Optimise stocking rates and livestock systems – South West Victoria (Lower)

The South West region of Victoria has reliable rainfall with good soils that support high levels of animal production, but the question is whether Gross Margins can continue to increase to keep up with rising capital value and input costs.

To ensure profit margins are maintained, productivity needs to increase by either; spreading cost over more product (utilising the resource more efficiently) or increasing inputs to produce marginally more outputs.

Achieving profits from perennial pastures is at the most basic level about resource use efficiency. Pasture grown is usually the cheapest source of energy and protein and the most profitable way to turn this into livestock product is to improve utilisation, optimising the amount of clean wool or lamb product per hectare, while minimising feed costs.

Factors affecting how far utilisation (stocking rates) can be increased include; growing season, time of lambing or calving (balance between peak pasture supply and peak animal demand), grazing management and attitude towards production and environmental risk. These options are described in detail on the following pages:

You can also calculate your own stocking rate profile using the EverGraze Stocking Rate Calculator

 

Further Information

Regional Information

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