TRIAL PADDOCKS

What is the 'Trial Paddocks' program?

It is a planning process that involves tracking paddock input costs, grazing and financial returns from pastures and crops. It involves conducting paddock scale trials to identify best possible outcomes related to issues affecting productivity and profitability.

Key paddock concepts & data:

DSEs, enterprise gross margin budgets, paddock activity costings (ie; sow crops / pastures, make hay, cultivate, spray, etc), stock grazing details, paddock costs and returns.

Time involved:

Minimal considering the high value of outcomes.

Production year trial outputs:

KPIs are determined (DSE/Ha, Tonne/Ha, $/DSE, $/Tonne, $/Ha, etc).
Key learning outcomes are identified.
Future research questions are identified.
Present production plans & profit targets / Ha are reviewed.

'Trial Paddocks' also reveals:

Risk Vs rewards; especially returns from high risk inputs.
Contribution of paddocks to whole farm profit.
Productivity and returns across many paddocks in the same season.
Most profitable inputs, enterprises & management strategies.
Current livestock enterprise gross margins and actual returns / Ha.
Proportions of paddock profit from grazing versus other sources.

Why is the Trial Paddocks program so important?

It seems that every year less agricultural research is carried out. Farmers are expected to trust product info with little to no reference to scientific research.

Farmers need information for decision making that is accurate and robust.

It makes sense to carry our regular evaluations in your own paddocks.

'Trial Paddocks' can provide accurate information for better

decision making, in a realistic time frame; done on your farm.

GET INVOLVED:

If you would like to learn more about 'Trial Paddocks', contact us. We are currently introducing existing as well as new clients to the program. The 'Trial Paddocks' program is ideal for individuals or farmer groups. Participation can be for 1 year only or extend over several years.

Call us now.

Information for participants:

You will be assisted in the selection of the Trial Paddocks for your farm and with any assistance necessary to do the recording and analysis. Recent soil tests are needed for the selected paddocks. Soil testing can be arranged if none are available.

You will also need to customize livestock gross margin budgets (templates will be provided). Basic computer skills are helpful but data input is not difficult.

Assistance will be provided as necessary:

Using the program and undertaking data entry.
Learning; eg: mapping, animal nutrition, grazing and agronomy strategies.
Planning agronomic activities and setting up trial paddocks for evaluation.

Selected Trial Paddocks will need a map showing total hectares (Ha) and arable Ha that can be sprayed, fertilized or cropped / sown to pasture. We can assist with paddock mapping if you don't have those skills.

Call now to discuss how you can benefit from the 'Trial Paddocks' program.

Case Study Farm

Take a look at the 'Kransley Park' case study to get a better idea of the practical application of the 'Trial Paddocks’ program on your farm.

Case Study: 'Kransley Park

About 'KRANSLEY PARK':

'Kransley Park' is a typical grazing focused farming operation located on the Central Tablelands of NSW. The present owners have been there of 8 years but admit that they are still fine tuning the farming system.

The map above shows the farm layout and identifies the paddocks selected to be evaluated in the Trial Paddocks program this coming year.

The farm has a very reliable water supply. Kransley Creek is a permanent water course flowing from west to east through the property. Most importantly there is a reticulated water supply from a bore in Paradise paddock that ensure a reliable stock water supply every year. Each paddock has at least one water trough and most have two.

The farm is 442 Ha and runs a fat lamb enterprise (4000 DSE) being 1st X ewes (approx. 1450 breeders) with cattle weaner trading making up the balance of 1800 DSE (approx. 165 head) bought April - sold Nov. Average carrying capacity is around 13.5 DSE/Ha.

Long term average annual rainfall is 680 mm and elevation is from 510M to 630M. The area north of the creek is mostly arable and of alluvial origin. The soils in paddocks to the south are 95% granite and 5% alluvial. Approximately 20% of the land this side of the creek is non-arable.

Recent soil testing has shown that soil acidity (low pH & high Al%) are problematic in some paddocks. Phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) levels are low in most paddocks. Low potassium (K) is also an issue in some. The standard pasture fertilizer program for the past 20 years has been 100 kg/Ha SSP every second year (half the farm spread annually).

As is district practice, 'Kransley Park' will continue to be operated with a strong grazing focus. The paddocks with better soils have Phalaris / sub-clover based pastures. The paddocks with the lighter textured soils generally have native pastures. These pastures are mainly based on red grass (Bothriochloa macra) and weeping grass (microlaena stipoides) plus sub-clover and a variety of annual grasses and broadleaf weeds.

Cropping with dual purpose winter cereals in selected paddocks with better soils provides important high quality winter feed for growing out weaner cattle. It is planned that the winter cropping and weaner cattle fattening programs will continue as part of the annual farm program.

The owners are keen to explore the benefits of increasing the area of lucerne in the farming system. Windmill and Front Flat paddocks both have very productive soils, so are being considered for lucerne.

Discussion:

With additional hay production from lucerne along with occasional grain harvest from winter cereals the farm could become self-sufficient for drought feed. Increasing the level of intensification should also assist with weed control.

All grazing in the 'Trial Paddocks' will be recorded as will all paddock treatments costs and income. Production and financial performance will be evaluated using the 'Trial Paddocks' recording and analysis tool.

More frequent hay making or grain harvesting activities will boost income but increased intensification will carry increased risk and require careful management. Preparation for both will need a high level of management; ensuring that funds are available, timing of inputs is ideal, workers are available and that machinery and contractors ready to go if needed.

Contact us to register your interest and to receive the case study with all details of the 'Trial Paddock Plan' for the coming season.