Brains Trust Guides Profitable Grazing Choices

Having the right tools and advice to inform and validate decisions has helped Paula Carroll endure the hard seasons and thrive in the good ones.

Paula runs 'Tirano Farms', a beef enterprise in WA, in partnership with her husband and in-laws. In 2023, she attended the MLA Profitable Grazing Systems (PGS) training program Grazing Matcher™. The group-based course is designed to improve outcomes for producers by teaching them to better match grazing pressure, fertiliser application, animal requirements and market demands.

The program was developed specifically for southern WA, where due to the mediterranean climate, around 60% of pastures growth occurs in spring. This means producers rely heavily on preserved fodder to fill the feed gap from late summer through to early winter.

"I manage one of our farms by myself most of the time, and during the season I found I was guessing more than I should have when it came to grazing management decisions," Paula said.

The Carroll family have been farming in the district for over 100 years, so for Paula, learning to make informed decisions to continue to build the shared business was an important goal.

Since completing the PGS, the tools gained from the workshop have seen Paula navigate clearly through poor feed quality, dry seasons and paddock improvements.

New processes to boost efficiency

Armed with a variety of tools, Paula has and continues to implement new processes within her operation, with the goal of maximising beef production in an efficient way.

The PGS group suggested trialling deferred grazing, which allows pastures to establish before commencing rotational grazing.

"This year was the first opportunity we had to try it. I've seen a huge difference in the paddocks which were given time to properly establish, even the paddock we held the cattle in has recovered beautifully too," Paula said.

"There were a few moments where I wondered if holding the cows in the sacrificial paddock would be detrimental, but trusting the process and the knowledge of the industry professionals who run the Grazing Matcher™ workshop was a success."

The decision of how, where and when to defer grazing were guided by calculation tools provided in Grazing Matcher™.

"The tools have helped me ensure our grazing rotations are down pat, and the cattle are in each paddock for the correct amount of time. I do a lot more pasture monitoring and measurement now."

After seeing success, Paula decided to make another change learnt from the PGS to prepare for a change in season.

"We applied urea in July to some select paddocks, which we haven't done in the past. After a long, dry summer, it really bridged the winter feed gap and ensured we had plenty of grass without having to slow down our grazing rotation, or supplementary feed.

"I've developed a better understanding of where the feed gaps are, and what we have to do to look after the grass ahead of time without compromising the pasture they're on," Paula said.

Brainstorming solutions as a group

Testing samples is key for the business to maintain consistency within their feed.

"We always collect samples of hay for a feed analysis once it is baled, so we know what we're working with. Over the past few years, high neutral detergent fibre (NDF) has been a consistent limiting factor," Paula said.

NDF is a measurement of feed quality, which estimates the percentage of total cell wall content of forage or other feeds.

"We couldn't pinpoint why it was high, but I brought the results along to a Grazing Matcher™ workshop, and among the group we brainstormed a few ideas to implement."

The foundation of the PGS-supported learning packages is peer-to-peer learning, allowing producers to lean on each other to find solutions.

"Since then, we've gotten the NDF percentage back to the range it should be – it's some of the best hay we've ever made," Paula said.

High moisture percentage and uneven drying of hay was another challenge Paula wanted to overcome.

"We purchased a tedder implement to help dry the hay evenly and used the microwave to test moisture content. Using the microwave was a game changer in getting an accurate measurement to decide when to start baling."

Tools in action

While the tools gained in PGS programs can be used to help a business thrive, making the right decision can make or break a business in a tough period.

Paula has seen promising results using her new knowledge to make improvements and build profit, but also to help the business through dry periods.

"We had a longer than anticipated dry spell and had budgeted our hay for a typical year, where we normally have plenty of carryover. We always weigh several hay rolls after baling so that we understand how many kilograms of hay we have available to feed out over the season."

Maximising pasture production, quality of preserved fodder and better matching feed supply to stock is key to success, but in WA, each year is different, and calculations are difficult to get right.

At a certain point, Paula realised the hay would soon fall short.

Learning to observe stock and field cues and adjust management depending on the season, rather than locked dates, empowers PGS participants to gain better control over season challenges.

"There were a lot of discussions around the table about what we should do, destock, feed less or bring feed in.

"I was able to use a digital feed calculator and apply our scenario to include factors such as the cost of feed at the time, our stocking rates and the energy requirements of our cows and calves. We found the benefits would outweigh the cost and could justify buying pellets and hay," Paula said.

The Carrolls made it through the season and the calves currently weigh more than previous years.

"As a farmer, cost and affordability can be such a barrier, but when you make use of the knowledge gained from the Grazing Matcher™ program, you have the confidence to make informed decisions each season," Paula said.

Grazing Matcher™ has been running for seven years with the support of MLA and Western Beef Association. Groups are also supported by the Healthy Estuary WA program and GeoCatch.