Special guest speaker was Phil Barrett-Lennard, a pasture specialist from WA. Phil gave great practical advice on how to successfully establish and manage kikuyu pastures. Phil is a scientist as well as a farmer so he can cover well the science behind the results as well as the practical reality. Phil had nine golden rules for establishing kike. For those who missed out on the farm walks look out for the next KI Ag Trial booklet because it will feature a write-up on kikuyu including the nine rules.

Trial work is planned for this year to evaluate the economic benefits of a kikuyu pasture versus annual pastures. This work will put some real dollar figures to the costs and benefits of growing kikuyu. And while most people would say that kikuyu and cropping just don’t mix, well that might not be the case. Trial work will look at seeding a legume (peas or lupins) into an existing kikuyu stand. The cost will be a yield penalty but the benefit will be better grazing of the stubble (without the soil blowing away!). Stay tuned for updates on this proposed trial work.

The day was sponsored by Agriculture Kangaroo Island (funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under its Australia’s Farming Future initiative) and EverGraze – More Livestock from Perennials (funding from Caring For Our Country).

Lyn Dohle

Snr Soil & Land Management Consultant