Dr Waseem Ashfaq2, Dr Dorin Gupta1, Dr Razlin Azman3, Prof. James Hunt1, Dr Surinder Singh Chauhan1, Mr Nathan Anderson1, Dr Omid Alasti1
1The University of Melbourne, Australia, 2Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Katanning, Australia, 3CSIRO Agriculture & Food, Wembley, Australia
Biography:
Waseem Ashfaq is a Research Fellow (Crop Production) working in a multi-disciplinary team to evaluate and demonstrate best practices of diversified farming systems that enhance rotational diversity and soil productivity to manage/mitigate abiotic and seasonal risks to improve cropping system profitability, sustainability and adaptation to climate change.
Abstract:
In the 2023 cropping season, a study was conducted at the Dookie campus of the University of Melbourne to provide practical insights into the forage and grain yield of a dual-purpose wheat crop at a paddock scale under realistic commercial stocking rates. A 55-ha paddock, cultivated with LRPB Kittyhawk, was stocked with 20 Merino weaners per hectare (average weight of ~30kg). Grazing started in the vegetative phase (Z15), with an average available dry biomass across the paddock of > 1t DM/ha. Grazing exclusion cages (1 m2) were installed in each block to monitor ungrazed crop growth and yield. Over the 33-day grazing period, each sheep consumed 1.15 kg of dry matter per day and gained 2.5 kg (~80 g/day) (p < 0.001). The effect of grazing on grain yield was non-significant (ungrazed yield = 4.4 t/ha, grazed grain yield = 3.8 t/ha, p = 0.2). The financial return analysis of the grazed paddock, accounting for sheep live weight gain, higher harvester efficiency, and grain yield, showed a $105/ha profit in the given conditions, assuming a live weight gain value of $3.5/kg and a grain value of $300/t as of August 2023. The findings indicate that dual-purpose wheat, when grazed at commercial stocking rates, can provide substantial forage for livestock without significantly compromising grain yield. These results have important implications for the management and economic viability of dual-purpose wheat production at commercial scales, highlighting the need for careful consideration of both forage and grain production goals.