The paired-paddock model as an agent for change on grazing properties across south-east Australia

A detailed study was undertaken on the pasture management practices of 146 producers across south-east Australia who participated in the Grassland's P roductivity Program (GPP) for 3 years between 1993 and 1997. The GPP was an extension program to assist wool producers to develop skills and gain conf idence in their ability to manage more productive pastures on their farms. The program consisted of 50 fanner groups (200 farmers participating) sprea d across the 4 states of South Australia, southern New South Wales, Victori a and Tasmania. Each farmer established paired-paddocks on their own proper ty to compare productive pastures with existing pastures. Productive pastur es involve increased rates of fertiliser on pastures containing productive species, with stocking rate adjusted to consume available pasture. After 3 years of involvement in the GPP, there was a whole-farm increase in P fertiliser use by 6.3 kg P/ha, stocking rates by 2.6 dse/ha and annual p asture resowing by 0.9% of the farm, when averaged across the 146 participa nts. The participants were applying the productive pasture technology to al most a third of their properties in 1997 and the intention was to increase this to over half of their properties by 2000. The participants also change d farm management practices as the program effectively developed management skills. There were increases in the ability to assess pasture quality and quantity, livestock by weighing or physical assessment, and the ability to calculate per hectare production and per hectare gross margins. A high prop ortion of GPP participants were soil testing (0.92) and spring lambing (0.7 2) at the completion of the program. The results indicated that the adoption of productive pastures was generall y consistent across southeast Australia for pastoral producers who particip ated in this program, although south-west Victorian and south-east South Au stralian GPP participants did increase whole-farm P application by more tha n GPP participants from outside that region. The widespread change in farmi ng practice was attributed to the additive and interactive effect of the pa ired-paddock comparison, the guidance provided by the facilitator, the grou p interaction and the skills training. Each of these components of the pair ed-paddock model combined to form an effective agent for change to increase pasture productivity on these grazing properties.