TRIAL PADDOCKS

'Trial Paddocks' tracks grazing paddock productivity and profitability.

Innovations are tested at the paddock level prior to full scale adoption.

Key inputs: DSE value, grazing days, costs & returns.

Recording & analysis ongoing (results finalized at 12 months).

Broad outcomes:

Main KPIs determined (DSE/Ha, $/DSE, $/Ha).
Key learning outcomes.
Future research questions identified.
Present production & profit targets confirmed as OK, or re-set.

'Trial Paddocks' recording & analysis also reveals:

Risk Vs rewards; especially returns from risky inputs.
Contribution of paddocks to whole farm profit.
Variation of productivity and returns across several paddocks.
Most profitable inputs, enterprises & management strategies.
Current livestock enterprise gross margins.
Proportions of paddock profit from grazing versus other sources.

Why is the Trial Paddocks program important?

Farmers need relevant data to be able to make the best possible decisions. The paddocks are the best laboratory farmers have.

Every year less publicly funded research is carried out. Increasingly private companies (fertilizer, seed, animal health & chemicals) do the least research possible. Most information available to farmers is outdated.

Do you believe what you read in a few short term ryegrass sales brochures and guess how suitable they are to your farm or do you try 2 or 3 different different varieties in 2 or 3 trial paddocks. I know what I would do.

'Trial Paddocks' provides essential information for better decision

making, allowing fine tuning of the farming system.

GET INVOLVED:

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

Information for participants:

You will be assisted in the selection of the Trial Paddocks for your farm and with any skills development required to do the recording and analysis. Fairly recent soil tests of selected paddocks are needed. Soil testing can be arranged if these are not available. You will also need to customize livestock gross margin budgets from templates provided. Basic computer skills are helpful but are also quite easy to learn.

Assistance will be provided as necessary, with a focus on:

Using the program and undertaking data entry.
Learning; eg: mapping, animal nutrition, grazing strategies, agronomy.
Planning agronomy, farm 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 the mapping if you don't have those skills.

More details on the 'Trail Paddocks' program:

What is the purpose of the 'Trial Paddocks' program?

It is a grazing focused farm management tool for livestock only and mixed cropping / livestock farmers. It allows tracking of paddock costs and returns and generating a range of important KPIs necessary for effective decision making.

What do participants get when they join the program?

Clear guidelines explaining what is needed to get the Trial Paddock ready to start recording for the next production year. That can be the cropping year the start of fallow, joining of breeders, or another convenient 12 month period that fits in with key farm activities.

Participants will also receive everything they need for 'Trial Paddocks' data entry, allowing productivity and profitability to be recorded and analyzed for each trial paddock.

Preparing the 'Trial Paddocks' plan

A 'Trial Paddock' plan ('TP' plan) needs to be decided annually prior to the start of the production year, allowing for the most important 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; ie: Italian ryegrass just for hay or silage.

Call Chris to discuss how you can be involved in the 'Trial Paddocks' program.

Case Study Farm

Consider the Case Study below to get a better idea of what the practical application of the 'Trial Paddocks’ program on your farm could look like.

Case Study: 'Kransley Creek'

About 'KRANSLEY CREEK':

'Kransley Creek' 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. It is boosted by the occasional water supply from a few leaky dams on the creek starting in The Peaks paddock. Kransley Creek is a permanent water course flowing from west to east through the property. There is a reticulated water supply from a bore in Paradise paddock that ensure a reliable stock water supply. 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 south of the creek 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 Creek' 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 at least for the next few years.

'Kransley Creek' Trial Paddocks - 2027

The 'Trial Paddocks' will have been chosen and soil tested as the first step in the program. An important prerequisite is that all paddocks selected have reliable water supplies.

The proposed 2027 'TP' plan is:

TP 1 = Crop 1:

Trial evaluation questions: Is there a role for Italian ryegrass in the farming system? How does fodder from Italian ryegrass compare to winter cereals? How often does Italian ryegrass survive or regenerate from seed to remain productive after year 1?

Key factors: Paddock profit, feed quality, timing of emergence, timing of first grazing, duration of vegetative growth, tolerance to dry conditions, productivity in year 2.

Program: Crop 1 paddock is to be sown to Italian ryegrass in autumn. Crop 1 paddock will receive Croplift 15 fertilizer (130 kg/Ha) at sowing + 150 kg/Ha urea mid to late winter. The paddock will also get a capital application of phosphorus (P) in the form of 250 kg/Ha SSP in early spring 2026. This paddock will be used to finish lambs with possible hay making in late spring if rainfall is adequate.

Trial duration: 2 years.

TP 2 = Crop 2:

Trial evaluation questions: Is lucerne profitable on Kransley Creek? What is the role of lucerne in the farming system? Can it be more profitable in a rotation with dual purpose winter cereals / canola? What is the most cost effective fertilizer program for a high production lucerne pasture?

Key factors: Paddock profit, feed quality, timing of emergence, timing/duration & effectiveness of grazing, drought tolerance, productive lifespan, soil acidity, P K S.

Program: Crop 2 paddock is currently sown to a grazing tolerant lucerne. It will receive a capital application of 250 kg/Ha SSP in early spring 2026. This paddock will also be used to finish lambs with possible hay making in late spring and/or summer.

Trial duration: 2 years.

TP 3 = Airstrip:

Trial evaluation questions: How profitable and productive are the native pastures on the farm? Do the native pastures play an important role in the farming system?

Key factors: Carrying capacity, paddock profit, feed quality, timing of emergence, timing & of grazing, drought tolerance.

Program: This paddock has an existing 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. The paddock will receive that same fertilizer treatment this coming year. There is presently a good level of sub-clover and the native grasses are generally performing well, particularly from spring to late autumn in good rainfall years.

Trial duration: 3 years.

TP 4 = Oats:

Trial evaluation questions: Can sub-clover be successfully reintroduced into a perennial grass (phalaris & cocksfoot) dominant pasture? What management strategies, particularly grazing related, are required for success?

Key factors: Re-seeding, paddock profit, feed quality, RLEM damage, sub-clover emergence, time frame involved, timing of grazing, grazing pressure, impact of dry times, soil acidity.

Program: This paddock has a 30 year old phalaris, cocksfoot & sub-clover based pasture with very little sub-clover remaining. Excessive grass competition and shading in recent years has led to the decline of sub-clover. Oats paddock will receive 2.5 T/Ha superfine lime, a capital application of SSP (250 kg/Ha ) with additional sub-clover seed added; 2 improved varieties at a total of 8 kg/Ha.

Paddock was planned to be sprayed out, cropped and re-sown but introduction of new sub-clover seed and more attention to grazing management has been decided as a low cost strategy. Grazing pressure is to be increased in late summer to reduce pasture dry matter cover in autumn to ensure optimum sub-clover germination.

Trial duration: 3 years.

TP 5 = Fred's 2:

Trial evaluation questions:

How profitable is continuous winter cropping (various winter cereals & canola) on the farm?
What is the most profitable and sustainable cropping rotation? How useful is hay made from winter cereals or canola compared to lucerne hay?
What impact does reduced availability and increased price of nitrogen fertilizer had on cropping profitability?
What is the best farming system for self reliance in fodder production for at least maintaining drought feed supplies.

Key factors: Paddock profit, crop diseases, nutrient budget, best winter crop for hay, soil acidity.

Program: This paddock is to be cropped to dual purpose winter wheat. This will be the 4th consecutive cereal crop. It is planned to be grazed several times between April and October, depending on rainfall and growth. Fred's 2 crops (oats) have been cut for hay in 2 of the 3 past years and a recent test shows low P, K and S levels. The decision was made to apply 8 M3/Ha of poultry manure prior to sowing. A nutrient budget will be prepared, with fertilizer at sowing and in-crop nitrogen applications will be adjusted accordingly. Dual purpose canola is planned to be sown next year.

Trial duration: 2 years.

TP 6 - Bob's:

Trial evaluation questions:

What is the expected carrying capacity of phalaris / sub-clover pastures on Kransley Creek?
What DSE/Ha, DSE/100mm rainfall and return/Ha are realistic expectations?

Key factors: Paddock profit, feed quality, longevity, weeds & pests, soil acidity, grazing pressure, nutrient budget.

Action plans: Bob's paddock has a 3 year old phalaris / sub-clover pasture which is currently very productive. It received 8 M3/Ha of poultry manure prior to being re-sown. All nutrient levels are now in the correct ranges. It has received no SSP for the last 2 years but will receive an application of 125 kg/Ha SSP this coming year and annually for the foreseeable future (guided by soil tests). Bob's has the same soil type as most other paddocks south of Kransley Creek.

Trial duration: 5 years.

Other relevant comments:

The owners are very 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 in this district. Windmill and Front Flat paddocks both have very productive soils, so these paddocks are being considered for lucerne. Under good management, lucerne could provide a lucrative income stream.

In addition to an occasional grain harvest from winter cereal crops, 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 paddock treatments. Production and financial performance will be evaluated using the 'Trial Paddocks' recording and analysis tool. Any opportunity income from hay making or grain harvesting will be considered at the time. Preparation for such; preparing workers, machinery and locking in contractors if needed, will be made in advance .