ARCHIVE FILE
This article was published in 1941
See the original document
INSTITUTE OF INSPECTORS OF STOCK OF N.S.W. YEAR BOOK.
NATIONAL ASPECTS OF GRASSLAND IMPROVEMENT
A. W. S. MOODIE, H.D.A., H.D.D.
Senior Agrostologist.
One of the most vital problems confronting agriculture in Australia concerns the maintenance of gradually increasing stock and human populations on soils of diminishing fertility. Since the pioneering days we have been satisfied to judge the value of grazing land by its natural capacity to maintain a certain number of stock, and little effort has been made to improve carrying capacity. To-day it is essential to cultivate an entirely new outlook based on what grazing land can be made to produce rather than what it does produce. For this reason, grassland improvement is of paramount importance.
Pastures provide the principal source of food for man's domestic animals. In Australia where wool, meat and butter are responsible for a large percentage of the national income, pastures provide almost the sole food supply of grazing animals. In view of this fact, it is quite evident that any development which will improve pasture production will be reflected in the national prosperity.
Before proceeding further, perhaps I should endeavour to define grassland improvement." Briefly, it may be described as the adoption of any measure designed to improve the production of grassland. This broad definition would embrace the sowing of improved species and strains of pasture plants where necessary, the use of fertilisers, the subdivision of paddocks, improved methods of management, fodder conservation, improved watering facilities, supplementary feeding, and the provision of adequate shade and shelter. Study of this list of grassland operations will show that some form of grassland improvement can be carried out in every part of the State, irrespective of climatic conditions. In the zones of high regular rainfall, grassland improvement embraces all these operations; in areas of restricted rainfall much can be achieved by the provision of watering facilities, by subdivision of padlocks and improved methods of management and by the provision of adequate shade and shelter. In passing, it may be mentioned that shade and shelter are synonymous terms to many people. Many extensive tracts of country are equipped with trees providing good shade, but the number of really effective shelter belts is very limited.
The point worthy of emphasis following a definition of grassland improvement is that the adoption of any or all of the practices involved will lead to greater carrying capacity directly by increasing the quantity of forage available or indirectly by the elimination of losses due to malnutrition and unfavourable grazing conditions generally.
It is extremely important to realise the number of forms which grassland improvement can follow as it is only in this way that our maximum carrying capacity can be attained. This outlook is needed particularly in the districts considered unsuitable for the popular forms of pasture improvement in order to counteract the negative, "defeatist" attitude sometimes found there. No section of this State has yet attained the safe average carrying capacity which may be expected to follow the adoption of rational methods of management over an extended period. I make this statement fully aware of the extent to which natural pastures have deteriorated in many districts.
A PERIOD OF TRANSITION.
Grazing methods have changed considerably of recent years as we emerge gradually from the methods of the pioneers and the soil exploiters who followed, to the more intensive methods of animal husbandry practised in the older countries. It has been demonstrated that really intensive stock raising can be practised in districts of safe rainfall and that the carrying capacity of almost every property can be increased considerably without incurring undue risks of heavy drought losses. As a matter of fact, rational grassland improvement provides adequate insurance against dry conditions. In almost every district there are representative properties where improved methods have been adopted sucessfully and it is sometimes a mystery why neighbouring landowners do not adopt similar methods. Numerous examples could be quoted of properties carrying three and four sheep per acre when the average for the district concerned is 1 to 1½ an acre.
Spectacular demonstrations of increased production following grassland improvement have led to unexpected developments. Early pastoral settlement in this State was from the coast towards the west; the trend to-day is in the opposite direction. New settlement on subdivided properties is proceeding in Tableland and other safe rainfall areas. Many zones once despised as poor and unsound are now eagerly sought and land values have advanced in extraordinary fashion in some instances. Districts such as Oberon, Berrima, and Tumbarumba may be quoted as examples, due entirely to their suitability for grassland improvement work.
The results of large scale pasture improvement work in districts of safe rainfall permit two important conclusions to be drawn. One is that our safe rainfall zones possess the capacity to respond to appropriate treatment and the other that such country is exceptionally poor prior to treatment judged by overseas standards, it may be assumed that only by unremitting attention to pastures and soil fertility will it be able to support a reasonably dense rural population.
The trend to-day is definitely in the direction of smaller, more intensively stocked properties. In some instances this has been followed by changes in the breeds of stock and the type of product, a notable example being the substitution of fat lamb production for wool growing. It would appear almost certain that the pure merino will disappear entirely from many districts where it is now popular and be displaced by mutton breeds. In Coastal districts it has been demonstrated that the production of high quality vealers can augment the income of the dairy farmer following the establishment of high quality pastures.
That such changes are possible is tremendously important, not only to individuals but to the nation. One of the reasons for the "drift to the city" on the part of the sons of farmers is the apparent futility of endeavouring to find economic security in their home districts. The low volume of business on many farms, coupled with the difficulty in securing land at a reasonable price, has been responsible for many lads turning away from agriculture. Realisation that properties can be subdivided, operated under modern methods and the volume of business augmented considerably means an entirely new outlook. This idea must be fostered and encouraged in every way. We cannot admit that our rural population has reached saturation point when it has been demonstrated that grassland improvement and improved methods generally can achieve so much in the direction of increased production.
DEVELOPING THE RIGHT OUTLOOK.
Grassland improvement is a comparatively new subject in Australia and some difficulty is encountered in developing the correct outlook as to its real meaning and importance. Many landowners fail to appreciate the fundamental principle that success in grassland improvement is dependent on soil fertility, the deterioration which has occurred over several generations cannot be restored in one or two years as many people appear to believe. Patience and persistence are sometimes necessary to achieve maximum results. It must be admitted that the economic side has to be considered carefully in the early stages when the results anticipated are sometimes delayed by adverse climatic conditions or abnormally low soil fertility, and it is impossible to increase the number of stock appreciably to meet the costs of treatment. Such a period must be survived and the building up processes continued until favourable results are achieved. If the scheme is sound and properly conceived, profitable results are certain. On the other hand, failure to carry out such work must result in dually contracting production and diminishing soil fertility.
The question of soil fertility is of supreme importance in grassland productivity. In this connection a broader conception of fertility than that usually accorded is necessary in order to appreciate the various factors involved. When considering soil fertility the average person thinks in terms of available mineral plant foods. Basically these are extremely important, but organic matter and capacity to absorb and retain moisture are of vital importance in pasture production, and in determining the ability of grassland to tolerate dry conditions. This phase of grassland improvement is seldom seen in its proper perspective.
The panacea for periods of dry weather and droughts is nearly always considered to be conserved fodder. This is, of course, entirely sound, but there is another aspect to be considered. It has been proved beyond doubt that pastures on soils rich in organic matter require less rain and can withstand prolonged dry periods whereas pastures of similar composition on soils deficient in organic matter react unfavourably to dry conditions. It may be said in this regard that many droughts are man-made and are directly attributable to long continued neglect of soil fertility.
Clovers are of paramount importance in maintaining the supply of organic matter in the case of grassland, and in increasing the utilisation efficiency of the rainfall. On extensive areas of our grasslands a considerable proportion of the rainfall is lost by surface runoff. It is possible to check as much as 40 per cent. of this loss by the presence of a dense sward of clover according to experiments conducted in the United States. It may be assumed that a dense sward of Subterranean Clover would achieve an even greater result on our worn-out pasture and wheat lands. Clovers are conspicuous by their absence in our untreated grasslands and in the early stages of the clover establishment processes it is common to find the soil wet and friable under clover patches following a fall of rain, whereas the bare soil adjoining will be harsh and dry. Obviously, the capacity of many grazing areas to absorb and retain moisture is extremely low.
In the absence of accurate data regarding the exact area of grassland deficient in clovers and the extent to which rainfall run-off can be checked under local conditions, it is impossible to predict the possibilities following the establishment and maintenance of strong swards of clover on all grazing country in safe rainfall zones. It is reasonably safe to assume that no other single factor is likely to make such a valuable contribution to the stability and prosperity of our grazing industries.
GRASSLAND IMPROVEMENT AND AGRICULTURE.
One of the greatest problems in cereal growing and crop raising generally is the maintenance of soil fertility. In Coast and Tableland areas this problem may be capable of solution by the use of skilfully designed crop rotations, although it is doubtful whether periods under temporary or improved pastures should be ignored. In cereal growing districts the popular rotation, wheat, oats, fallow, must be replaced by a rotation calculated to increase the soil organic matter. The logical development is the use of sown pasture plants on every area used for cereal growing. From the information already available it is certain that improved pastures will not only play a considerable part in improving cereal production but will, at the same time, improve the quality of animal products and lead to greater diversification of production generally.
The trend to-day is definitely in the direction of smaller, more in-tensively stocked properties, and this must be reflected in our conception and management of closer settlement projects. The unit areas concerned must be designed to provide a comfortable competence based on what the area can be made to produce under efficient methods of husbandry. In this way it will be possible to avoid the encumbrance of capital invested in land of low carrying capacity which would be better utilised in developing a smaller area.
More intensive grazing methods lead to increased rural employment. Labour is required for fencing, improving water supplies, and fodder conservation. Sheep depastured at three or more per acre require more attention than those ranging over extensive areas and more permanent labour is necessary. A normal development following grassland improvement is seed production, for which additional labour is necessary.
Additional labour on rural holdings must be beneficial to country towns as the agricultural worker invariably patronises local shopkeepers. The country business man benefits, too, from the sale of seeds, fertilisers, fencing materials, machinery and increased business generally.
GRASSLAND IMPROVEMENT AND SECONDARY INDUSTRIES.
As mentioned previously, one of the principles of grassland improvement is maintenance of soil fertility. This means the use of fertilisers and lime. For the period 1934 to 1938 fertiliser sales for grassland work increased by 428 per cent. In addition to the actual amount of fertiliser manufactured, this increase is reflected in the transport industry, both rail and road.
Specially designed implements and machinery are now produced for pasture work and considerable ingenuity has been displayed by local engineers in fulfilling the requirements of our somewhat peculiar conditions. Tractors are used extensively for this work and the machinery industry generally has derived considerable benefit from the various operations designed to improve our grasslands In addition, the demand for fencing materials, windmills, troughs and other materials has greatly increased.
CONCLUSION.
It is undeniable that grassland improvement is destined to play an increasingly important part in national development in Australia The period of pioneering is complete and the era of exploitation must be terminated. The most urgent task for the immediate future is the restoration of soil fertility. This is essential not only to provide for greater numbers of stock but to stabilise the stock raising industries on the existing population figures.
In the post-war period, Australia may be asked to accommodate a greater population. This will only be achieved by more intensive methods of agriculture and animal husbandry, including the practice of grassland improvement.