Groups involved in national research

Ararat district farming groups will be part of three-year national trials to explore the best ways in regional areas to optimise feed bases and boost livestock production.

Willaura Best Wool Best Lamb group and Perennial Pasture Systems are among organisations in Victoria, NSW, Western Australia and Tasmania to receive up to $25,000 for projects as part of a 201718 Meat and Livestock Australia Producer Demonstrations Sites, PDS, program.

The program covers seven projects.

The Willaura group plans to investigate how temporary fencing can reduce paddock size and ewe mob size during lambing to better manage ewe nutrition and enhance lamb survival.

Perennial Pasture Systems group will trial high-production annual forage options in perennial grazing systems on the farms of 12 members, with the aim of boosting lamb production systems.

All PDS projects will investigate, develop and encourage adoption of strategies to improve sheep and cattle performance and business profits for group members and other local producers.

MLA Producer consultation and adoption manager Michael Crowley said the PDS program was designed to help reduce the time lag between technological innovations and onfarm adoption.

He said farming systems groups were ideally placed to co-ordinate the demonstration sites to assess practices that would suit their region’s specific environmental, seasonal and farming system considerations.

“Establishing these sites helps producers realise the benefits from the practical application of new technologies and instigation of innovative management ideas relevant to their production system and location,” Mr Crowley said.

“This leads to higher rates of adoption of new research and management strategies that ultimately contribute to a business bottom line through reducing costs or improving productivity.”