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Irrigated farming systemsNutrition and animal health considerations
D Squibb and C WestwoodPGG Wrightson Seeds
27 July 2018
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Irrigation and paradigm shifts
• Irrigation = opportunities
• Increased dry matter (DM)/ha and stocking rates
• Pasture persistence
• Novel forages and enhanced feed value
• Too good to be true?
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Irrigation planning and implementation
• financing / investment / infrastructure / agronomics / stock class changes
• Presumption new forage = productivity/profit• Sometimes…
– reduced feed conversion efficiency (FCE)– increased health issues (on ‘knife edge’)
Issues are manageable!
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Planning to manage new forages
• Novel forage types — new grazing management
• Forage types grasses, legumes, herbs, annual crops– Higher digestibility and energy
(MJME/kg DM and MJME/ha)– Lower neutral detergent fibre
(NDF) and less effective? – Higher crude protein
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More digestible, lower NDF
• Inherent forage attributes• Changed management —
rotational grazing, lower pre-graze mass
• More digestible, higher energy = fewer kgDM/g or kg liveweightgain, increased efficiency
BUT1. Less peNDF (cattle)2. Faster rumen outflow rate (ROR)
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Less peNDF
• Less NDF and lower peNDF• NDF:
– cattle 35%– lambs 28–30%
• Cattle anissue, less so lambs• SARA rare, questionable clinical
consequence?• Susceptibility to ruminal bloat? • Manage grazing rotation length,
high peNDF supplementary feed
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Rapidly rumen fermentable — irrigation
• Fast breakdown, plant cells• More VFA production (SARA??) not lactic acid• Grasses less issue• Legumes (red/white clovers/lucerne) BLOAT
– bloat oils– supplementary fibre– wilting– cattle not hungry– shift later in day
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Faster rumen outflow rate (ROR)–irrigation • Young stock• More fermentable carbs to intestines1. Clostridial disease (vaccinate) lambs, calves2. Redgut lambs lucerne (red clover?) small rumen capacity Fibre supply on-off graze grass, baleage3. ‘Academically’ – lower MJME/kgDM as less fermented rumen, more hindgut
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High crude protein (CP)
Depends on• Soil mineralisable nitrogen (N)• Nitrogen fertiliser• Pasture or crop species• Management • Typically greater crude protein
concentration vs dryland
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High crude protein (CP)
Usually = GOOD thing• Prime lambs, heavily in lamb and lactating ewes,
yearling cattle 14–18% CP• Too much of a good thing? • Rumen and liver adaptation – up to six weeks +• Less issue, always on irrigated pasture• Greater issue, change dryland quality to irrigated
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Other possible challenges
SUDDEN CHANGE TO HIGH QUALITY
PASTURES
Low peNDF
Rapid Rumen outflow rate
High crude protein
Internal parasite larval challenge
Vitamin B1 deficiency (Polioencephalomalacia’
‘PEM’ or ‘PE’ )
Bloat
Tryptophan toxicity
High faecal moisture (fleece staining)
Footrot fine wool breeds
Pulpy kidney
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So, irrigated pastures are different? Often yes, vs. dryland • Poor feed conversion efficiency and/or health
challenges • Dryland stock to irrigation for finishing esp late
spring/summer months• Set stocking for lambing / calving
Think irrigated pastures as ‘crop’• May need ‘transition’ rumen and liver adaptation
dryland to irrigated new pasture species• Better if stock remain on irrigated pastures
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SUMMING UP
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Top three take home messages
Challenges are manageable! Think of irrigated pasture as a ‘crop’ changing
from lesser quality drylandGradual adaptation from dryland to irrigated
pastures — especially during late spring and summer if not closed systemClostridial vaccination for young stock
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Tools, resources and training• Pasture Principles – Macquarie Franklin• https://www.evergraze.com.au/library-content/feedbase-
planning-and-budgeting-tool/
• https://www.mla.com.au/extension-training-and-tools/tools-calculators/health-cost-benefit-calculator/
• https://www.mla.com.au/extension-training-and-tools/tools-calculators/stocking-rate-calculator/
• Facebook groups1. The Rumen Room2. The Forage Forum
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Thank you
David SquibbPGG Wrightson Seeds Aust
Mobile 0425790222Email [email protected]
Charlotte WestwoodPGG Wrightson Seeds NZ
Mobile +64275544541Email [email protected]