Pasture management

The long term productivity and quality of pastures relies on good management skills. A well managed enterprise will maximise the economic viability of grazing systems through increased production of livestock. In cropping systems, shifting pastures towards legume dominance is also important. To successfully grow annual and perennial pastures, it is important to consider the influence of factors such as soil, climate, pests and grazing on each particular species.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides information and advice to assist farmers to make appropriate decisions about weed management, fertiliser application, grazing systems, pest and disease management, seed production and seed harvesting. Meeting each species’ requirements is essential in order to realise the potential benefits from improved pastures.

Articles

  • Climate change is a pressing global issue that creates both challenges and opportunities for Western Australia.

  • Dry pastures in Western Australia provide good early feed after senescence but rapidly become unable to maintain stock.

  • The Northern Beef Development program aims to support the Western Australian northern beef industry to become more profitable, resilient, and sustainable.

  • Spray-topping is a very effective method for managing annual grass seed set in pastures.

  • Bacterial wilt of lucerne (Clavibacter insidiosus) is a disease that reduces the lifespan and productivity of lucerne stands. It also makes lucerne crops hard to establish.

  • Cultivars of French serradella (Eliza, Cadiz, Erica and Margurita) and yellow serradella (Charano, Santorini and Yelbini) have been developed with the aim of reducing the cost of seed production.

  • The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is a research partner in the national collaborative Dryland Pasture Legume Systems Project to develop pasture legumes that can

  • Yellow-winged locusts (Gastrimargus musicus) are native insects, distinguished by bright yellow wings, they are 35-50mm in length when mature and make a distinctive clicking noise when fly

  • This page provides information links specific to nutrient management of high rainfall pastures (more than 600 mm average annual rainfall) in the south-west of Western Australia.

  • Most unplanned hot fires change the plant composition and reduce growth and carrying capacity in the following season.

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