Optimise stocking rates and livestock systems – East Gippsland
East Gippsland in 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:
- EverGraze Exchange – Livestock Systems
- EverGraze Action – Understanding your stocking rate and feed supply demand profile
- Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site Key Message – Sheep systems for maximizing profit from perennials at Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site
- Wagga Wagga EverGraze Proof Site Key Message – Flexibility in livestock systems is important for risk management in variable climates
- Livestock systems and industry benchmarks for South West Victoria
You can also calculate your own stocking rate profile using the EverGraze Stocking Rate Calculator
Further Information
- EverGraze Exchange – Livestock Systems
- EverGraze Exchange – Making on-farm strategic decisions
- EverGraze Action – Understanding your stocking rate and feed supply demand profile
- Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site Key Message – Sheep systems for maximizing profit from perennials at Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site
- Wagga Wagga EverGraze Proof Site Key Message – Flexibility in livestock systems is important for risk management in variable climates
- Livestock systems and industry benchmarks for South West Victoria
- Hamilton EverGraze research message – Right Plant Right Place Right Purpose Right Management
- Lewis C, Malcolm B, Farqueson R, Leury B, Behrendt R, Clark S (2012), Economic analysis of improved perennial pasture systems, Australian Farm Business Journal 9 (2), 37-56.
- Saul G, Chapman D (2002). Grazing methods, productivity and sustainability for sheep and beef pastures in temperate Australia.
- Warn, L. (2011) Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site: Report on the impact of changing management regimes on profitability. August 2011, Mackinnon, University of Melbourne
- Warn L, Webb Ware J, Salmon L, Donnelly J, Handcock D. Analysis of the profitability of sheep wool and meat enterprises in southern Australia – Final report for Project 1.2.6, February 2006.
- Young, J., Bathgate, A., Saul, G, Clark, S., Sanford, P., Friend, M. (2004). MIDAS Insights on profitably utilising perennial plants in Hamilton, Victoria. Report to the CRC for Plant Based Solutions to Dryland Salinity. 28 August 2004
- Young J.M., Thompson A.N. and Kennedy A.J. (2010). Bioeconomic modelling to identify the relative importance of a range of critical control points for prime lamb production systems in south-west Victoria. Animal Production Science. 50: 748-756
- Young, J. Bathgate, A. and Behrendt, R. (2011) Final MIDAS modelling for Hamilton EverGraze site.