Feed on offer photo gallery : for annual pastures during the green period

Food on Offer, or FOO, is the amount of pasture available for sheep to eat. It is measured as dry matter per hectare, and then used to budget feed available and stocking rates for a given period. FOO includes all green material above the ground and it is reported in kilograms of dry matter per hectare (kg DM/ha).https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/books/1006/thumbnail.jp

Feeding and managing sheep in dry times

Feeding sheep is a significant cost to any sheep or mixed farm enterprise in southern Australia. The cost is usually managed by annually sourcing feed on-farm. However, this feed source can become scarce when we experience unusual dry spells within seasons (termed a \u27dry season\u27, such as a dry winter or spring), a late break to the season, a drought year, or even worse, successive drought years. Climate change research suggests that southern Australia will experience higher annual temperatures and a decline in mean growing season rainfall (particularly winter and spring) over the coming decades. This will affect the productivity and longevity of pastures, as well as the severity and prevalence of dry seasons and droughts. More than ever, these dry conditions need to be planned for, and carefully managed for the sustainability of the farm business, the sheep industry and the environment. This publication aims to provide farmers with practical guidelines and examples, for feeding and managing sheep during dry seasons and drought years. Whilst th publication focuses on dry times and confinement feeding systems (feedlots), it does also include some useful information on getting through the normal summer autumn feed gap period.https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1116/thumbnail.jp

Sheep Updates 2009

This session covers seven papers from different authors: 1. Scouring Management and Worm Control, Brown Besier, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 2.Breeding sheep for resistance to breech strike:- Selection results in WA, LJE Karlsson, JC Greeff & AC Schlink, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 3.Future Ewe - matching genetics to the production system, Mark Ferguson, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 4. Within-flock selection of ewes: opportunities for gains in reproduction, Greg Leeand Sue Hatcher, NSW Department of Primary Industries & Australian CRCforSheep Industry Innovation (Orange) 5. Managing Merinos on Murrayfield, Bruce Michael, Murryfield, Bruny Island, Tasmania 6. Managing [breech] flystrike in [unmulesed] sheep, Rob Woodgate, Darren Michael, Mandy Curnow and Julia Smith, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 7. Value of Pregnancy Scanning and Differential Feeding of Dry, Single amd Twin Ewes, John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Kojonup, WA, Andrew Thompson, Chris Oldham Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australi

Sheep Updates 2006 - part 3

This session covers six papers from different authors: GRAZING 1. Making better use of clover, Karen Venning and Andrew Thompson, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria 2. Grazing systems demonstration to optimise pasture utilisation and stocking rate, Mike Hyder, Sue-Ellen Shaw, Kelly Hill and Ron McTaggart, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia. 3. Know your audience to increase their rate of practice change - Lifetime Wool as an example, Gus Rose, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Carolyn Kabore, Kazresearch REPRODUCTION 4. Lifetime Wool - Ewe Management Guidlines, Mandy Curnow, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia 5. Achieving the best reproductive performance from your hoggets, Kenyon PR, Morris ST, West DM, Perkins NR, Pinchbeck GL., Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand. 6. Lifetime Wool: Twin futures, Dr Ralph Behrendt, Department of Primary Industries, Victori

Sheep Updates 2005 - Part 6

This session covers seven papers from different authors: PASTURES/GRAZING 1. New annual pastures - quality and quantity for fodder conservation?, Sarah Pugh and Giles Glasson, Department of Agriculture Western Australia 2. Saltland Pastures: Dispelling some Myths, Ed Barrett-Lennard1,3, Hayley Norman2,3, Matt Wilmat2,3, Meir Altman,3, Kelly Pearce2,3, Sally Phelan4, David Masters2,3, 1. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, 2 CSIRO Livestock Industries, Floreat, WA, 3. CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity 4. Saltland Pastures Association 3. Pastures: Putting profit back into sandplain, Nadine Eva, Department of Agriculture Western Australia. 4. Pastures from Space R - Can be used to make profitable strategic and tactical management decisions on farm, Brad Wooldridge, Farmer Wagin WA, Stephen Gherardi, Lucy Anderton, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Gonzalo Mata, CSIRO Livestock Industries, Wembley, WA 5. Are new farming systems based on perenial pastures in south west Australia more profitable?, P. Sanford, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, J. Young, Farm Systems Analysis, Kojonup WA 6. Sown fodders, rotational grazing and Merinos make money in a drought, Tim Wiley, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Richard Quinlan, Planfarm, Geraldton 7. Lifetime Wool - The \u27best bet\u27 optimum condition score profile for Merino ewes lambing in winter. Chris Oldham, Mike Hyder, Mandy Curnow, Samantha Giles, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Kojonup, Andrew Thompson, DPI Victoria, Hamilton

Agribusiness Sheep Updates - 2004 part 2

Precision Pastures Using Species Diversity to Improve Pasture Performance Anyou Liu and Clinton Revell, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia New Annual Pasture Legumes for Sheep Graziers Phil Nichols, Angelo Loi, Brad Nutt and Darryl McClements Department of Agriculture Western Australia Pastures from Space – Can Satellite Estimates of Pasture Growth Rate be used to Increase Farm Profit? Lucy Anderton, Stephen Gherardi and Chris Oldham Department of Agriculture Western Australia Summer-active Perennial Grasses for Profitable Sheep Production Paul Sanford and John Gladman, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Pastures From Space – Validation Of Predictions Of Pasture Growth Rates DONALD, G.E.A, EDIRISINGHE, A.A, HENRY, D.A.A, MATA, G.A, GHERARDI, S.G.B, OLDHAM, C.M.B, GITTINS, S.P.B AND SMITH, R. C. G.C ACSIRO, Livestock Industries, PMB 5, Wembley, WA, 6913. BDepartment of Agriculture Western Australia, Bentley, WA, 6983. C Department of Land Information Western Australia, Floreat, WA, 6214. Production and Management of Biserrula Pasture - Managing the Risk of Photosensitivity Dr Clinton Revell and Roy Butler, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Meat Quality of Sheep Grazed on a Saltbush-based Pasture Kelly Pearce1,2, David Masters1, David Pethick2, 1 CSIRO LIVESTOCK INDUSTRIES, WEMBLEY, WA 2 SCHOOL OF VETERINARY AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE, MURDOCH UNIVERSITY, MURDOCH, WA Precision Sheep Lifetime Wool – Carryover Effects on Subsequent Reproduction of the Ewe Flock Chris Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Andrew Thompson, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Dept of Primary Industries, Hamilton, Vic Ewe Productivity Trials - a Linked Analysis Ken Hart, Johan Greeff, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Beth Paganoni, School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia. Grain Finishing Systems For Prime Lambs Rachel Kirby, Matt Ryan, Kira Buttler, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia The Effects of Nutrition and Genotype on the Growth and Development, Muscle Biochemistry and Consumer Response to Lamb Meat David Pethick, Department of Veterinary Science, Murdoch University, WA, Roger Heggarty and David Hopkins, New South Wales Agriculture ‘Lifetime Wool’ - Effects of Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation on Mortality of Progeny to Hogget Shearing Samantha Giles, Beth Paganoni and Tom Plaisted, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Mark Ferguson and Darren Gordon, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Dept of Primary Industries, Hamilton, Vic Lifetime Wool - Target Liveweights for the Ewe Flock J. Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Kojonup, C. Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, A. Thompson, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Hamilton, VIC Lifetime Wool - Effects of Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation on the Growth and Wool Production of their Progeny at Hogget Shearing B. Paganoni, University of Western Australia, Nedlands WA, C. Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, M. Ferguson, A. Thompson, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Hamilton, VIC RFID Technology – Esperance Experiences Sandra Brown, Department of Agriculture Western Australia The Role of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology in Prime Lamb Production - a Case Study. Ian McFarland, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia. John Archer, Producer, Narrogin, Western Australia Win with Twins from Merinos John Milton, Rob Davidson, Graeme Martin and David Lindsay The University of Western Australia Precision Sheep Need Precision Wool Harvesters Jonathan England, Castle Carrock Merinos, Kingston SE, South Australia Business EBVs and Indexes – Genetic Tools for your Toolbox Sandra Brown, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Green Feed Budget Paddock Calculator Mandy Curnow, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Minimising the Impact of Drought - Evaluating Flock Recovery Options using the ImPack Model Karina P. Wood, Ashley K. White, B. Lloyd Davies, Paul M. Carberry, NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), Lifetime Wool - Modifying GrazFeed® for WA Mike Hyder, Department of Agriculture Western Australia , Mike Freer, CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, A.C.T. , Andrew van Burgel, and Kazue Tanaka, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Profile Calculator – A Way to Manage Fibre Diameter Throughout the Year to Maximise Returns Andrew Peterson, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Pasture Watch - a Farmer Friendly Tool for Downloading and Analysing Pastures from Space Data Roger Wiese,Fairport Technologies International, South Perth, WA, Stephen Gherardi, BDepartment of Agriculture Western Australia, Gonzalo Mata, CCSIRO, Livestock Industries, Wembley, Western Australia, and Chris Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Sy Sheep Cropping Systems An Analysis of a Cropping System Containing Sheep in a Low Rainfall Livestock System. Evan Burt, Amanda Miller, Anne Bennett, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Lucerne-based Pasture for the Central Wheatbelt – is it Good Economics? Felicity FluggeA, Amir AbadiA,B and Perry DollingA,B,A CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity: BDept. of Agriculture, WA Sheep and Biserrula can Control Annual Ryegrass Dean Thomas, John Milton, Mike Ewing and David Lindsay, The University of WA, Clinton Revell, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Sustainable Management Pasture Utilisation, Fleece Weight and Weaning Rate are Integral to the Profitability of Dohnes and SAMMs. Emma Kopke,Department of Agriculture Western Australia, John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service Environmental Impact of Sheep Confinement Feeding Systems E A Dowling and E K Crossley, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Smart Grazing Management for Production and Environmental Outcomes Dr Brien E (Ben) Norton, Centre for the Management of Arid Environments, Curtin University of Technology, WA Common Causes of Plant Poisoning in the Eastern Wheatbelt of Western Australia. Roy Butler, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Selecting Sheep for Resistance to Worms and Production Trait Responses John Karlsson, Johan Greeff, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Geoff Pollott, Imperial College, London UK Production and Water Use of Lucerne and French Serradella in Four Soil Types, Diana Fedorenko1,4, Darryl McClements2,4 and Robert Beard3,4, 12Department of Agriculture, Western Australia; 3Farmer, Meckering; 4CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity. Worm Burdens in Sheep at Slaughter Brown Besier, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Una Ryan, Caroline Bath, Murdoch Universit

Feeding and managing sheep in dry times

Feeding sheep is a significant cost to any sheep or mixed farm enterprise in southern Australia. The cost is usually managed by annually sourcing feed on-farm. However, this feed source can become scarce when we experience unusual dry spells within seasons (termed a \u27dry season\u27, such as a dry winter or spring), a late break to the season, a drought year, or even worse, successive drought years. Climate change research suggests that southern Australia will experience higher annual temperatures and a decline in mean growing season rainfall (particularly winter and spring) over the coming decades. This will affect the productivity and longevity of pastures, as well as the severity and prevalence of dry seasons and droughts. More than ever, these dry conditions need to be planned for, and carefully managed for the sustainability of the farm business, the sheep industry and the environment. This publication aims to provide farmers with practical guidelines and examples, for feeding and managing sheep during dry seasons and drought years. Whilst th publication focuses on dry times and confinement feeding systems (feedlots), it does also include some useful information on getting through the normal summer autumn feed gap period.https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1116/thumbnail.jp

Katanning Research Facility carbon footprint assessment and strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030

As part of the Western Australian Government’s commitment to emissions reduction and the sustainable mitigation of climate change, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) identified that the Katanning Research Facility (KRF) is a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter and that the site provides an opportunity to improve our understanding of emissions arising from agriculture, particularly livestock production. This report presents a baseline organisational carbon footprint assessment and a sustainable emissions reduction strategy with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality for the research facility by 2030. KRF, with its intensive animal facilities and commercial farm setup, is the DPIRD’s primary facility for sheep research. It is located 5km east of Katanning on the Nyabing Road in the Great Southern Region of Western Australia. The KRF farm comprises 2100ha, of which 1700 ha is arable land (suitable for cropping and grazing) and 400 ha is non-arable land that is mainly natural vegetation with saline-affected gullies and some areas of tree planting. The KRF research team will modify land use at the farm to meet the modelled scenario of zero net carbon emissions by 2030. The team will monitor changes to validate predictions, and the KRF farm will become a demonstration farm to illustrate the impact of mitigation methodologies in real time and in practice

Emissions baseline report for the agriculture sector in Western Australia

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report found that climate impacts are appearing earlier and are more severe than expected. The world faces multiple unavoidable climate hazards over the next two decades with global warming of 1.5ºC and accelerated action is required to avoid mortality and loss of biodiversity and infrastructure. Achieving Climate Resilience requires both climate adaptation and mitigation of Greenhouse Gases which are accelerating climate change. Western Australia is committed to building resilience of the agriculture industry and as part of that is focussed on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at both an industry and government level. As part of this challenge the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is working with industry and stakeholder groups to develop emissions reduction solutions for the WA agriculture sector. Engagement has commenced across the livestock, grains, horticulture, rangelands and intensive livestock industries. Detailed analysis and scenario modelling will be undertaken to develop practical and effective abatement options, including shared transition pathways. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are calculated at a national/state level and at an enterprise/product level using different approaches. Australia’s state and national emissions are calculated using a set of rules outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). These state and national emissions are reported through the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory (NGHGI), which is used to report our emissions to the world and compare global emissions on a country-by-country basis. Industry and farm businesses can measure emissions at a product or farm/enterprise level using life cycle analysis (LCA) or farm business/enterprise carbon accounts. Product-level analyses generate emission intensities for specific products (e.g., emissions per unit of milk, meat, wool). Carbon accounts quantify the total emissions generated at a farm business/enterprise level and for each product produced by the business. LCAs and farm carbon accounts include both on-farm emissions and emissions that occur pre-farmgate (from purchased inputs such as fertiliser etc). They can also include carbon sequestration activities. Unlike LCAs and farm carbon accounts, NGHGI reporting for the Agriculture sector does not include emissions generated during the manufacture and transport of agricultural inputs – such as fertilisers, herbicides, pesticides and agricultural machinery. Instead, these emissions are captured in the NGHGI Energy sector reporting. Also, any changes in on-farm carbon stocks from tree planting/harvest or soil carbon fluxes are accounted for in the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector rather than the Agriculture sector (Table 5). This report is broken into two parts: 1. A summary of GHG emissions as reported by the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory (NGHGI) 2. A summary of industry generated carbon accounts using life cycle analysis (LCA) or farm business/enterprise carbon accounts to generate a baseline of GHG emissions for the WA agriculture sector and for each industry represented within the sector

Sheep Updates 2009

This session covers seven papers from different authors: 1. Scouring Management and Worm Control, Brown Besier, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 2.Breeding sheep for resistance to breech strike:- Selection results in WA, LJE Karlsson, JC Greeff & AC Schlink, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 3.Future Ewe - matching genetics to the production system, Mark Ferguson, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 4. Within-flock selection of ewes: opportunities for gains in reproduction, Greg Leeand Sue Hatcher, NSW Department of Primary Industries & Australian CRCforSheep Industry Innovation (Orange) 5. Managing Merinos on Murrayfield, Bruce Michael, Murryfield, Bruny Island, Tasmania 6. Managing [breech] flystrike in [unmulesed] sheep, Rob Woodgate, Darren Michael, Mandy Curnow and Julia Smith, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia 7. Value of Pregnancy Scanning and Differential Feeding of Dry, Single amd Twin Ewes, John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Kojonup, WA, Andrew Thompson, Chris Oldham Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australi