Grazing African lovegrass

Managing African lovegrass

African lovegrass is widespread across the Northern Tablelands and coastal NSW. 

Left unmanaged, it competes with introduced pasture species, reduces productivity, and creates a serious fire risk. 

You can’t eradicate it easily—but you can manage African lovegrass to improve livestock performance.

Below you can find out practical strategies for grazing African lovegrass, feed quality facts, and proven supplementation options for when pasture quality drops.

Types of lovegrass

There are several types of African lovegrass. The most common on the Northern Tablelands is blue lovegrass, which is bluish-green, shorter, less tufted, and slightly more palatable. The taller, tussocky green type is less palatable. 

African lovegrass should not be confused with other lovegrasses deliberately sown in Australia for grazing.

Table: Common lovegrass types

Growth pattern

African lovegrass grows fast in spring and summer, then hays off quickly and loses quality. Without management, it becomes “cardboard” feed for months.

Feed quality – why it’s a problem

Poor-quality lovegrass means poor animal health. Mature African lovegrass is very low in energy and protein, so cows and sheep lose weight if it’s their main feed source. Pregnant cows can lose nearly a kilo a day. A wether about 0.12 kg/day. 

African lovegrass stays poor until early spring when rain and warmer soil trigger new growth.

Table 1: Nutritional values of mature African lovegrass

How to graze the grass for better feed quality

You can make lovegrass work for you if you graze it while it’s green and growing. During its growth phase, it can reach good protein and energy levels—but quality drops after 30 days. In the growth phase, it can reach 15.6% protein, 8.9 MJ/kg DM energy and 61% digestibility. 

To graze effectively:

• Use a 30-day rotational grazing system with high stocking density to keep plants in the vegetative stage.
• Don’t use 2-week rotations—they reduce growth and don’t improve quality.
• Graze down to about 1000 kg DM/ha (3 cm) before spring for quick regrowth.

Example from Glen Innes

Stocking and infrastructure

High stock density doesn’t mean more animals overall—it means better pasture use. 

• If you buy extra stock, plan for winter feed because lovegrass doesn’t grow in late autumn or winter.
• Electric fencing is a cheap way to split paddocks for rotation.
• Position fences around watering points or use portable troughs.

What to do when African lovegrass takes over

If lovegrass has formed a dense stand, livestock won’t touch it. 

Burning is cheap and effective for the first clean-up. 

• Burn in cool conditions or after rain to reduce fire risk.
• Avoid annual burns—they damage soil and seedbanks.

Slashing or mulching stimulates fresh growth but don’t do it every year. Thick waxy stems break down slowly and can form a layer that blocks water and other species.

When fertiliser is worth it for African lovegrass

Start with a soil test. For light infestations, apply phosphorus, sulphur and trace elements if deficient. Add legumes when topdressing to boost competition.

For heavy infestations, fertiliser only pays if you plan to graze lovegrass properly. Nitrogen can lift summer growth, but check the economics. If grazing remains underutilised, fertiliser is usually uneconomical—except on very low phosphorus soils where phosphate improves animal health.

Supplementing livestock on mature African lovegrass

It's important to learn how to keep livestock productive when lovegrass quality drops. When African lovegrass matures, supplements are essential to maintain production. 

Here’s what your stock needs and how to provide it safely and cost-effectively.

Feeding the rumen

A healthy rumen needs energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. When grazing mature lovegrass, supplements keep rumen microbes active and digestion efficient.

Minimum requirements

Protein – why it’s critical

Sheep and cattle need at least 7% crude protein for normal rumen function. Low protein slows digestion, reduces intake and cuts productivity. Protein supplements can boost intake by up to 30%, improving growth and efficiency.

Options include:

• Pulse grains for sheep such as lupins (38% protein, low starch), peas and beans.
• Protein meals for cattle such as cottonseed, canola, soybean or sunflower meals.
• Non-protein nitrogen (urea) to provide nitrogen for rumen microbes.
  • Urea should not exceed 3 g/kg/day bodyweight.
  • Dry licks must be protected from rain to avoid dangerous pools.

Protein meals and pulses allow sheep and cattle to utilise protein over a longer period compared to non-protein nitrogen, making twice-weekly feeding effective.

Cottonseed is high in energy and protein but restrict oil intake:

• Limit cattle intake to 1% bodyweight/day (breeders: 4 kg, weaners: 2 kg).
• Sheep rarely consume more than 500 g/day.
• Feed cottonseed in dumps or through modified feeders to reduce wastage.

Energy supplements

Energy drives muscle development, fat storage and growth. Mature lovegrass won’t meet energy needs. Energy supplements include:

• Cereal grains (feed daily or every second day; use self-feeders for sheep).
• Molasses (high sugar, ~13 MJ/kg DM energy).
  • Fortified molasses with urea (M8U) improves fermentation.
  • Cows eat 2–3 kg/day; weaners less than 1 kg/day.
  • Note: Molasses corrodes concrete and galvanised iron tanks and troughs.

Minerals and vitamins

Sheep and cattle require many minerals, but most are needed in small amounts. The most important macro minerals are calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg).

Points to note:

• Most pastures provide adequate calcium but may have high potassium, low sodium and marginal magnesium.
• High potassium relative to sodium can affect magnesium and calcium absorption.
• Many supplements (grains, pulses, meals) can be low in calcium and sodium and high in potassium.

Mineral supplementation is recommended when grazing African lovegrass or feeding energy/protein supplements. Options include:

• Commercial blocks and dry licks.
• Homemade loose licks, for example:
  • 2/2/1 Lime/Salt/Causmag (Ca/Na/Mg)
  • 2/2/1/1 Lime/Salt/Causmag/Gypsum (adds sulphur)
  • 1/1 Dolomite/Salt (Ca/Mg/Na)
  • 1/1 Acid Buf/Salt (buffers against acidosis)
  • 2/1/1 Acid Buf/Salt/Gypsum (Ca/Mg/Na + S + buffer)

Sulphur can be added for wool-based flocks. Vitamins A, D and E are usually adequate on green feed; B12 deficiencies are rare but possible on sandy soils or during drought. These are available in vaccines or commercial blocks.

Summary tips on supplementation

• Review supplement costs regularly—profitability changes year to year. Use the drought and supplementary feed calculator (available in app stores).
• Combine protein and energy sources for best results.
• Introduce supplements slowly to avoid acidosis or ammonia toxicity.
• Cottonseed should be limited to 1% bodyweight/day for cattle.
• Feed cereal grains daily or every second day, or use self-feeders to reduce acidosis risk.

Stay on top of African lovegrass

African lovegrass is here to stay—and climate change may make it more common. Your best defence is to keep clean paddocks free with strict biosecurity, maintain groundcover with good grazing and fertiliser, and combine control methods for light infestations. For heavy infestations, grazing management is often the most practical option.

Regular checks and smart management can turn African lovegrass from a problem into a productive feed source.

How LLS can help

Local Land Services can provide tailored advice for your property, including grazing plans, feed budgeting and supplement strategies to make the most of African lovegrass.