We’re Grazing for Drought Resilience!

Published 25th February 2022. Written by Maddison O’Brien

On Tuesday the 15^th March, Watershed Landcare, in collaboration with local mentor Col Seis will be hosting a workshop in Gulgong to demonstrate the advantages of Adaptive Planned Grazing. Graziers and farmers are invited to attend this free, interactive day where we’ll hear from experienced trainers and mentors and see the results of this practical grazing technique.

What is Adaptive Planned Grazing (APG)?

APG is a tool. It is helpful in good times and during drought. Land managers who use APG effectively can quickly respond to climate, rainfall, and economic factors, providing opportunities to make the most of high/low livestock prices and adjust the stock density to make the most of available feed.

Put simply, APG involves high stock densities and a high rotation frequency. Ideally, you would have all your stock in one mob, rotating every day or two through smaller paddocks to get increased ground disturbance, the concentration of manure, and optimum feed utilisation. Paddocks are then left to rest and recover for an extended period before being grazed again. This technique mimics how wild herd animals graze, stimulates more diverse plant species, and builds soil health and structure.

Upcoming workshop in Gulgong, Tuesday 15^th March 2022, 10 AM – 4 PM

Here is an exciting opportunity for local graziers to attend a free one-day workshop. You’ll get to see presentations from experienced land managers, Resource Consulting Services and Holistic Management trainers. You’ll leave the day with an understanding of how to estimate how much feed you have on pasture and adjust stock numbers accordingly. You will learn the tools to see the land recover more quickly after being grazed and bounce back faster after drought. Would you like to increase the diversity of grasses and perennial species in your paddocks? Then you won’t want to miss this casual, on-farm workshop. Set on Col Seis’ property, ‘Winona’, where attendees can see for themselves the remarkable results of Adaptive Planned Grazing.

The workshop alone will provide some valuable insights into how you can improve your grazing enterprise. For those keen to push their farm’s sustainable production potential, there is the choice to take on further, generously subsidised training and/or funding to set up a trial on-farm with ongoing support from mentors.

If you can’t make it to the Gulgong workshop, don’t despair! There are upcoming workshops in Bathurst & Stuart Town visit: www.watershedlandcare/events for more info and to get your free tickets. For enquiries, please contact: grazingfordrought@watershedlandcare.com.au

This project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund