Live weight gain trials for cattle grazing on leucaena-grass pastures in northern Australia and central Queensland have yielded 'impressive' results.
Showcasing the significant impact leucaena can have on carrying capacity, the concurrent trials reinforced the benefits of investment in the legume-based grazing system.
Organised and hosted by Bruce and Lucinda Mayne, Fairview, Calliope, the central Queensland trial utilised cattle supplied by neighbouring properties Calliope Station, Voewood Brangus and Wycheproof.
The final weighing of the 100 trial steers showed an average weight gain of 0.68 kilograms per day and a weight gain per hectare of 145kg over the 361 days of the trial.
This compared favourably to the of 0.56kg per day and 107kg per hectare for the control group grazing native pastures with access to some areas of ponded pasture species.
"The comparisons with the improved pasture weight gains were possibly not as significant as expected due to the inclusion of ponded pastures in the grass-only trial and the higher quality feed provided by the hymenachne and para grass," Mr Mayne said.
"We believe that the weight gain differences comparing leucaena with native coastal pastures would have shown a more dramatic difference and further demonstrated the potential of leucaena - perhaps something for a future trial.
"The overall weight gains demonstrated by the cattle on leucaena have certainly shown that the inclusion of leucaena can significantly improve a property's carrying capacity and pasture quality.
"Achieving weight gains of 246kg per year in relatively-poor coastal country is quite impressive."
Of the trial steers - in which 80 head were grazed on Fairview's Redlands leucaena plantings and the remaining 20 head were the control group - 77 were sold through the CQLX Special Weaner and Feeder Sale in May, with the leucaena-pastured cattle achieving an average sale price of $1762 a head.
Northern trial records significant improvements
A third of the way through the three-year Northern Australian Live Weight Gain trial, improved live weight gains from leucaena-grass pastures compared to native or improved pastures have been recorded at all three sites across far north Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Organised by The Leucaena Network and supported by Meat & Livestock Australia, the trial measures live weight gains achieved on leucaena-grass pastures at Goshen Station, Mount Garnett, and Pinnarendi Station, Forty Mile, both in far north Queensland, and at the Douglas Daly Research Farm in the Northern Territory.
The most significant improvements have been recorded by Brett and Theresa Blennerhassett of Goshen Station who have 600 acres of Redlands leucaena as part of their grazing operation, with an additional 400 acres currently undergoing establishment.
Improved pastures of Bisset, Rhodes grass, Urochloa, seca stylo and buffel form the inter-row pastures.
The station's native pastures, augmented with a mix of Callide Rhodes, Bisset bluegrass and seca stylo, averaged a 0.3kg live weight gain daily throughout the year so the live weight gains ranging from an average of 0.52kg to 0.7kg per day, with the annual average daily live weight gain of 0.59kg, provide a significant boost for Goshen's carrying capacity and turnoff rate.
Mr Blennerhassett believes leucaena's ability to boost productivity is clear.
"It's a no brainer - we believe Redlands leucaena is the pathway to turning off our steers and heifers six to 12 months earlier," he said.
"It's all about weight-for-age in northern beef. You want to own these cattle for the least amount of time, but it's also about getting yourself into a situation where you have some resilience when the harder times come."
Consistent live weight gains were also demonstrated at Pinnarendi Station and the Douglas Daly Research Station.