Measurements were made of the wool growth, body weight gain and diet of sheep grazing a saltbush pasture near Broken Hill, N.S.W.
The experiment utilized a fenceline contrast in saltbush (Atriplex vesrcarra) density that was visible on Landsat imagery. It ran for five years
(1976-1981) with a design of two pasture types by two stocking rates. Fleece weights varied from 3.9-6.0 kg/head and wool production from
0.6-2.9 kg/ha. Neither wool production per head nor bodyweight were substantially affected by stocking rate or pasture type. The composition
and quality of the diets selected by sheep on both pastures were identical and of high nutritional value indicating their capability to accommodate
differences in pasture composition. Pasture quality was not limiting between stocking rates or determined by the abundance of saltbush.
Changes in pasture composition resulting from grazing and exclosure were small and of no significance.
Full-text publications from the Australian Rangelands Society (ARS) Biennial Conference Proceedings (1997-), Rangeland Journal (ARS/CSIRO; 1976-), plus videos and other resources about the rangelands of Australia.