Natural Resources Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges has been working with the Fleurieu Milk & Yoghurt Company since 2013 on two dairy properties in Myponga to fence off riparian areas and revegetate to improve productivity and habitat values.

“We had already fenced a fair section of watercourse running through our property and the positive impact in reduced erosion, improved habitat and water quality was clear,” said Fleurieu Peninsula dairy farmer Geoff Hutchinson.

“This project enabled us to extend the environmental benefits by fencing off more of the watercourse as well as work on improving cow health, welfare and production.”

Geoff, along with Barry Clarke, is a director of the Fleurieu Milk & Yoghurt Company, a small dairy milk production facility at Myponga, Fleurieu Peninsula. The successful company has found a niche market for locally produced milk, has diversified into flavoured milk and yoghurts, and has recently secured Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service accreditation to export to China.

Geoff and Barry have also been involved in programs such as Dairy Australia’s Self Assessment Tool (DairySAT) and other Dairying for Tomorrow programs.

“We are keen to improve habitat on the property, as well as aesthetics, and had already undertaken revegetation with fencing to protect the planted areas,” said Barry.

“This project involved fencing a new area, as well as weed control and infill revegetation in existing areas to improve their shelterbelt and habitat values.”

Fleurieu Milk & Yoghurt Company properties Rowley Road, Myponga

Clarke property: adjacent to SA Water land surrounding the Myponga Reservoir to the north and 33 hectares of heritage agreement vegetation to the south

Hutchinson property: Yulte Conservation Park less than 700 metres to the south

Watercourses on both properties flow into the Myponga Reservoir

The benefits of fencing and revegetation in the dairy industryFencing watercourses and revegetating have benefits for the environment, but did you know they also improve stock health and milk production?

2 | The benefits of fencing and revegetation in the dairy industry

Barry is also keen to improve pasture production wherever possible. He is trialling compost to improve the moisture holding capability of some of the sandier soils on his property and there is growing evidence that soils around revegetated areas can contain elevated amounts of organic material and a higher nutrient status, thereby promoting pasture growth.

Studies have also shown that sheltered pastures lose less water compared to open pastures during the spring growing season. There is also some evidence to suggest that vegetation may reduce soil acidity in nearby pastures in Victoria, although this was not evident in this project.

Geoff and Barry are also well aware of the herd health and milk production benefits of native vegetation shelterbelts and were keen for the revegetation project to demonstrate these outcomes. Milk yields are depressed by cold or heat; native vegetation shelter provides a windbreak and shade to benefit animal welfare and milk production. Keeping cows comfortable also reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

“The Fleurieu Peninsula can be a tough place to farm and the plantings benefit our cows with wind protection in the cold and shade on hot days,” said Geoff.

Revegetation also has other, general economic benefits including: reduced salinity and erosion; reduced topsoil loss; potential fire protection if sited correctly due to reduced localised wind speeds; and potential increases in capital values.

The environmental benefits of general and watercourse revegetation are many, ranging from increased biodiversity and biological control to erosion control, sediment retention and improved water quality.

Studies have consistently shown the benefits of shelterbelts for dairy cattle:

• shelteredareashaveupto17%estimated increase in dairy milk production

• ona27°Cday,unshelteredcows have26%lessmilkproductionthanshaded stock

• milkyieldsaredepressedbycold atarateofupto1.34kgperday (4%fat-correctedmilk)

• over40to60years(theestimatedlifetimeoffencingandshelterbelt)total dairy production will increase by30%(20%improvedpasturegrowth,10%improvedmilkproduction),and$150/haofshelteredpasture

• heatstresscanmarkedlyreducestockfertility, milk production and increase mortality of calves

• theuseoftreescanreducesummerheatloadincowsby50%andheatlossinwinter,andismorecost-effectivethanusingelectricity-drivensprinklersandfanswhileabsorbingcarbondioxide.

Zone D – afterZone D – before

Infill with local native plants will improve the habitat values and provision of shade and shelter

3 | The benefits of fencing and revegetation in the dairy industry

Plant list

Sustainable industry support This project is funded through the Australian Government and managed by the board.

Healthy natural ecosystems and sustainable primary production systems are fundamental to social, environmental and economic well-being.

With more than 50 per cent of the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges region used for primary production, the board will continue to partner with industry to increase sustainability in production systems.

Common name Species name Common name Species name

Hop bush wattle Acacia dodonaefolia Spiny flat-sedge Cyperus gymnocaulos

Blackwood Acacia melanoxylon Stiff flat-sedge Cyperus vaginatus

Kangaroo thorn Acacia paradoxa Knobby club rush Ficinia nodosa

Golden wattle Acacia pycnantha Red-fruit cutting grass Gahnia sieberiana

WirildaAcacia provincialis (syn. Acacia retinodes)

Cutting grass Gahnia trifida

Hop wattle Acacia stricta Hop goodenia Goodenia ovata

Prickly moses Acacia verticillata Beaked hakea Hakea rostrata

Common oak-bush Allocasuarina muelleriana Pale rush Juncus pallidus

Mt Compass oak-bush Allocasuarina robusta Broom rush Juncus sarophorus

Small bull oak Allocasuarina striata Prickly tea-tree Leptospermum continentale

Native wheat grass Anthosachne scabra Silky tea tree Leptospermum lanigerum

Chocolate lily Arthropodium strictum Short-leaf honey-myrtle Melaleuca brevifolia

Sliver banksia Banksia marginata Totem poles Melaleuca decussata

Bare twig-rush Baumea juncea Swamp honey-myrtle Melaleuca squamea

Soft twig-rush Baumea rubigenosa Wallaby grasses Rytidosperma spp.

Sweet appleberry Billardiera cymosa Kangaroo apple Solanum laciniatum

Sweet bursaria Bursaria spinosa Kangaroo grass Themeda triandra

River bottlebrush Callistemon sieberi Native broom Viminaria juncea

Tall sedge Carex appresa Flat-leaf grass-tree Xanthorrhoea semiplana

Rush sedge Carex tereticaulis

For more informationNatural Resources Adelaide and Mt Lofty Ranges Sustainable industry support partnerships

E nicole.bennett@sa.gov.au P (08) 8130 9062

E jodie.pain@sa.gov.au P (08) 8130 9065

www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges

Dairy SA P (08) 8766 0127 www.dairysa.com.au