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Grazing failed crops

Update prepared by Allan Herbert

There are a number of reasons for not turning your sheep into a 'failed' crop. Think about the decision carefully and fully justify it to yourself before taking action. These are the issues you need to weigh up:

• The yield of grain crops to break even on the cost of harvesting is quite low. Harvesting yourself might normally cost around $20/ha and for a contractor around $30/ha. Given improved prices this year, you only need yields of around 100-150 kg/ha for wheat and lupins to cover costs of harvesting.
• Don't worry about retrieving the full cost of production - do your calculations on the cost of harvesting versus your on-farm grain price. Establishment and growing costs are 'sunk' costs - they are in the past and you can no longer do anything about them.
• Harvesting a very low yielding crop could be more expensive than normal. Consider possible damage/repair costs in picking up sand, rocks and stumps. Machine settings may need to be adjusted for low trash levels. There will most likely be high sievings which might require grading to obtain a deliverable sample. If harvesting costs are double normal plus you lose 50% of the yield by grading, you still only need around 500-600 kg/ha paddock yield to be in front.
• Cash will be important in financing next year's program. The more cash you can bring into your accounts the less you will have to borrow next year. Even small amounts of cash from grain income after you have covered harvest costs will assist. Grazing low yielding crops means that opportunity is lost and may only partially be made up by sheep/wool sales.
• If feed is so scarce that you are considering putting the sheep into crops, you should be thinking seriously about whether to hold on to those sheep anyway. A failed crop is not going to supply a lot of feed (unless it is very weedy) and sheep sales income, even if stock are not in great condition, will contribute to a better cash flow position.
• Wind erosion should be factored into the equation. Sheep not only remove plant cover but also loosen the soil surface with their hooves as they move around the paddock. It would be a shame to reduce the paddock potential for next year's recovery crop.

Grazing failed crops is possibly an option where:

• The crop is overrun with weeds and will not be a harvesting proposition.
• High value livestock need a temporary refuge.
• Value adding to livestock will be greater than harvest returns.

On balance, it is suggested you work towards harvesting and consider grazing as a last resort. If you are chasing weed control as a tactical move for next year's program, perhaps mechanical topping or chemicals are a more reliable strategy - with less wind erosion risk. Another option could be green/brown manure.

Page updated: 14 October 2010