Producer Demonstration Site (PDS): Integrating dual-purpose crops and eID into mixed farming systems

Summary

The goal for managing dual-purpose crops is to maximize the profit from the combined income from the grazed forage and the grain or hay.

The aim of this project was to demonstrate how the integration of dual-purpose crops and electronic identification (eID) technology into mixed farming businesses can improve farm profitability through improved livestock feed base and improved genetic selection.

The objectives were achieved through multiple dual-purpose cropping demonstration sites and increasing capacity for producers to collect relevant data with eID tags, which leads to improved genetic selection for desired traits. Both core and observer producer's adoption rates of eID technology increased by 37% by the end of this three-year project. Crop grazing adoption also increased by 19%.

Objectives

The main objectvies of this project were to:

• demonstrate and quantify the cost benefits of using elD technology for selecting sheep in line with breeding objectives to 70% of Stirlings to Coast Farmers (SCF) members
• increase the rate of adoption of elD technology to enhance productive and reproductive traits of the sheep flock 
• demonstrate and quantify the cost benefits of integrating dual (summer and winter) purpose crops into mixed farming systems to enhance out of season feed base 
• increase rate of adoption of dual purpose crops as part of a whole farm management program 
• demonstrate how to control weeds and pests in dual purpose crops
• increase the confidence of integrating dual crops and elD technology (either or both) into producer businesses.

Key findings

• The adoption rates of eID technology increased by 37% by SCF members by the end of this three-year project.
• Crop grazing adoption increased by 19% by SCF members. All demonstration hosts have seen the benefits of the technique/strategy they were show-casing (eID tags or Grazing crops).
• Both eID tags and grazing crops can increase business diversity and profitability now and in the future.

Future research

• Ongoing research and information dissemination will be critical to ensuring further adoption of these practices.
• More demonstrations and analyses are needed to help improve flock management, particularly in terms of reproductive performance and other genetic improvements.
• Growers need to be able to quantify the cost of data to be able to utilise the full benefits of eID technology in their livestock enterprise.