Pastures

Pastures play a major role in agricultural enterprises and contribute over $3 billion annually in Western Australia through animal production, improvements to crop rotations and conserved fodder. In a typical year pastures occupy up to half the land in low to medium rainfall areas and over two thirds of the land in high rainfall areas. Improved pastures are increasingly being used to play a more comprehensive role in farming systems to address emerging challenges for environment protection and food production.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is a world leader in pasture breeding and selection, grazing systems design and agronomic management of pastures. The department provides information, tools and resources to support the success of the agriculture sector in improving the productivity and profitability of pasture systems under both dryland and irrigated conditions. 

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Articles

  • Sheep standing in the middle of a paddock.

    Pasture manipulation - for grass control

    30 April 2015

    Pasture manipulation is the application of herbicides for grass control early in the growing season (autumn or early winter).

    It is often the preferred option for grass control.

  • Soil sample for Irwin hydrological assessment

    Soil testing for high rainfall pastures in Western Australia

    2 July 2019

    Soil testing and plant analysis are valuable tools to diagnose constraints to crop and pasture production.

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    Fertiliser nitrogen for intensively grazed dairy pastures

    4 April 2014

    The Greener Pastures project was set up to assist the Australian dairy industry meet the two major challenges in managing high performing pasture systems: maintaining profitability while meeting th

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    Fertiliser sulphur for intensively grazed dairy pastures

    4 April 2014

    The Greener Pastures project was set up to assist the Australian dairy industry meet the two major challenges in managing high performing pasture systems: maintaining profitability while meeting th

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    Managing soil acidity in intensively grazed dairy pastures

    4 April 2014

    The Greener Pastures project was set up to assist the Australian dairy industry meet the two major challenges in managing high performing pasture systems: maintaining profitability while meeting th

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    Nutrient losses from intensively grazed dairy pastures

    4 April 2014

    The Greener Pastures project was set up to assist the Australian dairy industry meet the two major challenges in managing high performing pasture systems: maintaining profitability while meeting th

  • Establishment: plant cotyledons are still present.

    Deferred grazing calculator

    7 April 2015

    Deferred grazing is a tactic where stock are excluded from pasture areas to maximise germination and establishment of annual pasture seedlings.

  • Barley grass heads

    Barley grass

    3 February 2011

    Barley grass is a common name for Hordeum glaucum and H. leporinum.

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    Water salinity and plant irrigation

    8 April 2014

    Irrigating crops with saline water can result in yield loss and decreased quality.

  • Signal grass

    Signal grass

    24 July 2014

    Signal grass is a warm season (C4) sub-tropical grass but it is not recommended for sowing either alone or as a component of species mixtures in Western Australia due to a high risk of causing seco

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