Yield potential of forage crops in Tasmania Keith Pembleton and Richard Rawnsley TIAR Part of the Beyond 2012 project funded by Dairy Australia and TIAR Overview Brassica (Rape, Kale and Turnips) Modelling sowing time influence on brassicas Winter Cereal (Oats and Triticale) Modelling the grazing influence on yield Maize Modelling sowing dates effects on frost risk Other crops Fodder Beet Summer forage (Millet and sorghum x sudan) Forage Rape Observed Yields LocationYearSowedIrrigatedYield (kgDM/ha) Mawbanna2010FebruaryNo8,500 Stanley2010AprilNo7,700 Cambridge2009DecemberNo3,300 Stonehouse2009NovemberNo4,000 Elliott1999NovemberNo3,500 Elliott1999NovemberYes7,000 Elliott2000OctoberNo4,800 Elliott2000Octoberyes8,850 Forage Kale Observed Yields LocationYearSowedIrrigatedYield (kgDM/ha) Mawbanna2010FebruaryNo11,000 Redpa2010MarchNo5,500 Cambridge2009DecemberNo2,000 Stonehouse2009NovemberNo3,000 Elliott1999NovemberNo2,400 Elliott1999NovemberYes5,500 Turnips LocationYearSowedIrrigatedYield (kgDM/ha) Elliott2005DecemberYes11,000 Elliott2006JanuaryYes12,000 Mella2006OctoberNo8,200 Elliott2006NovemberYes11,000 Ridgley2006JanuaryYes8,200 Bushy Park2006JanuaryYes8,000 RapeKaleTurnips Sowing timeOctober to AprilNovember to MarchOctober to January Maturity time12 to 16 weeks18 to 26 weeks8 to 12 weeks Seeding rate2.5 to 5 kg/ha3 to 5 kg/ha0.5 to 2 kg Yield Potential Cost of production4 to 8c/kgDM4.7 to 11.4c/kgDM6 to 10c/kgDM WUE (t DM/ML)2t/ML1.4t/ML3 to 3.5t/ML Feed quality ME CP NDF 11.5 to 12.5 MJ/kgDM 21.9 to 22.4% 31.5 to 31.9% 12.4 MJ/kgDM 22.5% 27.6 to 28.6% 12.6 to 14.1 MJ/kgDM 15.4 to 18.0% 23.4 to 26.1% Management considerations All brassicas are susceptible to insect attack Brassicas Box and Whiskers Maximum observed value Minimum observed value 95 th percentile (5% of observations above this value) 5 th percentile (95% of observations above this value) 75 th percentile (25% of observations above this value) 25 th percentile (75% of observations above this value) Median (50% of observations above this value) Mean (average value) Forage Rape Simulated Yields EDITH CREEK IrrigatedDryland 40 year simulations of a single grazing forage rape crop (grazed 16 weeks after planting and received 150kgN/ha) using APSIM (canola module). Model was found to explain 82% (n=70) of variation in observed forage yield from 6 experiments/monitoring studies. Forage Kale Simulated Yields EDITH CREEK IrrigatedDryland 40 year simulations of a single grazing forage kale crop (grazed 20 weeks after planting and received 150kgN/ha) using APSIM (canola module). Model was found to explain 73% (n=40) of variation in observed forage yield from 5 experiments/monitoring studies. Cereals - Observed Yields Oats LocationYearSowedYield (kgDM/ha) Harvests Irishtown2010April11,7001 grazing; 1 silage cut (Oct) Mawbanna2010March12,6003 grazings; crop terminated in Oct Stanley2010April16,4002 grazings; 1 silage cut (Dec) LocationYearSowedYield (kgDM/ha) Harvests Irishtown2010April11,7001 grazing; 1 silage cut (Oct) Mawbanna2009June6,7001 silage cut Triticale Cereals Multiple grazing with autumn sowings, single harvest only for winter and spring sowings Good yield potential (> 12t DM/ha) Adequate energy (> 10 MJ/kg DM), and protein (> 14.2% CP) in harvested material Production costs between (4.5 to 7.3c kg/DM) Oats Simulated Yields EDITH CREEK 40 year simulations of a oat crop (3, 2 or 1 grazing events) sown on April 1 and 40 year simulation of an August sown oat crop (no grazing) using APSIM (oat module). Crops received 100 kgN/ha in two split applications and were harvested for silage on October 25 each year. Model was found to explain 86% (n=25) of variation in observed forage yield from 3 monitoring studies. Maize Observed Yields LocationYearIrrigated?Yield (kg DM/ha) Elliott (experimental plots)2005Yes26,000 Elliott (experimental plots)2006Yes27,000 Mella2006No15,800 Flowerdale2006Yes23,100 Bushy Park2006Yes12,500 20wk maturity, Mid to late spring sowing Very high yielding (> 20t DM/ha), high WUE (5t DM/ML) Adequate energy (> 10.5 MJ/kg DM), low protein (< 8% CP) Relatively high production costs (15 to 20c kg/DM) Requires specialist planting & harvesting equipment Sown mid to late spring (soil temps >13 o C) Maize Maize Simulated Yields Edith Creek Pioneer 3153 (medium maturity) Pioneer 3237 (medium maturity) Pioneer 3527 (quick maturity) 40 year simulations of a forage maize crop (harvested at a milk line score of 2.5 and receiving 250kgN/ha) using APSIM (maize module). Model was found to explain 70% (n=7) of variation in observed forage yield from 5 experiments/monitoring studies. Maize: Frost Risk Edith Creek 40 year simulations of a forage maize crop (harvested at a milk line score of 2.5 and receiving 250kgN/ha) using APSIM (maize module). Model was found to explain 70% (n=7) of variation in observed forage yield from 5 experiments/monitoring studies. Risk Frost risk region comparison Scottsdale Cressy Risk Other crops Millett Elliott 2005 (irrigated): 7,000 kgDM/ha (Experimental plots) Elliott 2006 (irrigated): 8,000 kgDM/ha (Experimental plots) Sorghum Elliott 2006 (irrigated): 12,000 kgDM/ha (Experimental plots) Fodder Beets New crop option for winter forage Possibly high yielding (20+t/ha) but we dont know much about it yet (research is being undertaken) Summary Modelling indicates all forage crops have a high yield potential for Tasmanian regions Brassicas (8.5 to12 t/ha) Winter cereals (> 12t/ha) Maize (>20t/ha) Management is critical to achieving this potential at a reasonable cost of production Pick crops based on management objective Acknowledgments Funders of monitoring and experimental projects from which observed data was sourced Dairy Australia DairyTas Funding the modelling work (The Beyond 2012 Project) Dairy Australia Support with monitoring and modelling studies Those farmers who made their crops available Jason Lynch from Serve Ag (provided some of the data and supported the monitoring)