Abstract:
Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. (1978) 12: 217 WOOL AND SEED PRODUCTION FROM DEMETER TALL FESCUE C.M.J. WILLIAMS* and K.G. BOYCE** Seed production is integrated with livestock production in Australia and New Zealand. Definition of management practices which produce maximum utilisation of grass for animal production without impairing maximum seed yield would be of great value to the grazier and seed producer. The treatments and first year's results (1975) of an investigation to study the effects of closing date (i.e. date of exclusion of sheep), stocking rate and nitrogen application on wool and seed production from Demeter tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) pastures has been presented by Williams and Boyce (1977). This trial was conducted at Kybybolite in the South East of South Australia over two years (1975, 1976) and the treatments for both years were identical and the results are presented in Table 1. TABLE 1: Effects of closing date and stocking rate on greasy wool and seed production (kg/ha) in 1975 for the 75 kg N/ha treatments. Seed yields for 1976 are given in parentheses. Closing date was the main factor influencing wool and seed production. Wool production increased with each time of closing. However seed yields in both years were greatest at the intermediate closing date (8 Sept.) and there was a substantial reduction at later closing dates (6 Oct. and 3 Nov.). Annual rainfall for 1975 was 618mm compared to 542mm in 1976. This could be associated with the fact that seed yields in 1975 were greater than those obtained in 1976. Since early season grazing did not reduce seed yield even at high stocking rates, it seems a safe management practice with positive benefits not only for animal production but to reduce crop lodging and so facilitate commercial seed harvesting., Grazing animals should be removed from Demeter tall fescue seed crops by early September in this environment, since further grazing is likely to cause a substantial reduction in seed yield. WILLIAMS, C.M.J. and BOYCE, KG. (1977). Proc. XIII Int. Grassld. Congr. Leipzig, German Democratic Republic, Working Papers, p. 506. * Dept. of Agric. and Fisheries, Box 618, Naracoorte, 5271, S.A. ** Dept. of Agric. and Fisheries, Box 1671, G.P.O. Adelaide, 5001, S.A. 217,