When we first came to Riverbourne, about seven years ago, the pastures were of poor quality, and the only stock had been a few horses. Since running dorpers, and fencing into small paddocks, the grasses have improved dramatically. I think the dorpers have largely contributed to this by their grazing habit of constantly moving whilst being non selective in their choice of grasses, this means their manure is spread over the whole paddock, and the humus is building up in the soil. They don't tend to just graze a sweet spot, until they have eaten the whole plant roots and all! (My Merinos used to do this, especially in dry times).
Microlaena is a very important grass on the Southern tablelands, being winter active, highly nutritious and responds well to increases fertility, and it is this native grass in which we have seen most improvement.
Of course it is important to remember that every time you send an animal off the farm, it takes with it a lot of minerals that have come from yours soil. These need to be put back either by application to the soil, or, better I think, by providing mineral licks, we use a powdered lick, though a lot of farmers find lick blocks are satisfactory.
Microlaena is a very important grass on the Southern tablelands, being winter active, highly nutritious and responds well to increases fertility, and it is this native grass in which we have seen most improvement.
Of course it is important to remember that every time you send an animal off the farm, it takes with it a lot of minerals that have come from yours soil. These need to be put back either by application to the soil, or, better I think, by providing mineral licks, we use a powdered lick, though a lot of farmers find lick blocks are satisfactory.
Sheep lounging in pasture they help to create.
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