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🇦🇺 Australia /Environment & Climate

Green paddocks mask lingering drought

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • New green grass is appearing in New South Wales paddies, but farmers warn the drought is not over.
  • The "green drought" means grass lacks nutritional value because the soil is depleted, forcing farmers to continue hand-feeding livestock.
  • Animal nutritionist Jill Kelly advises farmers against returning livestock to pastures too soon, as the grass is mostly water and animals may lose condition.

Paddocks across New South Wales are showing a deceptive flush of green, masking the ongoing drought conditions. While recent rainfall has brought forth new grass, farmers and experts warn that this "green drought" presents a new set of challenges.

That green pick looks great but it's probably 80 to 90 per cent moisture, so it's water. It's like trying to live on watermelon.

— Jill KellyAnimal nutritionist Jill Kelly describes the deceptive nature of the new grass growth during the "green drought."

The new growth, often called "green pick," is primarily water and lacks the nutritional value needed for livestock. Soil remains depleted, forcing farmers to continue expensive hand-feeding of their animals. This situation is particularly critical during lambing, calving, and lactating periods, when animals have higher nutritional demands.

So they'll probably go backwards.

— Jill KellyJill Kelly explains the risk of livestock losing condition if put back on pastures too soon.

Animal nutritionist Jill Kelly urges farmers to resist the temptation to move livestock back onto pastures prematurely. She explains that the high water content means animals would need to consume vast quantities to feel full, potentially leading to weight loss and a decline in condition. "It's like trying to live on watermelon," she noted.

I hate the thought of letting them out, letting them chase pick, letting them lose weight, running out of feed in three weeks anyway and then having to feed them again and they've dropped a few kilos in the process, but I do get the temptation.

— Jill KellyJill Kelly expresses her concern about the temptation farmers face to return livestock to pastures prematurely.

Kelly also cautions that grazing on short grass can hinder the plants' ability to regrow properly. She emphasizes that each leaf acts like a solar panel, and for optimal growth, especially during colder winter days, every leaf needs to capture maximum sunlight. Farmers are advised to wait until the grass has developed deeper roots and sufficient nutritional value before returning their stock to the paddocks.

Imagine every leaf is like a solar panel and so with limited sunlight, if we've got some overcast or some colder winter June days, we really want every leaf on that plant to be doing its absolute maximum to capture sunlight and to get plant growth.

— Jill KellyJill Kelly explains why grazing on short grass can impede plant recovery and growth.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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