TRIAL PADDOCKS

The 'Trial Paddocks' program allows tracking of grazing paddock returns through a production year. Grazing data, paddock income and costs along with management activities that could influence profitability, are recorded. KPIs are summarized in the 'Dashboard' as are key lessons learned and proposed future actions resulting from them.

'Trial Paddocks' is a game changer for livestock farmers, revealing:

Actual grazing paddock productivity?
Paddocks pulling their weight and those that are not?
Ranges of paddock productivity across a farm?
Which inputs & management strategies are profitable?
KPIs such as:

DSE/Ha run in each paddock.
Actual paddock gross margins.
Actual livestock enterprise gross margins.
Returns on investment (ROI) from high input pasture or crops.
Proportions of paddock GM from grazing and all other sources.

Paddocks are the building blocks of a profitable farming business. Trial Paddocks' allows rapid feedback to check that your production base is efficient and your profit drivers are within optimum ranges.

Call Chris to discuss the 'Trial Paddocks' program and joining a group?

More details on the Trail Paddocks program:

About the 'Trial Paddocks' program.

'Trial Paddocks' is a management tool for the recording and analysis of stocking rates and for tracking paddock costs and returns, grazing inclusive. It is also the basis of the 'Trial Paddocks' training program.

Who is it for?

Graziers and mixed cropping & livestock farmers.

About 'Trial Paddocks'

With the 'Trial Paddocks' recording and analysis tool, profitability can be analyzed at a paddock level. This is particularly significant on grazing farms. Grain farmers receive reliable paddock level crop performance feedback (yield & quality) at harvest allowing them to make important enterprise decisions. By using ‘Trial Paddocks’, livestock farmers can now also achieve the same.

How is 'Trial Paddocks' used?

A maximum of 6 paddocks are monitored over the 12 month production year. This allows grazing paddock KPIs to be compared to:

Grain only cropping paddocks.
Paddocks on farms that you may manage in other locations.
Paddocks managed by other farmers in the district (comparative analysis).

While not analyzing every paddock every year, 'Trial Paddocks' does provide rapid feedback on innovations and profit drivers, keeping clear focus on enterprise gross margins, paddock returns and the contribution of grazing to paddock and farm profitability.

'Trial Paddocks' benefits:

Timely feedback on outcomes of pasture and crop inputs.
Better understanding of productivity of different soils and land types.
Real time tracking of paddock costs and returns.
Keeps focus on actual enterprise gross margins, particularly livestock enterprises.
Allows on-farm research, testing recent industry innovations or the farmer's own ideas.
Provides insight to help Next Gen / entry level farmers with management & agronomy decisions .
Can be used on leased country to monitor to evaluate strengths and weaknesses.

Preparing the 'Trial Paddocks' plan

A 'Trial Paddock' plan or 'TP' plan needs to be decided annually prior to the start of the production year allowing for the most significant evaluation priorities to be selected. The focus is normally on tracking of grazing costs and returns, however paddocks that are non-grazed can be included, with an Italian ryegrass crop just for hay or silage being an example.

Joining a 'Trial Paddocks' Group.

Delivery of the 'Trial Paddocks' program is usually done in conjunction with a partner organization. Contact us and we will discuss your options. Participation can be for 1 year only or several. Participants can re-join the 'TP' program annually. Training focuses on Gross Margin budgets, setting up paddocks for evaluation, and a variety of relevant skills, eg; animal nutrition, grazing management and agronomy. There will be at least 3 different skills development workshops each year. Consider the Case Study below to get a better idea of the practical application of the 'Trial Paddocks’ program on your farm.

'Kransley Creek' is a fictitious grazing focused farming operation located on the edge of both the Central Tablelands and Central West of NSW. The map above shows the paddocks selected to be evaluated in the Trial Paddocks program this coming year.

The property is 442 Ha and runs a fat lamb enterprise (4000 DSE) being 1st X ewes (approx. 1430 breeders) with cattle weaner trading making up the balance of 1800 DSE (approx. 165 hd) bought April - sold November. Average carrying capacity is around 13.5 DSE/Ha. Long term average annual rainfall is 680 mm. Elevation is from 510M to 630M.

The area north of the creek is mostly arable and of alluvial origin except the House paddock which has mainly granite based soils. The country south of the creek is about 95% granite derived and 5% alluvial, with around 20% being non-arable. Recent soil testing has shown that acidity is a known problem, as are low phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) levels in most paddocks and low potassium (K) in some. The standard pasture fertilizer program for the past 20 years has been 100 kg/Ha SSP to most pasture paddocks except in 4 seasons during severe droughts. This year 125 kg/Ha SSP will go onto most pasture paddocks not included in the 'TP' plan.

As with most farms in the district, 'Kransley Creek' will continue to be operated with a strong grazing focus. Phalaris / sub-clover pastures are in the paddocks with better soils. Native pastures, mostly red grass (Bothriochloa macra) and weeping grass (microlaena stipoides) plus MISC annual grasses sub-clover, make up the pastures in those paddocks with the lighter textured soils. Cropping is important to provide high quality winter feed for growing out weaner cattle, and will continue to be done in one or two paddocks annually.

Kransley Creek 'Trial Paddocks':

The 'Trial Paddocks' will have been selected and soil tested as step 1. The proposed 'TP' plan is explained below:

Crop 1 and 2 paddocks:

Crop 1 paddock has been sown to Italian ryegrass and Crop 2 will remain under lucerne. There was a severe Chilean needle grass (CNG) problem until 4 years ago. Crop 1 paddock will receive Croplift 15 fertilizer (120 kg/Ha) at sowing + 150 kg/Ha urea mid to late winter. Crop 2 lucerne needs a capital application of phosphorus (P), so it will get 200 kg/Ha SSP in early spring. Both paddocks will be used to finish lambs with possible hay making in late spring if rainfall and pasture growth are adequate.

Airstrip paddock:

This paddock has a native grass pasture based mainly on weeping grass. It has received 125 kg/Ha Superphosphate (SSP) in each of the past 5 years with sub-clover seed added in year 1. This paddock will receive the same fertilizer treatment this coming year. The paddock now has a good level of sub-clover and as a result native pasture grasses perform well from spring to late autumn, particularly after rainfall events.

Oats paddock:

This paddock has a 35 year old phalaris / sub-clover based pasture with very little sub-clover remaining. It will receive 2.5 T/Ha superfine lime, a capital application of SSP (200 kg/Ha ) with additional sub-clover seed added; 2 improved varieties at a total of 8 kg/Ha. Excessive phalaris growth in the past 5 years has choked and shaded out sub-clover. Grazing pressure is to be increased to reduce pasture dry matter (DM) cover in autumn to optimize sub-clover germination. There are a lot of broadleaf weeds in the paddock, with Paterson's curse the major problem. A weed spraying program is also planned.

Fred's 2 paddock:

Fred's 2 is to be cropped to a dual purpose triticale variety which will be the 3rd consecutive cereal crop (previously oats). It will be rotationally grazed several times depending on rainfall and growth. Fred's 2 crops have been cut for hay in 2 of the 3 past years and a recent test shows low P and K. It was decided to apply 8 M3/Ha of poultry manure. A nutrient budget will be prepared and sowing fertilizer and in-crop nitrogen applications will be adjusted accordingly.

Bob's paddock:

Bob's paddock is a 3 year old phalaris / sub-clover pasture. It received 8 M3/Ha of poultry manure prior to being re-sown. It will received no SSP for the last 2 years but will get an application of 125 kg/Ha SSP this coming year.

Other relevant comments:

The owners are interest in exploring the economic and management benefits of increasing the area of lucerne in the farming system. Lucerne is a bit more complex to manage than normal pastures and also more challenging to consistently make good quality hay from. Windmill and Front Flat paddocks are both well suited to lucerne, so sowing those paddocks down to lucerne is being considered. In addition to an occasional grain harvest from crop paddocks, 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 costs and income associated with the paddocks. The production and financial performance evaluated using the 'Trial Paddocks' recording and analysis tool. Any other income / expenses from opportunity hay making or grain harvesting will be included. The 2026 'TP plan' looks as follows.

Summary of the Kransley Creek 'TP plan':

(What is to be trialed this year (2025) and the expected duration of the trial).

Crop 1: Profit ($/Ha ) & best fit in farming system: Italian ryegrass Vs lucerne for fattening & hay. (1 - 2 yrs)

Crop 2: Profit ($/Ha ) & best fit: Italian ryegrass Vs lucerne for fattening & hay. (2 - 3 yrs)

Oats: Costs benefits of rejuvenating the old pasture Vs sowing a new one, BL weed control. (3 yrs)

Bob's: Compare carrying capacity (DSE/Ha), $/Ha profit & ROI to Oats and Airstrip paddocks. (2 - 3 yrs)

Airstrip: Compare carrying capacity (DSE/Ha), $/Ha profit & ROI to Bob's and Oats paddocks. (2 yrs)

Fred's 2: Dual purpose triticale profit ($/Ha ), disease impacts and control, fertilizer costs (3 yrs)

KEY: ROI = Return on investment. DSE/Ha = Unit to compare carrying capacity.

Profit = Paddock income less pad costs, before overheads. KPIs = Key Performance Indicators.

If you would like to learn more about 'Trial Paddocks', contact us. We are now planning groups for 2026.

By joining a 'Trial Paddocks' group you will be invited to attend 3 workshops where you will be assisted in preparation of a 'TP plan' for your farm and with any skills development required. You will be asked to conduct soil tests and customize livestock gross margin budgets from templates provided. You can then start recording details of grazing events and other paddock related income and costs through the year. Most analysis is done automatically, but some inputs that require user choice, such as fertilizer applications, liveweights and DSE values. Data entry is not difficult and there is always support at hand; particularly the 3 workshops.

Case Study: 'Kransley Creek'

Soil Manager

Grazman

Soil Testing