditions.

region, ensuring availability of seed for authorities, nurseries and individuals for use in revegetation projects.

The Ballarat Region Seed Bank (BRSB) was established in 1994 at the Victorian Landcare Centre, Creswick. With 21 years’ experience in the seed industry, the seed bank has consistently demonstrated its ability to deliver appropriately sourced indigenous seed for revegetation works throughout the seed bank service area.

The seed bank works with seed collectors throughout their service area to ensure they are able to deliver a seed supply with the best diversity and genetic material for revegetation projects.

Local seedbanks Seeding Victoria Inc. (SV) manages a network of seedbanks to provide provenance based seed supply for revegetation projects throughout Central, South West and North West Victoria.

They are a community not-for-profit, charitable organisation with a central board. The purpose of Seeding Victoria is to ensure the availability of appropriately sourced, ethically collected seed for regional revegetation activities. One of the aims of the seedbank network is to establish partnerships with government and non-government organizations to re-establish bio-diverse vegetative communities across Central, South West and North West Victoria They provide cleaned, packaged and provenance labelled seed collected by hobbyists and conservation enthusiasts.

Seed storage and preparation of orders into project lots is available. The seedbanks are also able to provide training, seed collection and advice on revegetation and plant identification.

Other services include germination testing, hiring of seed processing equipment and tree planting equipment.

Murray Mallee Seedbank (MMS) is situated at Nyah, 30 km north of Swan Hill and was initially established by volunteers in 1994 to address long term environmental needs observed due to biodiversity decline and salinity issues. It co-ordinates the collection of seed from local indigenous plants in the

For more information Visit: www.seedingvictoria. com.au Murray Mallee Seedbank Ph: 03-50303166 Email: seedbank@bigpond. net.au Or Ballarat Region Seedbank Ph: 03-53452200 Email: dan@seedbank.com. au

The

Mallee Farmer

Cameras in motion

By Susan Saris, Mallee CMA

Watch the amazing antics of kangaroos, birds and reptiles as captured by infrared motion-sensing cameras set up at wetlands around Birchip over summer.

The cameras, which were recently installed by the Mallee CMA, are part of a monitoring program, which is recording and identifying wildlife activity in the Mallee.

The Mallee CMA is thrilled to have images of local wildlife in the area, including a barn owl, goanna and swamp wallaby. The cameras have provided photographic evidence that environmental watering events are important for the ongoing survival of the Mallee’s precious wildlife.

In the past these wetlands relied on water from an open channel system, however the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline has made it possible to pipe water to these sites using an environmental water entitlement. Without this water entitlement the wetlands and the animals that rely on them would perish.

In light of the very dry winter and spring season the Mallee has experienced, the environmental watering for these wetlands has been scaled back. The focus for delivering water to these wetlands has been to create drought refuges for the local wildlife.

Twenty five Mallee wetlands have received environmental water this season including Bull Swamp and Ferrier wetland, both of which are the subject matter for the current videos on the Mallee CMA’s Youtube site.

helping to support in their region and they also feel that these wildlife havens help contribute to community well-being.

For more information

To view the video footage from the cameras at the wetlands visit the Mallee CMA’s YouTube page. https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCYINlV1LzwponpQouBlXxJQ

The Mallee CMA has worked closely with the community on delivering environmental water to the wetlands.

The feedback from the community and local landowners has been that they appreciate the wildlife and native vegetation the environmental water is

Swamp Wallaby captured on motion sensor cameras. Photo: Andrew Haysom.

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In each edition of the Mallee Farmer, we take a look at some of the “Mallee’s most wanted” when it comes to invasive plants and animals.

Mallee’s most wanted

This edition of Mallee’s Most Wanted takes a bare bones look at a skeleton that has been rattling around our dryland grains and legumes producers’ closets since the seventies.

Skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea) was once considered about the worst invasive agricultural weed in Australia. Thought to have been accidently introduced in the 1920’s around Wagga Wagga, it took little time to become established across the eastern grain growing regions,

The severity of the problem triggered a scramble of activity by researchers into finding effective control measures, including the work carried out at the Mallee’s Walpeup research facility.

Work involved finding an effective chemical control, including the use of hormone herbicides (2,4-D). However available herbicides at the time could only retard growth of the weeds wiry stems allowing crops to be harvested.

However chemical use in the production system was not widespread in some areas, with cultivation being preferred.

Growth inhibiting herbicides also proved

presence of skeleton weed highlights the need to recognise the weed is certainly still around and under the right conditions may again become a major agricultural weed.

While legumes are becoming increasingly popular as cereal break crops for brome and rye grass control and to increase available nitrogen, their use also brings the need to consider strategies to deal with skeleton weed, particularly where late maturing legumes like lupins are being utilised as once the weed is established, effective control methods, without crop loss, is nonexistent.

The best advice for control of skeleton weed is early detection. Like most weeds, the window of opportunity to deal with them is very small. During harvest keep an eye out for rosette stage growth, which is easy to detect, particular after summer rainfall events. Considerations should include avoiding planting legumes in those known areas of previous heavy infestations, particularly where short crop rotations have precluded the use of some post-emergent herbicides, due to potential residue issues.

Skeleton weed in Lupin crop.

eventually spreading to all parts of Australia. What made it such an issue is its ability to get well away ahead of crops, directly competing with cereals for the use of available nitrogen (which it loves) and moisture. At flowering, skeleton weed produces a mass of tall, wiry stems which cause havoc with harvesters and cultivation equipment.

In combination these issues threatened the very viability of some farming areas for grain production in late 60s and early 70s, particularly in the deep sandy soils of the Mallee, which provided an ideal environment for the weeds deep rooting habit. Coupled with this is the ability of the weed to effectively spread through cultivation as the plant can shoot from its cut root sections.

problematic for legumes. Accordingly research predominantly focused on biological controls, including the use of beneficial insects like gall mite and gall midge, but it was the release of a strain of a rust fungus (Puccina chondrillina) in the early 70s which really turned the tables on the most prevalent form of the three genetically different skeleton weeds at the time. Anecdotal evidence from long term Mallee farmers suggest that the remaining two strains are not affected by the rust and are becoming more common and problematically, are not as palatable to sheep.

More information about controlling skeleton and summer weeds in general can be viewed at the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) web site. www.grdc.com.au/MediaCentre/Media-News/South/2016/01/ Summer-weed-control-makes-economicsense Glen Sutherland, Regional Landcare Facilitator, Mallee CMA T: 0417 396 973 E: glen.sutherland@malleecma.com.au

So why the history lesson? The summer rainfall events experienced in some parts of the Mallee during the last harvest and the sudden and dramatic increase in the

Mallee Farmer This publication is supported by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority (CMA), through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Programme.