Dr Daniel Real1, Claire Payne2, Mr Paul Sanford3, Dr. Angelo Loi1, Dr Clinton Revell1, Kirsty Cunningham2, John Collins2, Justin Hardy3, Daniel Cox2, Ms Janet Conte1, Andrew van Burgel3
1Department Of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, 3Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development
Biography:
Dr Daniel Real is a Senior Principal Research Scientist with 32 years of experience in forage breeding and agronomy. He released 12 cultivars of nine species, published 62 papers, 3 books, 12 book chapters and 63 conference papers. Dr. Real has been the driving force behind the commercialisation of a world-first forage species known as tedera. Dr. Real created sterile Leucaena selections for northern Australia. Dr. Real is breeding triticale and rye for forage purposes in Australia. Dr. Real is the project leader of Sheeplinks-Feed365 project evaluating the animal production value a diverse range of species for all-year-round feed supply.
Abstract:
Rainfed grazing systems in the Mediterranean climate of southern Western Australia are challenged by climate change with increasingly hotter, drier, and more variable seasons. To adapt to these changes livestock producers require new drought-tolerant forage systems that involve the limited use of supplementary feed. The Feed365 project is evaluating forages that have the potential to provide quality feed all year round. Forty-eight grazing plots of 0.5 ha (about 20 forage treatments x minimum 2 reps) were sown at Katanning Research Station (425 mm of average annual rainfall) in Western Australia in 2021. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, plots with annual species were either allowed to regenerate from the previous year’s seed set, or re-sown, depending on the sequence of the rotation. Plots with perennial species were allowed to continue from 2021. Above-ground forage biomass was measured every three weeks all year round. Sheep liveweight and condition score were measured when treatments were grazed. During winter and spring (wet season) sheep grazed experimental treatments that contained mostly annual species (legumes and grasses), whilst in the summer and autumn (dry season) sheep grazed either (a) dry residues of annual species or winter crop stubbles or (b) green forages provided by perennial legumes, grasses and herbs, summer crops and shrubs. Here we report results for the period March 2023 to March 2024, where treatments that provided the most feed during feed gaps included triticale/cereal rye combined with subclover or serradella, veldt grass/serradella, tedera, tall wheat grass/subclover and lucerne/cocksfoot/chicory.