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Plant/Animal Production
Native grasses
This material addresses aspects of the following syllabus outcome:
H5.1 explains the influence of the physical, biological, social, historical and economic factors on sustainable agricultural production.
Syllabus content areas addressed in this material include:
- the role of native and introduced pasture species in pasture management systems.
Source: NSW Board of Studies Agriculture Syllabus
What are native grasses and why should they be included in pasture systems?
Native grasses are by definition those grasses that are indigenous (native) to Australia. This is in contrast to those grass species that have their origins in Europe, Asia, Africa or other parts of the world.
Over the time of white settlement in Australia and the pastoral development of the country, native grasses have to a large extent been denigrated and replaced by other species. Many of the introduced species are considered to be more nutritious and hence have been accepted and used extensively. Unfortunately, those native grasses that have survived have often been the non-productive and less palatable species, giving them a negative reputation.
Many of the native grass species are drought-resistant and require low input costs. These characteristics make them very suitable for inclusion in a balanced and sustainable grazing system, particularly in low rainfall areas.
Many native grasses are well adapted to surviving the heat and lack of moisture typical of many areas of Australia. These characteristics include special growth characteristics, such as thickened stems at the base for food storage and a corky integument over the roots to protect them against excessive heat. Some species have a different leaf structure from those species adapted to the higher rainfall areas. This leaf structure gives the plant small, thickened leaves or bristle-like leaves that help to reduce the amount of moisture that is transpired from the leaf surfaces.
Re-establishing native grasses
In order to re-establish and regenerate native grass species over large areas, the seed of the suitable species must be made available. Problems have been encountered in using traditional equipment to harvest and sow the seed of native grasses. This has led to the modification of existing machines as well as the development of new machines in order to facilitate the efficient harvesting, cleaning and sowing of native grass seed.
| Genus Latin name Common name |
Species (these are examples, not a comprehensive list) |
Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Aristida Wire grasses |
Three-awned spear grass, kerosene grass, brush wire grass, No 9 wire grass | Hard, wiry and generally unpalatable, especially when in flower. Seed causes problems in wool. Crude protein: 2.0 - 13.8% |
| Astrebia Mitchell grasses |
Curly Mitchell grass, hoop Mitchell grass, bull Mitchell grass, barley Mitchell grass | A palatable perennial with high feed value. Crude protein: 3 - 14% |
| Bothriochloa Redgrasses |
Red grass, satin-top | Exists on a wide variety of soil types with a preference for wetter areas. Forage value declines after flowering. Crude protein: 4.l - 15% |
| Chloris Windmill grass |
Star windmill grass, tall windmill grass | Generally of moderate value. Grazed readily prior to flowering. Crude protein: 4.0 - 10.9% |
| Cymbopogon Barbwire grass |
Silky heads, lemon scented grass, barbed wire grass | Eaten sparingly when young despite odours; seldom eaten when it gets older. |
| Danthonia Wallaby grasses |
Ringed grass, red anther grass, short grass, smooth-flowered grass, small- flowered grass, bandicoot grass | Valuable tufted cool season perennial. Its grazing value is highly valued. Crude protein: 10 - 17% |
| Dichanthium Bluegrasses |
Queensland blue grass, tall blue grass, sheda blue grass, small blue grass | Highly palatable and well regarded when green. Crude protein: 2.3 - 10.2% |
| Digitaria Umbrella grasses or Panics |
Cotton panic, silky umbrella grass, spreading umbrella grass | Generally palatable even when dry. Crude protein: 3.7 - 16.8% |
| Elymus Wheatgrass |
Comb wheatgrass, common wheatgrass, velvet wheatgrass | Best forage production occurs in late winter and early spring. Crude protein: 10 - 36% |
| Enneapogon Bottle washes |
Regarded as a useful fodder. | |
| Enteropogon acicularis Curly Windmill grass |
Curly windmill grass | Moderate value prior to the seedhead forming. Can tolerate heavy grazing flooding and salinity. Crude protein: 5.0 - 12.2% |
| Eragrostis Lovegrasses |
Mallee lovegrass, woolbutt, purple lovegrass, neverfail | Generally poor grazing value; however will provide some dry feed and ground cover during drought. |
| Eulalia aurea Silky Browntop |
Young growth grazed readily by stock, but ignored after the flower stems mature. | |
| Heteropogon contorus | Blackspear grass or bunch speargrass | Grazing value is moderate. It is palatable to stock except when mature and the seed causes a problem in wool. Crude protein: 3.3 - 5.2% |
| Microlaena Weeping grass |
High forage value withstanding moderate to heavy levels of grazing. Crude protein: 10 - 27% |
|
| Monochather paradoxa | Mulgoa oats | Highly palatable, readily grazed and removed quickly if overgrazed. Crude protein: 6.1 - 18.4% |
| Panicum Panics |
Native millet, hairy panic, yabila panic, pepper panic | Grazing value moderate, new green growth particularly palatable especially prior to seeding. |
| Paspalidium Summer or Box grasses |
Box grass, warrego summer grass, shot grass | Very palatable, especially when young and actively growing. Crude protein: 11.0 - 15.5% |
| Poa Tussock or Winter grasses |
Snow grass | Grazing value is low. |
| Sporobolus | Fairy grass | It produces a small amount of leaf which is readily eaten; therefore it rarely makes up a large proportion of pasture. A common pioneer species. |
| Stipa Spear grasses |
Corkscrew grass, plains grass, rough grass, variable grass | Grazing value is generally low despite producing large amounts of green leaf; the sharp awns on the seeds cause a major problem to sheep. |
| Themeda triandra | Kangaroo grass | Moderate grazing value and palatable when young.
Will quickly disappear from paddocks if overgrazed and grow rank
in above average rainfall years if ungrazed. Crude protein: 5.4 - 12.3% |
| Thyridolepis mitchelliana | Mulga Mitchell | Palatable grass that is readily grazed. Crude protein: 5.1 - 19.0% |
Activities
- Draw up a table presenting the advantages of disadvantages of using native grass species in a pasture system.
- Find the names of two native grass species that are or can be used, either in your local area or in a pasture system that you are familiar with.
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