BROADCARE farmers are latching on to research done into chaff carts according to Tecfarm chaff cart designer and sales representative Matt Barrett-Lennard of Bruce Rock.
Mr Barrett-Lennard said over the past few years there had an increase in the use of chaff carts by mainly mixed farmers, although he has seen a trend from broadacre farmers who are moving towards seed destructors.
“Over the past two to three years people have become aware of it,” Mr Barrett-Lennard said.
He said some farmers who were a bit sceptical at first have gradually come around to seeing the benefits.
The awareness is mostly due to a number of reports published on the research done by AgPro Management director Ed Riggall who has conducted trials across four properties in Kojonup, Tenterden, Darkan and Cranbrook.
The trials reveal that farmers have nothing to lose and sheep have everything to gain from feeding on chaff piles.
Chaff carts were originally designed to reduce weed seeds spreading during harvest.
The cart is attached to the harvester and works as a weed controller by minimising the spread of plant matter, depositing it in distinct piles.
Mr Riggall said farmers should consider chaff piles as a means of feeding stock over the dry summer months.
“Chaff piles are an overlooked management tool when it comes to costly feeding over the summer-autumn feed gap,” Mr Riggall said.
“By utilising a resource that is already on farm, costs can be reduced and sheep condition gained.”
Mr Riggall said dumping in piles had resulted in increased stubble feed quality, as the chaff and seeds were not trampled during grazing and were less exposed to weathering.
“Sheep are able to feed on stubbles for longer as the quality of chaff is maintained,” Mr Riggall said.
He said the four research trials had found that sheep grazing the paddock with chaff piles had an average weight gain of 2.4 kilogram more than sheep that grazed identical stubbles where no chaff cart had been used.
“These gains were advantages of 3.9kg in some areas, with trials over wet summers showing that chaff carts were still advantageous,” Mr Riggall said.
“Economic modelling estimated that the value of reduced supplementary feed alone on a 2000 hectare mixed farm – 50/50 sheep and crop – could be around $29,000 every year.
“There was also an impact on ewe productivity, which is a direct influence on profits.
“Sheep grazing chaff carts had higher pregnancy scanning potential due to being in better condition.
“Scanning potential was 18 per cent higher in chaff pile eaters, with a 25pc increase in lamb survival rate.”
The Kojonup trial was conducted over a six-week grazing period with the assistance of farmer Ben Webb who runs a mixed enterprise of 60/40 broadacre and Merino ratio.
The trial included lambing rates and whole-farm profitability.
Mr Webb runs 4500 mated ewes and has been looking at ways to decrease feeding across the feed gap.
Mr Riggall said Mr Webb has been using chaff carts on his 1200ha crop for the past two years, with promising results.
“The property started looking at chaff carts as they had chemical resistance to ryegrass and wanted another tool in the belt to help reduce weed burdens,” Mr Riggall said.
“Ben was also interested to see if he could spend less time sheep feeding during summer and autumn.
“He found that the use of chaff carts significantly reduced the amount of hand feeding required.
“Now with chaff piles, supplement feeding only occurs during the month of joining to have ewes in good condition to increase lambing potential, and to the small weaner ewe flock, who receive 50 grams of lupins per day.
“Ben has even decided not to make hay as he believes there is sufficient feed in the chaff piles as he rotates the mobs across the farm.”
Prior to chaff piles, ewes on his farm were being fed about 250g lupins and 150g oats per head per day for the duration of the feed gap.
Mr Riggall said the chaff piles have provided extensive benefits including weight changes of sheep to an average of 4.4kg more than the ewes without piles on traditional stubble.
“Lambing percentages were also higher in the mobs that had been feeding on chaff piles compared to those who had not by 25pc, due to being in better condition,” Mr Riggall said.
He said for those considering purchasing a chaff cart there were a number of products available, however quality and reliability were important factors to consider when paying $80,000 for a new one.
Tecfarm is hoping to have a cheaper, quality built 40 cubic metre Smartcart chaff cart on the market next year.
Mr Barrett-Lennard said the business was in the “final stages of tweaking” its design and hoped to be out in the paddock this harvest to test it.
“If it goes well we hope to have it on the market next year,” Mr Barrett-Lennard said.
He said a good quality chaff cart averaged between $70,000-$80,000 for the two main sizes (30 and 40 cubic metres) but they had found the price to be slightly out of range for many sheep farmers who have to feed out a lot.
“Total croppers are moving away from chaff carts to destructors, which has put a lot of second hand carts on the market which we never saw before,” Mr Barrettl-Lennard said.
“We recognise that they need to come down in price and that’s the direction we are heading.
“We are in the process of making them lighter and more affordable, while also providing a top quality product.”
Tecfarm produces about 25 chaff carts a year and has branched out from supplying the local market to include South Australia.
Tecfarm has been registered for 10 years and had its first four carts available to the market in 2011.
Mr Barrett-Lennard said the business was at the stage of looking for an agent in the Eastern States to begin supplying there.
