Preliminary findings from Spyglass Research Facility, September 2026
Dry season feed quantity and quality are major constraints to steer growth in North Queensland’s seasonally dry tropics. Palatable, perennial and productive legumes adapted to relatively dry conditions, such as leucaena, desmanthus and stylos, have the potential to:
- improve dry season nutrition, resulting in higher liveweight gains for longer periods
- support higher stocking rates
- improve nutrient cycling within pastures.
An 80-hectare trial site was established at the Queensland Department of Primary Industries Spyglass Beef Research Facility to investigate whether strip planting these legumes into existing pastures can improve productivity and overcome dry season feed limitations.
The preliminary economic analysis in this study uses diet and animal production data collected in 2024 during a frost-affected year which followed a year with minimal frost impacts. A native grassland scenario based on local production statistics, while not physically tested, is included to represent business as usual. This paper includes two analyses:
- Measured 2024 animal production and stocking rates from the trial site (Part A).
- Calculated potential stocking rates, derived from pasture composition and yield measured at the end of the 2023–2024 growing season (Part B).
This analysis focuses on the establishment phase results, with a full assessment of mature pasture performance to be completed as additional data becomes available. The stylos and desmanthus, although less productive than leucaena, are more broadly adapted and have lower establishment and ongoing costs. All legumes can reduce the cost of dry season nitrogen supplementation by supplying digestible protein as leaf.
