Getting the most out of your Barley in mixed farming systems

Project Coordinator: MacKillop Farm Management Group

Project duration: March 2026 - June 2029

Project Manager: Kate Morris, Project Officer, MFMG

Technical Expertise: Amanda Pearce, Senior Research Officer SARDI, Adam Hancock, Agronomist, Elders, MFMG Team

 

Background

​​Sandy soils in the Upper Limestone Coast that have been ameliorated can now sustain grazing safely in the autumn period and can provide early biomass for livestock as crops establish more quickly than pastures. Grazing barley crops has emerged as a beneficial strategy for early feed to close the autumn feed gap in mixed farming systems. It has been an invaluable strategy in recent years with late breaks and below average rainfalls.  

​​New barley varieties are suitable for the dual-purpose grain and graze system, however there are too many for farmers themselves to trial on-farm. Therefore, growers want to compare new barley varieties under a ‘spare no expense’ fertiliser regime to find the new yield frontier in these soils.  

 

Project Objectives

​​Mixed farmers in the Upper Limestone Coast (south east of South Australia) will benefit from new data on the best barley varieties to use for a grain and graze system while maximising grain yield.

• Two focus trials on two different soil types in the region will assess the impact of sowing time and controlled grazing on biomass production and yield, by measuring biomass production, impact on lodging, disease and flowering time on a range of barley varieties.  
• Learnings from the two focus trials will be used to establish and manage the system at a paddock scale on two farmer demonstration sites, integrating variable rate nutrition to maximise yield.
• Technical advice for best management practice will be made available to growers and advisors and extended at crop walks at the focus trial sites and demonstration sites. This learning will support the increasing use of the barley grain and graze system in the Upper Limestone Coast, that supports business and climate resilience.​ 

 

This Project is funded by:

 

Project Resources