Product Used: Outback Forage Oats
Outback oats have been a success on the property of Terry Heywood, at Waubra, north-west of Ballarat in Victoria, despite a season with little in-crop rainfall. The crop was sown in the middle of June at a rate of 50 kilograms per hectare and produced three good grazings through late winter and autumn. “It went in fairly rough with the seed put out with the super spreader and then harrowed in,” Mr Heywood said. The eight hectare paddock was grazed by 200 sheep for a week as soon as the oats were long enough to withstand damage.
It was then grazed by the sheep a second time with the amount of growth from the cereal impressing. “When the oats started to take off the sheep couldn’t keep up with it,” Mr Heywood said. The paddock received a third grazing from a mob of cattle that pushed their way through a fence to get at the feed. “We couldn’t keep the cattle off it,” Mr Heywood said. “They were just helping themselves. They really enjoyed it.” He said the oats stooled out after the first grazing to produce a bulk of feed. “The stock took to the feed, gained weight and looked very good.” Both the sheep and cattle were sold and produced excellent returns. Mr Heywood said it was a tremendous result, particularly considering the in-crop rainfall which was much lower than what could be expected in the area. “There was good sowing moisture after the summer rain but we did have a dry July and also a dry September and October.”
Terry Heywood, Ballarat VIC
