23 November 2006

Managing sheep in the Avon region of Western Australia should become easier for farmers who attend workshops planned for 2007 under the national Grain & Graze program.

Trials of rotational options will take place, like grazing wheats, canola and short-term pastures that farmers can use to fill feed gaps. The potential of native and temperate grasses to optimise whole farm feed supply will also be examined.

Samantha Giles from the Department of Agriculture and Food, Northam, said a Grain & Graze survey of farmer attitudes to their different enterprises had prompted the program's new focus on sheep management in the Avon region.

"In general, surveyed farmers in the region were geared up toward cropping. Stock were seen as labour intensive and harder work, and one notable finding was the difficulty some farmers face keeping sheep in their mixed enterprises." Ms Giles said.

"Factors like higher returns from crops relative to those for sheep products, lack of shearers and young workers' general inexperience with sheep all combined to turn farmers away from stock."

Ms Giles said these limitations were even stronger in drought years like 2006, when both crop and livestock management had been difficult because of the climatic conditions.

Because of the seasonal conditions, early events in 2007 would focus on how stock could be run effectively in dry seasons, with a focus on strategic management issues like feed budgeting, which would help farmers better match the feed requirements of their grazing animals with that feed supplied by pastures or supplements.

"Many farmers commented in the survey that, because there had been little change in sheep farming over the years there were no gains to be made from the extra input needed, but in reality there have been many changes in the sheep industry,

"We've seen big moves towards meat breed sheep, prime lambs, easy care sheep that do not need shearing, and sheep feed lotting.

"And farmers do acknowledge that, in the cropping business, herbicide resistance, the increase in weed problems, diseases and declining soil health are all factors that point to a positive role for livestock in mixed farming systems.

"It's also always important to spread the risk in any business and not have all your eggs in one basket."

"Grain & Graze is a collaborative partnership between Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and Land & Water Australia (LWA)," Ms Giles said.

"It aims to help mixed farmers increase profitability in both their livestock and cropping enterprises, and that's why farmers in the Northam, Narrogin, Kellerberrin and Kulin shires were interviewed to ask their opinion on livestock and their role in the farming system.

Workshops - on the general 2007 Avon region theme of "Look 2 Grow" - would also cover issues like pasture growth rates, assessing feed on offer (FOO), animal production targets and profitability of sheep in a farming system.

The workshops would encourage mixed farmers to find and release the potential in their sheep enterprises. Clearly there could be no one-size-fits-all approach to management improvements like higher stocking rates. A range of options would be required to show farmers the up side of sheep in mixed systems.

If you are interested in participating in the workshops or interested in being involved in on-farm trials please contact Samantha Giles, Department of Agriculture and Food, Northam, on 08 9690 2000 or fax 08 9622 1902.

For more information about the Grain & Graze Program, contact Avon Region Development Officer, Linda Leonard on 08 9690 2191, Dr Richard Price, National Coordinator, on 02 6295 6300, mobile 0409 624 297; Gillian Stewart on 02 6263 6042; Lynne Sealie on 02 6263 6021, or visit www.grainandgraze.com.au

Grain & Graze Regional Coordinators

Northern Agricultural Region - Philip Barrett-Lennard - 08 94750753
Avon Region - Linda Leonard - 08 9690 2191
Border Rivers Region - Rachel Charles - 07 4671 7900
Central West/Lachlan Region - Jodie Dean - 02 6895 1015
Corangamite/Glenelg-Hopkins Region - Cam Nicholson - 03 5258 3860
Eyre Peninsula Region - Alison Frischke - 08 8680 6223
Mallee Region - Zubair Shahzad - 03 50 219 103
Murrumbidgee Region - Katrina Sait - 02 6924 4633
Maranoa/Balonne Region - Stephen Ginns - 07 4620 8122