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NSWAgricultureQuick questions
Core Part A: Plant Production
Quick questions on Pasture establishment and management explained: HSC Agriculture Plant Production
2short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is species selection?Show answer
The first decision is matching the pasture species to the environment. A producer assesses rainfall, soil pH, soil texture, drainage and the intended livestock enterprise. In the high-rainfall tablelands of NSW (for example around Goulburn), perennial ryegrass and white clover suit cool moist conditions. In drier mixed-farming zones such as the central west, more drought-tolerant species like phalaris, cocksfoot and lucerne persist better.
What is grazing management?Show answer
How a pasture is grazed determines whether it persists or runs down. The key biological principle is that pasture plants need a recovery period to rebuild root reserves and leaf area after defoliation. Continuous set-stocking lets animals repeatedly bite the most palatable plants, weakening them until they die out and weeds invade. Rotational grazing divides the farm into paddocks and moves stock so each paddock is grazed quickly then rested.
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