Key Points
- Grazing of the wheat grain crop - a forgotten opportunity. However growers should be aware that it is an economically viable option whereby the grazed late winter feed is worth $150-250/ha plus $100/ha potential savings due to lower crop inputs – a valuable contribution on top of a typical $1000/ha wheat gross margin.
- Ten trials over four seasons have shown that grazing of autumn sown wheat at GS30-31 (end of tillering – beginning of stem elongation) gives the best compromise of forage accumulation without loss of grain from grazing.
- A best management guidelines booklet is available at https://www.far.org.nz/members/publications.
- The completion of the SFF/FAR funded project involved an on-farm demonstration, whereby a commercial crop was successfully grazed. Grazing had caused no significant grain yield loss, no difference in test weight, screenings, or wheat heads/m2 at harvest.
- Leading up to GS30-31 (late August), the ideal timing for grazing wheat, consider now where might be the opportunities on your farm to get some free wheat grazing, while taking the pressure off other grazing areas.