08 Oct 2016

1 Pasture and animal production

Potassium for pastures
Pastures and potassium


Australian research has shown increases in both pasture and livestock production with potassium fertilisation, often associated with an improvement in the legume component of mixed pastures.
On duplex soils in coastal NSW, annual applications of potassium fertiliser have improved the liveweight (LW) gain of weaner steers on mixed pastures (see table).  This response was reliant upon seasonal conditions which allowed clover in the pastures to regenerate.

The effect of annual K applications on liveweight gain. (source Proc. First Workshop on Potassium in Aust. Agriculture, 1997)
Year
Steers/ha
Muriate of potash(kg/ha/yr in Years 1,2 and 3)
0
42
125
375
AverageLW gain(kg/ha)
Additional LW gain in response to K fertiliser(kg/ha)
1
2.5
335
- 8
- 5
108
2
3.75
251
60
56
116
3
3.75
521
60
150
199
4
3.75
390
124
330
210
5
2.5
213
95
133
140
6
2.5
293
35
80
80
Total Gain
366
744
853

In Western Australia on a low potassium site, potassium increased production of a mixed pasture. Where stocking rates were adjusted in accordance with improved pasture growth, wool production per hectare increased (see graph).

Greasy wool production with and without annual potassium application ((source CSBP Futurefarm))


This graph illustrates greasy wool production from a Western Australian pasture with and without annual potassium application and at two stocking rates. In 1994, 95 kg K/ha was applied, with a further 30 kg/ha in 1996

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