Douglas-Daly Experiment Station
Encyclopedia
The Douglas-Daly Experiment Station was an extensive research site of the Northern Territory Administration (NTA) of the Government of Australia
and, after statehood, of the Northern Territory Government. It formed part of a string of similar research sites in northern Australia. Located at the junction of the Douglas and Daly Rivers and covering an area of approximately 100 km², the site spanned three major soil types of the Top End of the Northern Territory - Blain
, Tippera and Florina
soil types.
The climate is hot-humid tropical with a distinct six-month dry season and an annual rainfall of around 1 m. It was used mainly for pasture
, forage
, and grazing
experiments with its main research activity beginning in the 1960s and continuing until the break-up of the site into development farms in the 1980s.
Research from the site is mainly documented in scientific journal papers and annals of the NTA. Among the researchers on the site have been Bruce Franks, John Sturtz, John Austin and Lindsay Falvey
, who were supported by the manager Heinz Mollman. The site was also used by CSIRO, especially for the rock-phosphate research of Ray Swaby.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and, after statehood, of the Northern Territory Government. It formed part of a string of similar research sites in northern Australia. Located at the junction of the Douglas and Daly Rivers and covering an area of approximately 100 km², the site spanned three major soil types of the Top End of the Northern Territory - Blain
Blain
-People:*Brian Blain, Australian actor*John Blain, Scottish cricketer*John Blain , Canadian football player*Michelle Blain, American writer*Milton Blain, Australian engineer*Philippe Blain, French volleyball player and coach...
, Tippera and Florina
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
soil types.
The climate is hot-humid tropical with a distinct six-month dry season and an annual rainfall of around 1 m. It was used mainly for pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
, forage
Forage
Forage is plant material eaten by grazing livestock.Historically the term forage has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used more loosely to include similar plants cut for fodder and carried to the animals, especially...
, and grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
experiments with its main research activity beginning in the 1960s and continuing until the break-up of the site into development farms in the 1980s.
Research from the site is mainly documented in scientific journal papers and annals of the NTA. Among the researchers on the site have been Bruce Franks, John Sturtz, John Austin and Lindsay Falvey
Lindsay Falvey
John Lindsay Falvey known as Lindsay Falvey, is an author who writes on topics concerning agricultural science and philosophy, religion, international development and more lately spiritual development...
, who were supported by the manager Heinz Mollman. The site was also used by CSIRO, especially for the rock-phosphate research of Ray Swaby.
Further reading
- Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 17:724-727. "Response of steers to dry season supplementation on improved pastures." (1977).