Agronomist Gavin Peck presented on the role of pasture legumes in sustainable beef production at the recent BeefUp forum in Taroom. Image: Gavin Peck.
Key points:
Key points
- Pasture legumes are key drivers of lasting and increased productivity in rundown sown grass pastures and native pastures in the Brigalow Belt bioregion.
- Despite impressive legume trial results, rates of adoption are low – leaving plenty of room for improvement in beef production and profits for the region.
- Producers will reap rewards by choosing the right legume for the right situation.
Agronomist Gavin Peck recently shared his insights on the role of pasture legumes in sustainable beef production at MLA's BeefUp forum in Taroom. Producers heard how pasture legumes can deliver significant productivity improvements in the Brigalow Belt bioregion of Queensland, with a range of varieties shown to persist in a large percentage of soils and climates found there.
Legumes a key player in fixing nitrogen
Gavin's role as Principal Pasture Agronomist for the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has provided ample opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of pasture legumes in improving the productivity and sustainability of sown grass pastures.
"Our research and extension work has shown that several legume species can be persistent, productive and improve the growth of the companion grass in pastures in the Brigalow Belt," Gavin said.
Nitrogen fixation by legumes results in higher quality forage for a longer period of the year than grass-only pastures and additional nitrogen cycling to companion grasses leads to better grass growth and quality.
Higher adoption rates needed to boost productivity
Reliable, nutritious pastures mean more beef, and Gavin is keen to see an increase in the region's relatively low rates of successful legume adoption. Boosted productivity and profits are good news for beef producers facing inland Queensland's unreliable rainfall patterns.
"We've seen impressive results from legume trials but as yet, there hasn't been successful, widespread adoption by producers. We're hoping that by spreading the word, producers will be able to benefit from this research," Gavin said.
Boosted rates of successful legume adoption is predicted to provide significantly higher economic returns for beef producers in the region for decades to come. Pasture legumes have produced 40–100% more forage and 60–160% more liveweight per hectare in long-term trials in the Brigalow Belt than grass only sown pastures.
Getting the right fit
Good management is needed to reliably establish legumes and to keep them productive in the long-term. Good management starts with selecting the right legume species and variety. Gavin advises producers to consider the following factors when selecting which legume variety to introduce into their farming system:
- soil type and fertility
- rainfall and climate
- short or long-term pasture
- summer or winter growing
- seed availability.
Demonstration trials and assessments have shown the following commercially available legume species to be persistent summer growing legumes and well suited to the soils and climates over large parts of the Brigalow Belt bioregion:
- Caatinga stylo
- desmanthus
- leucaena.
Winter growing annual medics are persistent and can be productive during wet winters.
Medic tips to keep in mind:
- Annual medics are persistent in southern inland Queensland, i.e. barrel, burr and button medics.
- Plant breeding has made a range of new varieties and species available.
- Varieties with early to mid-season flowering periods, high levels of hard seed and seed production, are best suited to Queensland's unreliable winter rainfall patterns.
- Naturalised medics have a range of flowering times – using a blend of multiple medic varieties can mimic these flowering patterns.
