The Cicerone Project was established with wool producers at the helm with the intention to conduct trials that are relevent to producers and will be acepted more easely in the industry. The initial surveys of producers determined the work to be conducted and continued producer involvement ensured the relevents of the trials. The main trial was the "ABC" learning farmlets, and the following are some results and discusion. If you are not familiar with the farmlets have a look at - "the farmlet guidelines"
Experiences from the Cicerone Project
There have been many valuable lessons and experiences come out of the Cicerone Project over the last 7 years. Following is a list of some of those experiences.
Soil and pasture
Understanding the balance between soil parameters and pastures. We demonstrated that we could maintain ground cover at a minimum level of 70% across all 3 farmlets except when being sown (even with a direct drill). Soil tests were carried out annually on all farmlet paddocks. This enabled us to target fertiliser applications, rather than applying a standard rate at regular intervals. We suggest that targeted fertiliser use is likely to be most cost effective.
Legume content is potentially much lower than people realise – even on farmlet A, with its high inputs, the highest legume content achieved during the project period was less than 10% (whilst the average for the other farmlets was below 1%). We suggest that there is an ongoing need to address how we can maintain sufficient legumes in our pastures to feed both the animals and the deep-rooted grasses.
There were major changes in botanical composition between the farmlets. Pasture sowing on farmlet A allowed relatively higher levels of ‘desirable’ species. Patch grazing in farmlet B lead to a change in botanical composition, including sheep camps. The declining level of sown grasses on the B farmlets was filled by an increase in warm season species (eg: native grasses and short-lived perennials like goose grass). The C farmlet was able to maintain the level of perennials and increase the ground cover and litter level through grazing management.
Supplementary feeding also gives animals sufficient protein to digest relatively indigestible pasture, increasing grazing pressure. What are the risks on production and sustainability due to pasture species changing? We suspect that a loss of deep-rooted perennial grasses may lead to decreased use of ground water as well as being less botanical stability leading eventually to a greater proportion of weeds. Having less legumes means our systems may be constrained by low levels of biologically fixed nitrogen.
We have learned to monitor botanical composition, ground cover, soil nutrient levels, herbage mass, digestibility % and legume % so that we are better able to carry out fodder budgets. We have also recognised the need to do this much better and in a more timely way if we are to be able to provide an adequate diet for animals all year.
We suggest that keeping adequate leaf area of desirable species at critical times of the year and during drier seasons will allow pastures to respond more quickly when there is a rainfall event. We have learnt how challenging it is to determine the optimal time of grazing in a grazing system so that preferred plant species can grow and yet persist in the pasture sward providing adequate green herbage mass and digestibility.
Ultimately, we need to match the metabolisable energy (ME) needs of livestock throughout the year with the capacity of the pasture to supply that ME from week to week over variable seasons and years. More work is needed to improve guidance for this balancing act.
The B farmlet showed some detrimental effects due to patch grazing and camping and substantial losses of ‘desirable’ pasture species. Farmlet C experienced better retention of desirable species than Farmlet B; however, legume presence has been less on Farmlet C. Farmlet A was able to maintain a high level of desirable pasture species but only through re-sowing pastures at a high rate of 20% pa. This enabled a rapid increase in stocking rate compared to the other farmlets but the costs of pasture improvement have yet to be fully recouped.
Animal production
Higher greasy wool production per hectare on farmlet A (higher stocking rate).
Little marketable difference in the average annual fibre diameter across the farmlets.
Greasy fleece weights of hoggets and ewes on farmlets A and B were similar and were higher than farmlet C.
Ewes on each of the farmlets had their lowest body weight and fat score at weaning. Actual weight gain between weaning and joining varied, with most gain generally achieved on farmlet A.
The average number of lambs conceived per 100 ewes was highest on farmlet A, followed by B than C for the 3 years that pregnancy scanning was undertaken (2003-2005). The total average annual lamb marking percentages and weaning percentages were highest on farmlet B, followed by A then C.
Animal and paddock management incorporated regular pasture assessments and paddock allocation to livestock mobs according to their production or reproductive requirements, balanced by considerations of management of intestinal parasites.Supplementary feeding during late pregnancy was done when necessary. Ideally, ewes should be preg-scanned so that twin-bearing ewes and early and late single-bearing ewes can be targeted separately.
Changes in stocking rate need to consider the likely impact not only on livestock performance but also the need for adequate ground cover, herbage mass, the potential loss of desirable pasture species and the risks of excessive supplementary feeding.
Management decisions can be more precise when accurate measurements have been recorded. There is a continuing need to monitor the growth rate of lambs, liveweight gains in cattle, fat score of ewes, worm egg counts and drench resistance.
Worm management
Short graze periods and long rest periods in this cool temperate climate were shown to have a positive impact on the control of Haemonchus contortus (Barber’s Pole worm). This is due to reduction in re-infection during the shorter grazing periods and a reduction in worm contamination on pastures from long rest periods.
Low exposure to worms delays immunity development, but good nutrition and extended exposure improves the sheep’s immunity and resilience to worms.
Faecal worm egg counts were found to be consistently lower for Barber’s Pole worm in all classes of sheep on farmlet C, due to lower levels of pasture contamination.
Intensive rotational grazing (IRG) is effective due to the short graze and long rest periods, regarding Barber’s Pole (homonchus)worms, grazing periods less that 7 days in warm moist weather and rest periods from sheep longer than 60 days in hot dry weather and greater than 150 days in cool moist conditions. Other ways of preventing large outbreaks of worms in non-IRG systems include- Grazing management – clean paddocks for susceptible animals(eg: adult cattle may be grazed to increase the rest period between sheep grazing and reduce paddock worm contamination). Integrated parasite management. No single control strategy will be sufficient over the long term. Ways that are known to incease bargers pole- Set stocking susceptible sheep, in a wet and warm season and grazing close to the ground.
Determining what is relevant to your operation. The Cicerone Project has many useful and relevant messages, but it may not be practical to try and implement everything on your property. The following list may assist you in your decision-making process:
All farms have different strengths and weaknesses and will be managed differently.
Determine your current position with respect to landscape capability, pasture production, livestock production, financial position.
Think about and work towards your long-term vision. Integrate your human resources, the physical nature of your property and your financial position.
Do any or all of the farmlet objectives ‘fit in’ with your current or ‘desired’ situation?
Potential for finishing stock on the high input farmlet A type system.
Potential for incorporating intensive rotational grazing to reduce Barber’s Pole worm infestations (farmlet C)
You may want a simple management grazing system with a low cost structure (farmlet B).
Monitor and record to benchmark and test your decisions.
Drought Management Experiences
The Cicerone Farmlets have been run over the past 6 years which has seen a drought in 2002 and 2006 with periods of below-average rainfall in between. A number of different management strategies have been used over those years.
The biggest stress on pasture, animals, management and finances were in the years where stocking rate exceeded carrying capacity by a large margin. Often stock were kept as they were not ready to sell, in the hope that it would rain. Unfortunately, delaying decisions meant that sheep were sold into a depressed market or had to be fed.
The best managed years were where stock were sold early into reasonable markets to reduce stocking rate, livestock were fed early to maintain condition and production, and paddocks were rested to maintain ground cover and perenniality.
Use of fodder budgeting and fodder conservation allowed some predictability to achieve livestock targets.
Producers visiting Cicerone could relate to it being under similar drought conditions to their own properties.
The A farmlet, with its relatively high inputs and its high stocking rate during the past 6 dry years, has tended to have more variable outcomes and hence is considered a somewhat riskier strategy than the other farmlets. The high stocking rate achieved on farmlet A needs quick proactive adjustments to avoid overgrazing. Given average or above-average conditions, the farmlet has the potential to produce substantially more pasture and livestock products.
The rapid development of farmlet A was a deliberate decision of the Board to differentiate the farmlets and hence this high rate of development is not recommended for general adoption. Cicerone’s experience with pasture establishment confirms that, when sowing new pastures, there are well established methods that need to be followed - such as planning one year ahead, absolute weed control, adequate soil moisture and accurate seed placement. New pastures need high soil nutrients and careful grazing management. The successful establishment and maintenance of the sown pastures is the key to success. Calculations by Behrendt (2006) showed that sowing 4% - 5% of the farmlet area per year was optimal. This means that pastures need to be well managed (with nutrients and grazing management) to enable them to last for 20 to 25 years. During its early years, a newly sown pasture needs rest periods during spring and/or autumn, to allow for root development and for the basal area of perennials to be increased. The conservation of high quality fodder should be considered as a means of capturing surplus feed in spring and early summer.
The B farmlet. proved to be the easiest to manage with its lower stocking rates, low costs, little sowing of pasture and minimal stock movement. Lamb survival percentages were often best on this farmlet and weaner growth rates were generally good. However, the low stock density grazing has led to selective/patch grazing which has been detrimental to the persistence of the sown perennial grasses.
In the short term the B farmlet had the best cumulative cashflow, but over time as the pasture base declines the long term productivity and profitability is questionable.
The C farmlet with its many paddocks and intensive rotational grazing (IRG) has proved challenging to manage. High stock density grazing has the power to overgraze pastures to a much greater extent than other grazing strategies if mismanaged. With its short graze periods, IRG demonstrated superior parasite control and required many fewer drenches. High stock density within small paddocks is necessary in order to reduce the grazing period and increase rest periods for the ungrazed paddocks. However, young livestock need to be allowed to graze ahead of the adult animals until they are able to compete with the adults for the available feed resource (after their first lamb).
The long rest periods on farmlet C resulted in generally low quality pasture on offer to the animals; when combined with high stock densities, this is likely to have resulted in lower individual animal performance. The resting of the pasture to achieve high digestibility and stock performance was a difficult balancing act.
(Link to Graphical summary of farmlet results)
Please click here for links to research papers
Cicerone's Research Priorities
The highest priority areas for research and adoption for Cicerone are those which seek to maximise the profitability and sustainability of the grazing based industries on the Northern Tablelands and Slopes of NSW. Following a detailed survey of over 350 graziers in 1997, the Cicerone Board determined a list of priority areas summarised in the Executive Summary of the survey report.
Our Surveys
Cicerone has conducted many surveys since our formation, click below to view a survey in detail.