On-farm monitoring of livestock and pastures

Many producers on the North West Slopes of NSW are seeking answers about how to best manage their native grass based pastures and how to integrate their use with other forage sources in order to raise weaning percentages. Most properties have a high proportion of native pastures and run both sheep and cattle enterprises. Native pastures in the region are dominated by summer-growing perennial grasses that have low forage value and are frost susceptible, leading to a ‘green feed, protein and energy drought’ particularly in winter-spring each year. They are characterised by a large amount of dead material that carries over from year to year and so are generally used for store stock and wool production. Current management of native pastures tends to be ad-hoc.

This study used on-farm data collected through 2008 and 2009 from up to 15 commercial properties to examine the relationship between green feed availability, ewe fat score and sheep enterprise performance. Enterprise case studies were also conducted on commercial properties during the on-farm monitoring program to identify production parameters (e.g. stocking rates, feedbase, lamb marking and weaning rates) and variable costs (e.g. supplementation, forage crop establishment, and annualised cost of pasture establishment and maintenance). Input was also sought from experienced local livestock advisory staff on typical enterprise performance under each scenario.

Full details of the study, results and recommendations can be found in the key message: Spring lambing ewes grazing native grass pastures need help to achieve high weaning percentages.

NSW DPI research staff, Mark Brennan and Brian Roworth (retired), assessing Merino fat score during on-farm monitoring.
NSW DPI research staff, Mark Brennan and Brian Roworth (retired), assessing Merino fat score during on-farm monitoring.

 

Further Information

 

 

 

Research

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