3.5: Horses  3.7: Pasture Seeds

3.6: Fodder Crops

Objective: Assist in developing the Australian horse industry and enhancing its export potential.   Budget: $710,000  

• Decrease wastage in the industry, associated with both reproduction and athletic injuries. One key issue is development of better management and treatment strategies for "tying up" in horses.
• Identify and support epidemiologically related projects. Two key areas for population based studies of important diseases that cause significant economic loss include: developmental orthopaedic disease in foals and "shin soreness" in racehorses. The Committee is particularly interested in projects that involve collaborative work between discipline areas and institutions.
• Support collaborative research between veterinary practitioners and universities with an emphasis on linking practitioners on short term research projects.
• Identify and support projects that have relevance to equestrian activities for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
• Support exchange of information between local and overseas researchers.

The major program areas are outlined in the Horse Industry Plan (see our Internet web site http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/rirdc/).

Background

The horse industry is one of Australia’s biggest industries and is worth more than $15 billion per annum. There are more than 1.2 million horses used for racing, equestrian sports, and recreation and there is a large breeding industry, with Australia producing the second highest number of Thoroughbred foals in the world, after the USA.

In 1995, RIRDC appointed and Equine Research and Development Advisory Committee to oversee a research and development program, following agreement by the Australian Racing Board to provide significant financial support. The Committee oversees the investment of government and industry funds in equine research and development projects.

Since the commencement of the program, additional financial support has been received from the Australian Harness Racing Council, the Equestrian Federation of Australia, the Australian Stock Horse Society, the Australian Quarter Horse Association, the Australian Equine Veterinary Association, the Australian Thoroughbred Breeders Club and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia.

The Committee has worked closely with the Australian Horse Industry Council in promoting and integrating the research and development program to meet the needs of the horse industry.

Achievements for 1997-98

• Continued support for equine research and development projects across Australia, with 29 current projects in place, covering infectious diseases, reproduction, nutrition, pasture research, lameness and working surfaces.
• Continued the Quarterly RIRDC Equine Research News as a major vehicle for dissemination of information about the Equine Research and Development Program bringing the latest research information to the horse industry, in a user-friendly format. The newsletter is distributed to more than 10,000 people in the horse industry and is made available free of charge to all horse organisations to distribute to their members. It is estimated that the information reaches more than 100,000 people.
• Further developed the Internet web site which contains invaluable information about the Equine Research and Development Program, indexed articles previously published in the RIRDC Equine Research News, the Equine Research and Development Plan and information on the Equine R&D Advisory Committee.
• Produced the major booklet Developmental Orthopaedic Disease in Horses, which summarises all the published information on this significant disease of growing horses.
• Established international links with horse research organisations worldwide. These links have been enhanced with two Internet electronic mail lists, horsesci and austhorse, which have been developed to allow rapid communication between horse industry groups and international researchers.
• Reviewed, with the assistance of major horse organisations, the Research and Development Strategic Plan for the horse industry. This review enabled identification of key strategies for 1999/2000.
• Held a major workshop on Equine Epidemiology to enhance skills of veterinary researchers in this important area and to establish strategic goals for future research.
• Held the third annual RIRDC-Vetsearch Equine Research Awards in Sydney, with the award for Major Industry Contribution going to Dr. Reg Pascoe of Oakey, Queensland. Awards also were made to Dr. Chris Pollitt of the University of Queensland for Equine Researcher of the Year to Dr. James Gilkerson of the University of Sydney for the Equine Research Student of the year.

Strategies for 1998-99

The projects recommended for funding in 1998-99 will address the major program issues by:

• better understanding constraints to the use of information, enhancing communication,
• examining better methods for prevention and treatment of major limb problems of horses,
• developing technical issues relating to horse vaccines,
• examination of nutrition and growth in young horses and
• determining the significance of rhinovirus respiratory infections in horses.

Expected key outcomes in 1998-99

• Publication of a national database on the nutritional values of feedstuffs for horses and recommendations for feeding using Australian feeds.
• Review of research on equine nutrition
• Enhancement of communication and information for the Australian horse industry.
• Development of a national strategy for equine training programs - coordination of all the tertiary training programs that deal with education and training in relation to horses. This will arise from a major consultancy and workshop.
• Publication of a booklet on issues related to management of horses kept in urban surroundings.
• Publication of a booklet on air quality in stables and during transport.
• Publication of a booklet on drought feeding of horses
• Publication of a booklet on training and fitness in athletic horses
• Conduct a major horse industry seminar on the latest research findings from RIRDC funded equine research projects

Sub-Program 3.6: Fodder Crops

Objective: To facilitate the development of a sustainable and profitable Australian fodder industry.

Budget: $154,000

 

• Improve Australia’s competitiveness in the development and supply of fodder based products for the intensive livestock industries in Australia and emerging livestock industries in East Asia.
• Develop varieties of fodder species that better meet existing and potential market requirements for domestic and export customers.
• Provide a clear understanding of and effective control mechanisms for disease, weed, pest and micro-organism impacts on fodder production.
• Ensure Australian produced fodder in domestic and export markets meets customer expectations for quality in terms of product description and quality attributes, such as metabolisable energy, protein content and level of extraneous matter and residues.
• Ensure early successful adoption of R&D program outcomes.

Background

Fodder is defined as the wide range of crop and pasture species grown, which are harvested and lightly processed to facilitate both on farm use and domestic and export trade.

The fodder industry is large with an estimated 20,000 producers on 46,000 properties across all States producing approximately 1.2 million tonnes of hay and other products a year. This production is traded as a wide range of fodder including lucerne, clover, pasture, cereal straw and others. The gross value of farm gate production is estimated at $750 million per annum (ABS) and with value adding has a gross value of production in excess of $1 billion per annum.

About 80 percent of production is for on-farm use, much of it made on the same property but the off-farm traded fodder sector is increasing in size to supply domestic and export markets.

Fodder is grown in all States of Australia, but is concentrated in Victoria and New South Wales. The largest domestic market users are the dairy and beef industries although the horse industry is also a significant user of fodder.

The animal feeds industry in East Asia is estimated to be $US 10 billion, and it is perceived that a large untapped demand will enable the industry to develop many new opportunities. Australia to date has had limited success in this market. Japan is currently Australia’s most important export market buying 7,200 tonnes of lucerne hay, 8,900 tonnes of lucerne meal and pellets and 211,000 tonnes of other hay and chaff in 1996/97 worth approximately $57 million. The growth in the dairy, feedlot and livestock industries is providing opportunities for industry growth in the future.

Achievements for 1997-98

• Developed effective tests for Corynetoxin toxicity risk assessment enhancing consumer confidence in Australian hay especially on export markets.
• Development by laboratories around Australia of a common standard for assessing metabolisable energy content of primary fodder species. A workshop was held to finalise and accept these standards and mechanisms are being negotiated to develop an industry supported system for maintaining this standard in the longer term.
• Results from the "Haymaker" project produced large improvements in both water use efficiency and farmer profitability for lucerne growers. The system developed is also being adopted as best management practice for other irrigated crops.

Strategies for 1998-99

• Development of screening tests for monitoring Corynetoxin contamination so that the industry is in a position to integrate this into its quality assurance system.
• Field testing of microbial inoculants for hay preservation.
• Development of disease resistant, high yielding oat cultivars with enhanced quality for hay production.
• Establishment of a R&D levy based funding structure for the industry.

Expected key outcomes in 1998-99

• Release of sulla and other new forage species for southern Australia.

Sub-Program 3.7: Pasture Seeds

Objective: To facilitate the growth of a profitable and sustainable pasture seeds industry based on a reputation for the reliable supply, domestically and internationally, of a range of pasture species.

Budget: $350,000

 

• Develop export and import replacement opportunities for Australian pasture seed growers.
• Improve the technical and economic information available to suppliers and users of pasture seed.
• Improve the overall productivity and returns from producing and marketing quality Australian pasture seeds.
• Address environmental issues impacting on all facets of the pasture seeds industry.
• Improve communication within all sectors of the pasture seeds industry.
• Develop systems that support industry quality assurance and self-regulation.

Australia, with its diversity of climate and growing conditions, is able to produce pasture seed ranging from temperate to subtropical species for domestic use and for export markets. The export value of pasture seeds exceeds $30 million.

Lucerne and clover are the major leviable seed crop. Total production of leviable temperate legume seed currently exceeds 10,000 tonnes. Perennial grasses (phalaris, cocksfoot, tall fescue and ryegrass) are grown for seed in all States, with Victoria having the greatest production. Perennial grass seed production is not levied for R&D and thus research projects on perennial grass seeds is dependent on progress being made for the introduction of these levies.

The main subtropical grasses grown for seed in north-eastern New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory are Rhodes grass, Setaria, panicum, carpet grass and paspalum. While none of the tropical and subtropical pasture species are currently levied, the industry has indicated its support for a levy on these seeds and industry and RIRDC will further pursue this in 1998. A levy base would provide the scope for an expansion of the research program to include subtropical species.

Achievements for 1997-98

• Work in Western Australia has provided good evidence of benefits from growing lucerne in higher rainfall areas. This project has resulted in a large increase in lucerne planting in Western Australia.
• Developed a model for the successful expansion of the domestic temperate pasture seed market which was tested in Victoria. This model received strong support and scope to expand its use to other areas is being investigated.

• Development of improved irrigation practices and crop diversification for temperate pasture seeds.
• Improved subterranean clover seed yields via a grower network to facilitate shared learning and communication.
• Development and testing of two further new forage crops suitable for Australian growing conditions and export markets.
• A concerted emphasis on lucerne seed production through: identification of lucerne varieties for increased seed yield; evaluation and management of lucerne seed wasp; and investigation of the importance and causes of ‘lucerne yellows.

• Development of a bacterial wilt test to facilitate the export of lucerne seed will be completed.

New varieties of fodder legumes for Australian conditions should be released during the year enhancing export opportunities