Feeding Livestock
Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) and Meat & Livestock Association (MLA) are helping producers to prepare, plan and take action with an initiative called Stock Wise.
Stock Wise pulls together the resources and expertise of respected industry experts, online tools and information and practical hands-on workshops to help producers make smart decisions about their business.
Resources available via Stock Wise include:
- Computer tools: StockPlan® for feeding and destocking options; the Pasture Growth Outlook Tool and Feed Demand Calculator
- Downloadable fact sheets and publications including: Feeding and managing sheep in dry times; Looking After Drought Pastures; Managing Fodder Prices for Droughts; Which sheep do I keep?
- Practical and Best Practice Guides: Managing Sheep in Droughtlots; Lifetimewool Feed Budget Tables; Planning for Profit; Is it Fit to Load?
Access Stock Wise via www.wool.com.au/drought or www.mla.com.au/drought
Weekly grain and hay reports
During drought, timely, independent and credible information on the price and availability of grain and hay becomes even more critical for livestock graziers.
As part of the industry's drought response, Dairy Australia has commissioned Australian Crop Forecasters and the Australian Fodder Industry Association to provide weekly Grain and Hay reports. The reports cover national feed market trends and provide detailed information for 14 dairying regions.
Access weekly grain and hay reports here.
feed.FIBRE.future
In June and July 2007, Australian Dairy Farmers and the Cattle Council of Australia recieved $40,000 from the Australian Government to host a series of fodder workshops.
The workshops were held to help drought-affected graziers experiencing severe fodder shortages alternative methods of keeping their stock nourished.
Factsheets from these workshops include:
- Facts about fibre
- A to Z of fibre sources (forages and high-fibre by-products) and their expected feed values
- The impact of your feeding decisions
These factsheets can be accessed via the Cattle Council of Australia and Dairy Australia
Nutrition and management of goats in drought
RIRDC undertook this report to review and update the requirements and practices needed during drought feeding of goats.
A report summary and the full report can be downloaded here.
Feeding sheep in droughts
AWI has developed a range of resources to assist with sheep feeding in drought, however much of this advice could easily translate to cattle and other livestock.
- Feeding and Managing Sheep in Dry Times *NEW (Produced in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture and Food WA)
- Managing Sheep in Droughtlots
- Managing Fodder Prices for Droughts
AWI has also produced some advice on managing stock water in dry periods.
Further information is available on the AWI Drought page.
StockPlan
StockPlan® is a suite of decision-support tools that enable cattle and sheep producers to explore management options in the early stages of and during a drought.
Supported by the NSW Department of Primary Industries and AWI, StockPlan® consists of 3 integrated sofware tools that work together to assist producers make management decisions that minimise the environmental and financial impacts of drought.
There are also StockPlan® Workshops run regularly throughout NSW.
For further information and contact details, click here. 
Lifetimewool
The Lifetimewool project provides ewe managment guidelines, tools, tips and background research results with economic analysis for sheep producers across southern Australia.
Lifetimewool is a jointly funded project from AWI; the Department of Agriculture and Food, WA; the Department of Primary Industries Victoria; The NSW Department of Primary Industries; CSIRO; SA Research and Development Institute; and the Department of Primary Industries and Water.
Lifetimewool has produced an easy-to-use feed budgeting table suitable for use in drought conditions in southern Australia. Download here.
The website www.lifetimewool.com.au can be accessed here.
