Annual pasture establishment

Extracted from Sustainable Land Management in the Ellen Brook Catchment. See link to Resources below.

How to establish annual pastures

1. Summer - Soil test.
2. Autumn - Graze heavily to remove dry matter.
3. April - Burn if sufficient dry matter is present to carry a fire.
4. April - Topdress with grade one agricultural lime at 2.5 tonnes per hectare (subject to pH being less than 4.5 in CaCl).
5. April - Cultivate to 5 cm and harrow to prepare a final seedbed.
6. April/May - Wait for a complete germination of weeds.
7. Early May - Spray weeds with glyphosate at 2.5 litres per hectare. Add insecticide for control of redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea.
8. Early May - Mix seed and fertiliser in the fertiliser box of a combine and broadcast seed.
9. Harrow to cover the seed and roll to compact the soil around the seed on sandy soils.

The established pasture can be lightly grazed six weeks after germination.

How to introduce improved cultivars to existing annual pastures

1. Summer - Soil test.
2. Autumn - Graze heavily to remove excess dry matter.
3. April - Topdress with grade one agricultural lime at 2.5 tonnes per hectare (subject to pH being below 4.5 pH in CaCl).
4. April/May - Wait for a full pasture germination and clover to have four true leaves.
5. Early May - Spray with glyphosate (360 g/L) at one litre per hectare with added insecticide for redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea control - this spray will remove undesirable weeds but will only set back existing legumes.
6. Early May - Treat legume seed with insecticide for systemic control of redlegged earth mite and lucerne flea one day before seeding. Seed that requires inoculation and lime pelletingshould not be treated.

Early May - Direct seed with drill two days after spraying with glyphosate.

Resources

Kylie Banfield, Pasture Establishment and Management. (2012) Download [details]

Annual Pastures and Soils Workshop. (2012) [details]