Grain & Graze 3 - The impact of livestock on paddock health

To test whether soil fertility and health could be improved under a higher input system (e.g. higher fertiliser and seeding rates, establishment of improved pasture) compared to a lower input and more traditional system (district practice seed and fertiliser inputs, volunteer pasture).The six year (2008-2013) rotation of: wheat, wheat, pasture (volunteer and sown annual medic), wheat, pasture (annual medic – self regenerating) and wheat, was also split into grazed and un-grazed treatments in both the high and low input systems to establish the relative impact of grazing.

本试验旨在验证，相较于采用区域常规种子与肥料投入方案、配置自生牧场的低投入传统农田管理模式，高投入系统（如增施肥料、提高播种量、建植改良牧场）能否提升土壤肥力与健康水平。本试验采用2008-2013年为期六年的作物轮作序列，具体为：小麦、小麦、牧场（自生与人工播种一年生苜蓿群落）、小麦、牧场（自然再生一年生苜蓿群落）、小麦。在高、低投入两种管理模式下，该轮作系统均设置放牧与未放牧两个处理组，以明确放牧行为的相对影响。