PLANNED pastures have been key to giving livestock its best start for the Jaeschke family, Eden Valley.
Andrew and Kate Jaeschke have set aside lucerne pastures for their weaner cattle for the past few years, with the venture such a success, they plan to expand the lucerne production.
In August 2014, seven months after a bushfire swept across their property, the Jaeschkes planted about 28 hectares of L71 variety lucerne in a dryland paddock.
Despite a tough season, the lucerne established itself and has gone on to be a good crop.
Mr Jaeschke said he preferred to avoid grazing the lucerne for about the first 10 months in order to let it get established.
Since then he has used the paddock for weaner calves, referring to it as the “calf factory”. Last season it was oversown with oats and had two hay cuts before being locked in preparation for the young cattle.
The success of this paddock has encouraged the Jaeschkes to plan further lucerne plantings.
In April this year Mr Jaeschke said they plan to sow about 36ha of lucerne in a paddock bordering their existing stand, with the eventual plan to have a series of adjoining paddocks planted to perennial pastures.
Mr Jaeschke said lucerne could be an expensive pasture to establish, but maintained that the right care makes it worthwhile.
“It can be an expensive crop to grow, so you need to do it properly,” he said.
He said there were also some paddocks of lucerne on the property that were planted 15 years ago.
“If you look after them without chewing them down, they will last but if you hammer them, you won’t get the lifespan,” he said. “Then if you divide the costs across 15 years, it’s not expensive.”
These stands were hit by the Eden Valley fire in January 2014, which burnt out about 728ha of their 770ha property.
Mr Jaeschke said he was impressed with how the lucerne withstood the fire.
“It spurred me on to consider lucerne as a fire break,” he said. “After the fire, everything was black and charred, then we had rain on Valentines Day.
“It really helps the mind to look down and say ‘yes, I’ve got green feed’.”
While the existing lucerne stands are saved for young calves, Mr Jaeschke said the new plantings will give some flexibility and open more options.
“With more paddocks, we will have the opportunity to do other things, like maybe put in the first-calf heifers and give them a head start,” he said.
Elizabeth Anderson
Editor of Stock Journal.
Editor of Stock Journal.
