The over-arching objective of this very popular 3-day introductory
course is to increase the productivity of grazing enterprises
through changes in pasture and grazing management, soil fertility,
water-use and animal feeding strategies. The increased pasture
growth allows for greater stocking rates without taking many
risks. Participants learn simple, quick and effective ways to
monitor pasture and how to use this information to improve their
grazing business.
Topics covered during the program include:
• a description of the features of perennial grass growth
and why managing the grazing is so crucial to pasture productivity.
• Understanding the water cycle and how to improve rainfall
use efficiency
• Interpreting soil tests and improving soil characteristics
• The Pasture Checklist a simple and effective pasture
monitoring tool
• How to estimate herbage mass and conduct a feed budget
• Developing your own grazing plan
For a more detailed description of the course program click
here
Post graduate workshops
These one day workshops follow and build on the Introduction
to Pasture & Grazing Management course. During these sessions
we revisit your grazing plan and help overcome any barriers
to adoption that may exist. The course is about your farm and
working with us and other participants to ensure the successful
adoption of the key pasture and grazing management tools to
achieve the best outcomes for you, your land, your livestock
and your profitability.
Pasture and grazing management continues to be one of the most
important issues for land managers and livestock producers everywhere.
The principles introduced at the 3 day course will be reviewed.
Implementation of these tools can lead to a significant increase
in stocking rate while at the same time improving the health
of the land.
Pasture Focus Groups
With funding provided by Northern River CMA Lewis and Judi
facilitate the activities of a number of focus groups within
the Northern Tablelands and Norther Rivers regions. Each group
has at least 6 members and participants implement tools within
the Pasture Management Checklist developed by Lewis and Judi
to measure and record indicators of pasture health and productivity
at sites located on their own properties. The focus group members
meet regularly throughout the year on group member’s properties
to discuss issues relating to pasture condition including pasture
growth rates, water use efficiency and utilisation, their own
grazing plans and management actions to enhance pasture productivity
and health indicators.
The structure allows benchmarking of pasture health indicators
within farms, within focus groups and between groups across
the region. This allows the participants to evaluate the change
in direction of paddock health and productivity on your own
place as well as how your pastures and pasture production compares
to others in your area and the wider region. The focus at group
meetings is to evaluate management approaches to enhance pasture
productivity and land health.
For more information on any of these training programs please
contact Lewis Ph: 6771 1273 or Judi Ph: 6779 2286
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