Liveweight change and wool growth in young sheep grazing a mixed saltbush and balansa clover pasture

Abstract

In south-western Australia, 10% or 1.8 million ha of the farmed area is affected by dryland salinity and a further 6 million hectares are threatened (National Land & Water Resources Audit 2001). For much of this area reclamation is not a realistic option and the challenge is to find a use for the land which will provide an economic return and/or meet the environmental requirements of the broader community. There is increasing interest in combinations of shrubs and pasture plants to manage water tables and provide good quality animal feed at the same time. The aim of this study was to determine performance of sheep grazing a mixed saltbush (Atriplex spp) and balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum) pasture.