Product Used: Moby Forage Barley
The quick response of Moby barley amazed Bill Morrall, of Swanfels, east of Warwick on the southern Darling Downs in Queensland. Mr Morrall said they had used another barley option the previous year but had Moby recommended to them when the previous one was unavailable. He said he was pleased, as Moby produced four grazings for cattle in one area and was also able to be locked up for hay production in another. Moby was planted at approximately 38 kilograms per hectare in late March and amazed with its excellent germination and establishment. Mr Morrall said the sowing rate was adequate because it stooled out well. “I was always one to plant other varieties but this exceeded our expectations from results that we had seen in previous seasons,” he said. “There wasn’t much moisture in the ground and it only had 30mm of follow up rain. To receive these results with minimal rainfall was remarkable. We were able to graze it a lot earlier. It was up in a few days and got going.” The Moby was first grazed by cattle when it was knee high, with an electric wire used to move the stock across the contoured paddock. “No sooner you took them off and it was growing again,” Mr Morrall said. Subsequent grazings occurred relatively quickly, although the crop did reach heights of more than a metre at stages during the season.
When wet weather intervened at one stage the area was locked up and produced 30 large square bales which were then available as cattle feed later on. Mr Morrall said the hay was palatable with the cattle filling up on the barley fodder over summer in preference to the grain that was also available. “The cattle are fat. They are doing really well.” He said in one area he ran out of Moby seed and put a strip of Camellia oats side-by-side. “Moby grew a foot higher than the oats and stayed above the oats all the time. The Moby didn’t get any rust as well.” The success of Moby has meant it will definitely be planted again on the property next season. “I’d recommend it anywhere, Mr Morrall said. “Once it gets going it will go like mad. If you get onto something that grows well you’ve got to stick to it. He said the barley could probably be planted even earlier in the season with its ability to germinate quickly and take advantage of the warmer conditions.
Dianne and Bill Morrall, of Swanfels, near Warwick on the southern Darling Downs
