Dr Hayley Norman1, Dr Belinda Hackney2, Dr Chao Chen1, Dr Jessica Rigg2, Dr Tom Edwards3, Dr Andrew Fletcher1, Mr Matt Wilmot1, Dr Ron Yates3, Mr Robert Harrison3, Mr Tyson Wicks, Dr John Howison4
1CSIRO, 2Select Carbon, Paramatta Park, Queensland, Australia, 3DPIRD, Perth, Western Australia, Australia 4Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Biography:
Hayley is a farming systems scientist who focusses on livestock and feedbase production within mixed farming systems. Her key research interests include improvement and utilisation of native shrubs, feeding value of annual legumes, saline and arid farming systems and development of near infrared spectroscopy tools to predict feeding value, intake and livestock performance.
Abstract:
Rainfall variability, drought and climatic extremes are an increasing threat to Australian mixed farming systems. In the low to medium rainfall zones, soils, plants and animals are already under immense pressure due to climate change. Systems need to evolve rapidly to deliver resilient and profitable farms, vibrant rural communities and healthy landscapes. This paper explores the feedbase and the positive interaction between pastures, livestock and crops within the context of future climate predictions.
These farming systems could evolve in several directions in response to climate, enterprise and external drivers. Step-change adaptation of components may not offer the best solutions, industry must look forward decades to focus new research efforts. Livestock will remain a critical component to enable diverse income streams, mitigate seasonal risk and encourage landscape health. New legumes are needed to reduce risks associated with increasing crop input costs, and to optimise livestock nutrition and carbon balance. Failing crops contribute to novel forage grazing and conservation opportunities. Despite predictions of increased summer rain, sown summer forages are not promising solutions. Soils that are marginal for cropping offer an opportunity for low input, climate-hardy perennial systems that balance nutrient supply for livestock and reduce risk associated with dry seasons and/or late autumn breaks. Productivity of these systems can be substantially improved by incorporating legumes with adapted rhizobia. There are opportunities to build biodiverse native plant communities that are utilised at critical times and in dry seasons. Multidisciplinary research teams, working with leading producers, are essential to the development of future systems.