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Context: Australia is renowned for its climate variation, featuring years with drought and years with floods, which result in significant production and profit variability. Accordingly, to maximise profitability, dryland farming systems need to be dynamically managed in response to unfolding weather conditions. Aims: The aim of this study is to identify and quantify optimal tactical livestock management for different weather-years. Methods: This study employed a whole-farm optimisation model to analyse a representative mixed enterprise farm located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. Using this model, we investigated the economic significance of five key livestock management tactics. These included timing of sheep sales, pasture-area adjustments, rotational grazing, crop grazing and sheep nutrition adjustments. Key results: The results showed that, on the modelled dryland mixed-enterprise farm in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, short-term adjustments to the overall farm strategy in response to unfolding weather conditions increased expected profit by approximately 16%. Each tactic boosted profit by between A$7704 and A$53,171. However, we outline several complexities that farmers must consider when implementing tactics. Conclusions: The financial gains from short-term tactical management highlighted their importance and farmers' need to develop and apply those skills. The tactical skills promote business resilience and adaptability in the face of climate uncertainties. Implications: The study highlighted the economic value of dynamic livestock management in response to climate variations, offering farmers in the Great Southern region the means to underpin profitable and sustainable farm practices. Under Australia's renowned climate variation, it is profitable for farmer to implement short-term tactical management adjustments in response to the unfolding weather conditions. This paper has identified and quantified optimal tactical livestock management for different weather-years for a mixed-farming system in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheep stocking rate influences farm profit significantly; however determining the optimal stocking rate is a difficult task. In this paper, we address this challenge through three main steps. First, we review the definition of stocking rate; second, we examine prior research relevant to the review topic and highlight the factors that need to be considered when determining the optimal stocking rate; and third, we make recommendations for improvements in research on establishing the optimal sheep stocking rate. Inconsistency in the definition of stocking rate can lead to miscommunication among researchers, advisers and farmers. If 10 dry sheep equivalents (DSE)/ha is optimal for one flock, it may not be optimal for another flock because the DSE measure does not fully capture the nuances of different patterns of nutritional requirements among sheep classes and feed availabilities and their respective prices and costs. The optimal stocking rate occurs when the marginal economic benefit of an additional animal equals its marginal cost. Determining this point requires an understanding of the quantity and quality of feed available throughout the year, the optimal liveweight profile throughout the year, the impact of seasonal variation, the impact of labour availability, the cost of alternative feeds, prices of livestock and livestock products, the risk preferences of the farmer, and any emission policies relating to greenhouse gases. Farmers tend to use their own judgement to set their stocking rates, with the aim of maximising utility. However, the complexities listed make it a challenging task. Thus, researchers have used various simulation and programming models to aid decision-making over optimal stocking rates, but most farmers continue to rely on their own personal judgement. Moreover, often a focus of this modelling is for sheep systems in eastern Australia. Generalising this research across Australia is difficult due to differences in climatic conditions and markets across Australia. Often farmers are unaware of the profits they are foregoing when choosing either an overly conservative or excessive stocking rate. Our research has shown that foregone income of up to AUD50 per hectare can occur when a stocking rate 30% below or above the optimum is selected. Thus, despite the complexities that underpin the stocking rate decision, we believe that there are potential rewards from further research on the optimisation of stocking rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Modern crop stubbles provide an important source of feed for sheep during summer but can vary widely in their feeding value due to Genetics × Environment × Management interactions during crop growth, and how chaff is managed at harvest. Stubbles are difficult to assess for grazing value, due to the heterogeneity of forage components (e.g. stem, leaf, grains), which means that livestock producers rely on their observations and experience to manage sheep grazing stubbles. Aims: To provide current information on the feeding value of stubbles, and to establish better methods for estimating stubble feeding value. Methods: In the present paper, we report the results of sheep grazing wheat-stubble paddocks and a survey of the nutritive value of standing stubbles and chaff lines and piles of grain crops (including wheat, barley, canola and lupins) from crop paddocks in the mixed-farming region of Western Australia. Key results: Without supplementation, wheat stubbles provided 50–100 dry sheep equivalent grazing days per hectare, before the estimated metabolisable energy (ME) intake of sheep fell below maintenance. This was influenced by ewe body condition score, where sheep of lower body condition gained more weight on stubbles (89 g/day higher weight gain per unit lower body condition score). Estimated ME content of edible chaff (leaf, fine stem and seed sheath or pod, excluding main stem and grain) was 5% higher in barley, 19% higher in lupin, and 5% lower in canola, than in wheat chaff, which was 5.9 MJ ME/kg DM. Implications: While the grazing value of modern stubbles is variable, they have an important role in the seasonal feedbase by providing several months of feed during summer. Chaff by itself does not meet the energy or protein requirements of livestock, so a high-protein grain supplement (e.g. lupins) is necessary to maintain non-lactating ewes fed only chaff. The increased use of chaff lines and piles at harvest, primarily for weed control, provides a new opportunity to fill feed gaps in sheep and cattle enterprises if the material can be transported and stored efficiently, or if grazed in situ , as is common practice. Crop stubbles, the residues left behind in cropping paddocks after harvest, provide a valuable source of feed for sheep in Western Australia during summer when green pasture is scarce. The feed value to sheep in stubbles is variable, and depends of the crop type, variety, location and method of harvest. Our research has provided new information on the value of stubbles that will enable improved management of sheep nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]