"Old Cathundral" In brief..

Property:

Old Cathundral

Address:

Trangie

Owners:

Hugh Irving

Phone:

Area (in hectares)

3150 ha

Rainfall (mm/pa)

450 mm

Oldman Saltbush area (hecatares)

110 ha

year of first Planting

1999

Q & A: an interview with Hugh Irving

Why OMSB planted?  

1.                  Claypan country  to get it productive.

2.                  Increase feed stability.

What grazing and pasture benefits have been observed? 

To be able to get grazing production off a saltpan and to stop the water runoff from this country. To have a feed reserve for the dry times.

What financial benefits have been observed?  None really as yet -  apart from having grazing from totally degraded country, but animals slipped back in condition. I only planted my 2^nd saltbush planting last year and this was on good soil. This is still to be grazed.

Biggest OMSB impact?   No change yet to total grazing plan. Reclamation of salt pan.

Any problems with OMSB?  Loss of condition of mixed aged ewes while on the bush that was on the salt pan country.

Do you / if you had a salinity problem, do you think OMSB would help with controlling deep drainage and/or lowering the water table?  Yes

Would you like to increase your area sown to OMSB? Yes, especially claypan country.

What limits your planting of a larger area?  Cost

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