Growing profit from the ground up

Pasture Improvement Initiative

Recovery time key to optimal saltbush utilisation

Brian Teakle has undertaken an extensive forage shrub program and carried out trials to examine the ideal grazing regime to maximise both production and plant recovery. (Photo: Supplied by Brian Teakle)

Brian Teakle has undertaken an extensive forage shrub program and carried out trials to examine the ideal grazing regime to maximise both production and plant recovery. (Photo: Supplied by Brian Teakle)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farmer: Brian Teakle
Location: Karoonda, South Australia
Property size: 1015ha
Average annual rainfall: 350mm
Soil types: Deep sand to sand over clay, to stone and sandy loam over clay
Enterprise mix: Quandong and sandalwood plantation, cross-bred export lamb and cropping (barley, triticale and wheat)

Retired professional engineer and farmer Brian Teakle, Karoonda, South Australia has always felt a need to drought-proof his operation. And 120,000 old man saltbush shrubs across 50ha have gone a long way to achieving his goal. Brian’s extensive areas of saltbush have also allowed him to test his theories about grazing opportunities with the hardy perennial shrub — successfully managing to implement a system that allows for two grazings per year with full shrub recovery.

Key points

  • Saltbush helps farmers manage feedbase stability in low-rainfall areas and protects fragile soils from erosion.
  • Diversity of species allows greater risk management and a more balanced diet for grazing livestock.
  • Saltbush can be grazed hard, but needs sufficient recovery time between grazings to remain productive.

Click here to download the Teakle case study (PDF 1.1MB)

Note: This case study was developed as part of the Enrich project under the former Future Farm Industries CRC.