“ It’s going to take a while for it to show a difference, especially if it stays dry… It’s worthwhile spending the time in the paddock.”
Casestudy FOCUS ON
AssessmentofthebenefitsofusingaYeoman ripperforpasturegrowth,reducedsoilcompactionandincreasedsoilmicrobiologytoimprovegroundcoverandwaterqualityenteringtheGreatBarrierReefLagoon.
Riparianandlandtypefencingforpasturemanagement
Off-streamwateringpointsforstock
BACKGROUNDWindsorandMarleneGordonown‘LazyAcres’,a225hacattlepropertylocatedatKoumala.PreviousownersoftheneighbouringpropertyhadusedaYeomanploughovermanyyearsandWindsorhadnoticedtheimprovementinpasturegrowth,waterinfiltrationandsoilstructureintheareasthathadbeenploughed,withoutdisturbancetothesoilsurfacethatcouldresultinerosionandareductioninwaterqualityduetorunoff.
WindsorandMarleneappliedforfundingassistancethroughReefCatchmentstopurchaseaYeomanploughtoundertakesimilaroperationsontheirproperty.ThepurchaseoftheYeomanploughwasco-fundedthroughtheAustralianGovernment’sReefProgrammewiththeGordonsalsoinvestingfundsoftheirown.ReefCatchments,usingfundsfromtheQueenslandGovernment(QueenslandRegionalNaturalResourceManagementInvestmentProgram)engagedlocalagronomists,Farmacist,toconducttrialstoassessthebenefitsofusingtheYeomanripperontheGordons’pastures.
“ The biggest benefit, if we get back to a normal wet season, is the aeration and betterpasturegrowth,especiallywhereyouhaveagoodareaofpangola.Theroot system gets really thick and tends to stop water going into the soil. The ploughcanbreakitupanditreallytakes off after it’s been done.”
OUTCOMES TO DATE Duetotheshortdurationofthetrialandassociateddryweatherconditions,resultshavebeeninconclusiveatthisstage.HoweveritisexpectedovertimetheuseoftheYeomanploughwillimprovesoilstructureandsoilmicrobiologyresultinginamorecompetitiveandproductivepasture.Farmacistwillconductanotherroundof sampling and monitoring at the end of the wet season in May2017.
The Gordons demonstration site has highlighted:
EffectsoftheYeomanploughonsoiland pasturehealth
Importance of breaking compaction layers with minimal topsoildisturbance
ImportanceofmaintainingaproductivepasturecovertoreducetheriskofsedimentlosstotheGreatBarrierReeflagoon
REEF CATCHMENTS (MACKAY WHITSUNDAY ISAAC) LIMITED
PH (07)49684200 E [email protected]
www.reefcatchments.com
SupportforthisprojectisprovidedbyReefCatchments,throughfundingfromAustralianGovernmentReefProgrammewaterqualitygrantsandtheQueenslandGovernment.
WHAT’S HAPPENING?TheprojectaimstoinvestigatethebenefitsofusingaYeomanploughforpasturerenovationandimprovementsingroundcovertoreducesedimentrunoffintotheGreatBarrierReeflagoon.Theprojectwilldeterminetheeffectsthatusingthisimplementhasonpasturegrowth,soilcompactionandsoil microbiology
• Thesitehastwofields.FieldOnehastwocontrolstripsandtwoYeomanploughstrips.FieldTwohasonecontrolstripandoneYeomanploughstrip.
• Controlstripshavenoploughactivitiesundertaken.Yeomanploughstripshavehadonepassusingtheplough.
• Allstripshavebeensampledforpasturedrymatteryield,soilnutrientlevels,organiccarbon,soilmicrobiologyandsoilbulkdensityinFebruaryandMay2016.
• Follow-upmonitoringandsamplingwillbeperformedinMay2017.
InNovember2016,ReefCatchmentsheldafieldday,fundedbytheQueenslandGovernment,atWindsorandMarlene’spropertytodemonstratetheYeomanploughtrial.Thisincludedapresentationofthepreliminaryresultsandarippingdemonstration.Thefielddayalsoprovidedademonstrationoncalibrationofatractormountedboomsprayandspraynozzleselection/performanceforapplicationofflupropanate(Kenock,Taskforce)tocontrolGiantRatsTailGrass.ThedaywasagreatopportunityforgraziersandindustryadvisorstosharetheirknowledgeontheYeomansystemandalsoupskillonherbicideapplicationforGiantRat’sTailgrasscontrol.
During2014-15WindsorandMarlenealsoundertookactivities(withco-fundingfromtheAustralianGovernmentReefProgramme)toimplementonfarmactivitiestoimprovewaterqualityrunoffincluding:
• Riparianfencingtomanagestockaccesstothecreekandreducecreekbankerosion
• Installationofoff-streamwateringpointsforstock
• Landtypefencingtoallowforbetterpasturemanagement
