Spring-sown winter-type canola (Brassica napus) as summer–autumn forage for sheep production in southern Australia

Abstract

Context Filling the summer–autumn feed gap is a key priority for sheep producers in southern Australia’s high-rainfall zone. Aim Our research aimed to determine whether spring-sown winter-type canola (Brassica napus L.) could increase herbage mass and nutritive characteristics during summer and autumn relative to other forage options in southern Australia’s HRZ. Methods A field experiment was conducted at Hamilton, Victoria, Australia, in 2014 and 2016 testing seven forage treatments replicated four times in the complete block design. The treatments were: canola (two treatments of different cultivars), forage brassica (B. napus), lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Key results Herbage mass and nutritive characteristics of the canola varieties did not differ (P > 0.05) from forage brassica. Herbage mass in March 2014 was 3.35–3.64 t dry matter (DM)/ha for brassicas; 1.05–1.37 t DM/ha for perennial ryegrass, plantain and chicory; and 2.94 t DM/ha for lucerne (P < 0.001, l.s.d. = 1.20). In March 2016, herbage mass was 1.86–2.05 t DM/ha for brassicas and 2.14–2.49 for the other forage treatments (P < 0.05; l.s.d. = 0.47). Brassicas had higher (P < 0.05) metabolisable energy (ME) concentrations and lower (P < 0.05) neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentrations on most sampling dates than chicory, plantain, lucerne and perennial ryegrass. The crude protein (CP) concentration of the brassica treatments was not different (P > 0.05) from that of the other forage treatments. Concentrations of ME, CP and NDF were very similar between years for the brassicas, with March ME, CP and NDF concentrations of 12.0–13.2 MJ/kg DM, 14.0–20.1% DM and 16.7–23.6% DM. Conclusion Canola provided increased or equivalent levels of herbage mass and nutritive characteristics compared with other forage options in south-western Victoria on most, but not all, sampling dates. However, the annual spring-sowing requirement is a challenge under variable spring-rainfall conditions and may limit productivity if there is poor establishment. Implications Spring-sown canola is a viable alternative forage for livestock producers and offers a potential second income stream in high-rainfall-zone livestock farming systems.