Importance of Ley Pastures in Farming Systems in Australia - Essay Example

Importance of Ley pastures in farming systems in Australia al Affiliation: Importance of Ley pastures in farming systems in Australia Introduction Integrating both crop and livestock farming in one area helps enhance the economic and environmental sustainability for agricultural production in the Great Plains. The growth and development of Ley farming especially when wheat (Triticum aestivum) is rotated with legume pastures helps create biological and economic synergy between livestock and crop enterprises in Australia(Loomis & Connor, 1992). Ley farming refers to the system of rotating crops with legumes and greener pastures to improve soil structure or texture. Again, it disrupts the lifecycles of pests and diseases. This practice has been conducted in many parts of the world for centuries now especially in Australia. This concept of farming has considerable application especially in the Top End (Cocks & Crawford, 1980) Benefits of Ley Farming Improving the fertility and structure of soil Helps in reducing soil erosion as well as land degradation This aspect of farming represents a more efficient use and application of natural resources Helps to improve in the process of weed, insect, pests and disease control Ley farming leads to more reliable crop and animal production It increases options and flexibility in farming Ley farming practices and procedures are mostly important in the Top End due to the N (Nitrogen) which comes from legume pastures. Legume pastures are believed to supply varying amounts of nitrogen depending on the existing levels of N in the soil, the growth rate of the legume, seasonal conditions as well as effectiveness of nodulation in the pastures (Grierson & Graham, 1991). Legumes and grass pastures tend to increase organic matter, which helps improve the structure of the soil as well as helping in suppressing various broadleaf weeds. Pangola, Buffel and Tully are said to the best permanent pastures. Sabi grass is considered as compatible with various legumes and thus it is suitable for rotation with annual crops. Wwith improved pastures and stubbles of crops, stock usually maintain and even gain weight throughout the dry season until when the dry feeds deteriorates at the onset of rains (Cocks & Crawford, 1980) Pastures are a critical component of most of the sustainable cropping systems. Pastures which are well managed help improve chemical and physical soil fertility which reduce input of nitrogen fertilizer and also increase yields of grain in various crops. Pastures, which are legume based, are necessary in maintaining soil organic nitrogen and carbon levels. Highly improved pastures form a valuable source of livestock fodder. Well-managed mixed grass and legume pastures provide similar and greater annual dry matter (DM) production than other forage crops. The financial returns from beef cattle on improved pastures tend to compare favorably to dry land cropping. Producers gain the maximum benefits from pastures in cropping rotation by the use of the best Management practices, which include: (Grierson & Graham, 1991). 1. Pastures help improve the sustainability of cropping rotation. Nonetheless, the degree of improvement will depend on the characteristics of the individual firm, managerial experience and expertise of the producer as well as the kind of the cropping enterprise. 2. A detailed farm planning as well as economic evaluation of the changes in livestock and pastures is very much essential before any decisions are made and resources are committed to real work. 3. Pastures only perform to their potential is species are matched correctly with the enterprise as well as with the environmental factors such as rainfall, type of soil as well as temperature. Forward planning is essential whenever establishing pastures so as to ensure soul moisture is adequate, there is good weed control as well as timely sowing 4. Pastures and livestock must be well managed to ensure better performance. Enough nutrition, tactical grazing as well as good animal husbandry are critical to optimize pasture production and help stand life. Similarly, livestock production targets are achieved as well as favorable economic outcomes. 5. Producers must take steps to minimize the problems and challenges which tend to occur with cropping and livestock systems. Some of these problems include crop pests and diseases, soil compaction as well as the provision of adequate infrastructure. 6. Pastures should be well managed in the cropping rotation to reduce soil degradation and help improve the nutrition of soil, water infiltration and help reduce rate of salinisation as well as acidification in soils. 7. Producers and farmers must acquaint themselves with animal health problems, which are associated with specific pasture species, which include bloat by certain legumes. Advantages of pastures in cropping rotations These advantages apply to individual farms as well as individual paddocks in varying degrees, which depend on every situation. These advantages include: There is great diversification of incomes by the producers Crop rotation leads to complementarily of pasture and crop enterprises Leads to effective and efficient use of capital and other resources There is a lot of soil structure benefits Soil nitrogen accretion Enhancement of useful soil organisms Leads to the effective maintenance of Vesicular Arbuscular Mychorriza (VAM) Helps in dealing with pests and diseases Weed control Efficient use of water resources It helps reduce soil acidity Crop rotation is able to restore any compacted soil Helps in recycling nutrients from deep areas Leads to reduced salinity levels Forms a better ground for reduced soil erosion and better water infiltration Disadvantages Crop rotations brings difficulties in terminating the phase of pastures especially when it contains persistent species Crop rotations tend to bring residue problems and challenges There is always the problem of soil compaction as well as pugging by livestock especially on heavy soils There is the problem of reduced moisture in the soil profile for specific crops especially those with lucern Crop rotations tend to carry over pests and diseases to crops depending on the species as well as the type of the crop. The initial consideration in the establishment of pastures and legumes for planting is very crucial. After the process of selecting the species is done, it is advisable for the producer to consider the appropriate cultivars or even varieties within the firm. Pastures have a lot of cultivars, hybrids and varieties in the species. As with most plants, each grass species has various cultivars, hybrids as well as varieties each of which is different from one another genetically (Cocks & Crawford, 1980) Several factors are considered when selecting cultivars. Pastures and legume plants which are bet adapted to conditions of specific environments should be planted. Only the plants which are best suited for those particular areas to be seeded. Shady, wet as well as poorly drained regions with extreme PH conditions and poor soil as well as drought susceptibility areas require careful selection of the cultivar. For example, Kentucky bluegrass seed which is planted in shady areas should have cultivars which are resistant to powdery mildew. Failure to make the right species and cultivar selection may lead to maintenance problems of the lawn or land such that the intended benefits are not provided (Loomis & Connor, 1992). Some of the best management practices for optimum pasture production include: 1. Mowing This is a very crucial component of pasture management since it minimizes acute spread of weeds and helps maintain high quality of forage. This practice also helps maintain a pasture stand that is uniform in terms of maturity. It also helps promote higher nutritional and quality pastures. 2. Dragging Dragging manure helps distribute nutrients more evenly throughout the pasture and also helps reduce the potential for hot spots within the pastures that could lead to negative off-site environmental problems 3. Rotation Resting of pastures is very critical in maintenance of productive pastures. Horses feed on grass in the same area and thus could eventually weaken and even kill pasture plants in the localized feeing areas Rotation allows plant species to recover through storage of nutrients for subsequent growth (Loomis & Connor, 1992). 4. Renovation This practice is usually recommended when re-establishing pastures. When it is done in high traffic areas, renovation may be required frequently so as to help maintain a good ground cover. To ensure that renovation is successful, soil testing is very crucial so as to make sure that soil fertility is optimum and that PH remains in the desirable range of pasture species. Weeds should be controlled so as to minimize competition with other germinating species (Walsh et al, 2001). Conclusion Well-maintained pastures help provide fresh air and can provide significant parts of the animal’s nutritional needs. If managed properly, a small pasture area can greatly reduce feeding costs, bring stable cleaning as well as other management chores and can greatly lead to enjoyment of life for the animals (Loomis & Connor, 1992). Pasture is a fundamental aspect in grazing operations. The interactions between grazing and pasture management helps influence the profitability as well as the sustainability of an enterprise. Pasture management refers to the process of ensuring that there is pasture persistence as well as help maintain soil nutrition for growth and also make the best use of pastures. Grazing management helps in organizing livestock to make the best use of the grown pastures (Cocks & Crawford, 1980) References Boyce K. Tow,P & Kooycheki. A. (1991) Comparisons of agriculture in countries with Mediterranean-type climates. p. 250-260. In V. Squires and P.G. Tow (eds). Dryland farming: A systems approach. Sydney University Press, Sydney. Cocks P, Mathison, M. & Crawford, E. (1980) From wild plants to pasture and cultivars: Annual medics and subterranean clover in southern Australia p. 569-596. In R.J. Summerfield and A.H. Bunting (eds). Advances in legume science. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew UK. Entz, M, Bullied, W. & Katepa-Mupondwa F. (1995). Rotational benefits of forage crops in Canadian prairie cropping systems. J. Prod. Agric. 8:521-529 Grierson I, Bull, B & Graham. R. (1991). Soil management and fertilizer strategies. p. 134-145. In V. Squires and P.G. Tow (eds). Dryland farming: A systems approach. Sydney University Press, Sydney. Loomis R.S., & Connor. D. (1992) Crop ecology. Productivity and management in agricultural systems. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge. Mann, T. (1991) Integration of crops and livestock. P. 102-118. In V. Squires and P.G. Tow (eds). Dryland farming: A systems approach. Sydney University Press, Sydney. Smit, J. Tamminga, S & Elgersma, A. (2006) Dairy cattle grazing preference among six cultivars of perennial ryegrass. Agron. J. 98:1213-1220. Walsh M. Delaney, R. Groose, R & Krall. J (2001). Performance of annual medic species (Medicago spp.) in southeastern Wyoming. Agron J 93:1249-1256. Read More