Mallee Forage Shrubs Decision Tree

A tool for the management and enhancement of forage shrub plantings

Welcome to our Forage Shrubs Decision Tree!

Perennial forage shrubs, or mixtures of forage shrubs and pasture, can provide a highly productive, complimentary grazing resource on mixed farms in southern Australia. Benefits span both livestock production and natural resource management, since plantings not only add to the resilience of the feed base, but also improve biodiversity and help protect or reclaim degraded land.

There are many different ways that forage shrub plantings can be set up and managed. For example, farmers may choose to grow one type of shrub or many, in either alley or block plantings, with or without pasture in the inter-row space.

Many farmers across the Mallee regions of NSW, Victorian and SA Mallee regions have already planted saltbush, but are interested in improving the way they manage their plantings. Other farmers may be new to forage shrubs but aren’t sure how to establish them. This decision tree has been set up to provide interested farmers with information on better management of existing plantings, or how to go about setting up new forage shrub plantings .

The decision tree assumes three different scenarios for growing and managing fodder shrubs. To use the decision tree, simply select the scenario that reflects your situation and intentions. You will then be led through a number of follow-up questions and provided with a set of recommendations and factsheets that will guide you towards best-bet management options.

1. Is your main interest to improve an existing saltbush planting?

There are many plantings of saltbush in the Mallee that have survived over 20 years, but have become too dense and overgrown. In some cases, livestock have not performed as well as expected on the forage. This decision pathway explores how to rejuvenate existing plantings and better manage grazing of shrubs.

2. Is your main interest to rehabilitate saline or erosion prone ground?

There are areas on many farms that are not profitable for cropping. These areas may be showing early signs of salinity (discharge area), possibly have subsoil constraints, or be at risk of wind erosion. Rather than “writing off” these areas or letting them further degrade, they can be regenerated with forage shrubs.

3. Is your main interest in improving whole farm feed stability and/or providing extra shelter for stock?

The resilience and perennial nature of forage shrubs creates a more stable feed supply. This is more evident in dry seasons where forage shrubs can be used to fill feed gaps, and allow the deferred grazing of autumn pasture grazing so that feed can ‘get away’. Forage shrubs also provide a rich source of protein and minerals, and shelter from extreme weather.

Shrubs Decision Tree

What is your primary interest in forage shrubs?

Is your main interest to improve an existing saltbush planting?

Is your main interest to rehabilitate saline or erosion prone ground?

Are you primarily interested in improving whole farm feed stability and/or providing extra shelter for stock?

What are the characteristics of your existing Old Man Saltbush?

Old man saltbush can grow tall and wide, with new shoots growing beyond grazing height. There are some simple approaches to improving existing plantings and improving feed utilisation.

Are the shrubs are too dense and overgrown?

Would you like feed utilisation and livestock performance on shrubs to be improved?

Based on your decisions above, there’s two suggested actions that you could take. These are displayed below.

Action option 1

Improve stand by pruning, removing rows and establishing inter-row pasture

Pruning: Overgrown saltbush plants can be successfully pruned back to an ideal size to stimulate new growth accessible to sheep.

Removing rows: Shrubs planted too densely are less productive due to increased competition between shrubs. Rows can be removed to allow better pasture growth and access for stock and machinery.

Companion Pasture: By creating more room between saltbush plants, inter-row pasture can be better established and managed.

Action option 2

Refine grazing management and use of supplementary feeds

Annual grazing: To get the best out of forage shrubs, it is important to graze at least annually, and in years of plentiful growth twice a year.

High-density stocking: Stocking densities need to be high to promote even grazing. This usually means that shrubs need to be fenced and paddock size needs to be small.

Train stock to eat shrubs: Sheep that are not used to shrubs need to be introduced to their new diet gradually. A small number of positive, low stress experiences are required to change grazing behaviour.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Refine grazing management and use of supplementary feeds

Annual grazing: To get the best out of forage shrubs, it is important to graze at least annually and in years of plentiful growth grazing twice a year is recommended.

High-density stocking: Stocking densities need to be high to promote even grazing. This usually means that shrubs need to be fenced and paddock size needs to be small.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

What are the characteristics of your rehabilitation zones?

When designing a rehabilitation planting, it is important to consider factors such as size, location, and whether or not the area can support pasture growth at the time of planting.

Are your areas are small (less than 3 ha), irregular in shape and isolated?

Are your unproductive areas substantial (greater than 5-10 ha)?

Are you willing to use rotational grazing techniques to improve utilisation of different types of feed?

Grazing at least annually, and in years of plentiful growth twice a year, will keep shrubs short and productive. Grazing with cattle and older experienced sheep to ‘finish up’ shrubs which have grown out of reach of smaller animals is also a useful option if available.

Yes, I am prepared to implement rotational grazing management.

No, implementing rotational grazing would not suit my situation.

Are your areas able to or have the potential to support pasture growth?

Having some pasture growth is essential for preserving ground cover, particularly in low-productivity areas. While the main goal is to regenerate or improve these areas using forage shrubs, they can still serve as a valuable feed source for livestock, primarily through understorey pasture.

No, grazing small paddocks of different shrubs and pasture, and shifting stock every 1-3 weeks, would not suit my situation.

Yes, I am prepared to rotate stock every 1-2 weeks through small paddocks containing different feeds at high grazing pressure

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Establishing blocks of forage shrubs on salt-affected or eroded sandy soils

Many farms in the Mallee have saline areas present that do not support pasture growth. Forage shrubs can play an important role in remediating these areas by using more water, slowing wind speeds, or providing ground cover during dry months.

Action: Establish blocks of saltbush

- Where shrubs sites cannot support pasture growth, shrubs are established in blocks
- Farmers typically use Old Man Saltbush but can also consider newer varieties like Anameka and Eyres Green that are more productive but don’t self seed. Consider River Saltbush on waterlogged saline sites, or Mallee Saltbush on very sandy sites.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Establishing a shrub-pasture mix

Many Mallee farms have areas of land that are unproductive for cropping but will still support forage shrubs and some level of pasture production. In this situation, the under-storey pastures provide the bulk of the feed on offer, and the shrubs provide a complementary source of crude protein and minerals.

Farmers typically use Old Man Saltbush but can also consider newer varieties like Anameka and Eyres Green that are more productive but don’t self seed. Consider River Saltbush on waterlogged saline sites, or Mallee Saltbush on very sandy sites.
Shrubs can be established in blocks or alleys
With alleys, consider the width needed for machinery access down the inter-row so that grazing crops or pastures can be sown.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Establish diverse shrub and pasture stands

Perennial forage shrubs combined with annual or perennial pasture species provide a highly productive, complementary grazing resource for mixed farms.

This type of planting is most likely to be used where plantings are substantial in size, and can be fenced into multiple paddocks to allow rotational grazing.

The pasture component provides most feed bulk, while the mix of shrubs providing a complementary source of nutrients and minerals.

Good grazing management is essential to ensure the most palatable species are not grazed out first.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

Are the shrubs to improve whole farm feed stability, or primarily for shelter off-shears or in poor weather?

A planting of diverse forage shrubs can improve the resilience and productivity of mixed farms in the Mallee by providing ‘out of season’ feed for livestock and nutritional diversity, and improve overall productivity if planted on land that does not produce productive crops and pasture. The type of planting to establish can depend on the characteristics of your land. Shrubs can also provide shelter for stock off-shears.

Are the shrubs to improve whole farm feed stability?

Are shrubs to primarily provide shelter for livestock in poor weather or off-shears?

What are the characteristics of the available land?

When designing a diverse planting, it is important to consider factors such as size, location, and whether or not the area can support pasture growth at the time of planting.

Are your areas are small (less than 3 ha), irregular in shape and isolated?

Are your areas are substantial in size (greater than 5-10 ha) and located close to each other?

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Establishing blocks of diverse forage shrubs

Many farms in the Mallee contain soils that do not grow productive crops or pastures. With investment in shrubs and fencing, and a preparedness to rotationally graze, block plantings of diverse shrubs can be successfully established and used.

The nutritional needs of grazing livestock vary significantly over time, both within the year and between years.
Providing livestock with a forage mix comprised of different shrubs, each with their own unique combination of nutrients and minerals, increases the chance of fulfilling nutritional requirements and reduces the need for feed supplements.
Good grazing management is essential to ensure most palatable species are not grazed out first.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Establish shrubs in low density blocks or alleys with pasture grown in-between

Where farmers are primarily interested in improving the resilience of the livestock feedbase, and are prepared to rotate stock through shrub-pasture plantings, they should consider establishing mixtures of diverse shrubs and pasture.

Under-storey pastures provide the bulk of the feed on offer, with shrubs providing a complementary source of crude protein and minerals.
These plantings can not only improve farm productivity and drought resilience, but also improve salinity, erosion and biodiversity outcomes.
The optimal design is likely to be double or triple rows of diverse shrubs separated by alleys that support grazing cereals or sown pastures.
Grazing management is paramount – diverse shrub and pasture mixes need to be grazed at high intensity with stock rotated frequently to ensure all feeds are utilised and no particular species is overgrazed.

Looking for more resources?

Download the following fact sheets to learn more information about establishment, management, and control of shrubs.

Based on your decisions above the suggested action that you could take is displayed below.

Saltbush planted primarily to provide shelter for livestock.

Where the primary purpose of a shrub planting is to provide feed and shelter for sheep during poor weather, the normal approach is to plant blocks of saltbush

Planting just one kind of shrub gives greater flexibility in how grazing is managed
During lambing, a shrub-based paddock during can also improve lamb survival
Small block plantings near sheep yards are a great way for farmers to make a start with forage shrubs and their management.