FFI EverGraze More Meat from Perennial$ (PAPP Phase III)

Summary

In partnership with the Salinity CRC, to design, test, and implement innovative animal production enterprises with perennial pastures that can economically compete against alternative land uses, as well as reducing recharge at the catchment scale. The project nationally uses a common lamb production system, however the project also considers cattle production systems as an experimental treatment. A desktop review and modelling in combination with application (research and demonstration) will explore and validate the high performance lambing enterprise in the three high rainfall environments. This will increase the livestock industries knowledge on the ability of a Merino based ewe system to achieve 150% weaning (multiple ovulation and increase lamb survival (nutrition and shelter) and a lamb growth rate minium of 200 g/day from birth to weaning, as well as the feasibility of 7-month joining, dual lambing, and 3 lambings in 2 years in different environments in south eastern Australia. 
Nationally, the project will use standard data on interactions between the biophysical characteristics of the farm (ie soil type, climate, topography), the perennial plant (growth, quality, persistence, rooting depth) and animal performance (sheep and to a lesser extent cattle) to validate and improve economic and hydrological models. Application of these models in and beyond the pilot catchments will provide a significantly improved insight into the impact of land use change on farm profit and recharge across south eastern Australia and our ability to meet targets to manage dryland salinity as well as provide fresh water.