[This episode was released before the launch of our second podcast series "Cattle Station Classroom"]
Many breeder paddocks in northern Australia are too big and under-watered to achieve optimum productivity. In the Barkly Tableland region, for example, average paddock area is 218 km² (21,800 hectares) and some are more than 1000 km². These large, poorly watered paddocks impact on reproduction and profitability: there’s over-and under-utilised feed (depending on distance from water), incomplete musters and limited opportunities to implement herd segregation, controlled mating or tactical pasture management.
Dr Dionne Walsh is the Rangeland Program Manager for the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Resources. In this episode, we chat about a new research project called "Paddock Power". The Paddock Power project aims to deliver better evidence and advice for producers investing in paddock development to lift cattle herd productivity in northern Australia.
The Paddock Power project aims to answer three questions:
Learn more at the website here, and follow the project on Facebook here.