Saltbush - A Living Haystack

By Mary-Anne Young, Rural Solutions SA

A saltbush plantation can serve as a haystack in times of feed shortage. The most commonly used saltbush species is "Oldman" saltbush or Atriplex nummularia. 

Good grazing management of saltbush is important to maximise its productivity and maintain stock health. Hard grazing of "oldman" saltbush until nearly all of the leaf is eaten and then complete removal of stock, is the best way to utilise saltbush plantations. The plants will start to reshoot after about 8 weeks and shouldn't be grazed again until they have good leaf cover.
Hard grazing will also help control woody growth. Bushes should not be allowed to grow out of grazing height, as the more palatable growth will eventually be out of reach of stock.

Saltbush alone is not suitable for stock and it will need to be supplemented with pasture, stubbles, hay or grain so stock have a balanced diet. Leaving wide spacing between rows of saltbush so that pasture can be grown, or placing saltbush plantations adjacent to pasture and stubble paddocks that can be grazed in conjunction with the saltbush, are some of the ways producers are doing this.

It is also essential that stock have plentiful amounts of good quality water as their salt intake will be high.

The majority of saltbush is planted as "speedlings" - seedlings grown in trays and then planted out. Planting machines are usually used to plant the speedlings out at rates of up to 20,000 plants a day.

Good site preparation is important for moisture conservation and weed control. Ripping and spraying the site off well in advance of planting will help improve establishment.

Planting after opening rains or winter rains will give the plants enough time to establish before summer.

Fencing off is essential so that grazing can be controlled.