Differences in management practices and attitudes between the Triple P Program entrants and other pastoral producers in the region

A survey of the pasture productivity settings, practices and attitudes was undertaken for 229 pastoral producers who volunteered to enter the Triple P Program in 1997, and for 89 pastoral producers from 2 representative distr icts of Victoria. The latter group of producers was considered to be repres entative of the general population of pastoral producers in the regions whe re the Triple P Program was undertaken. Comparison of the survey results re veals that the volunteer participants entering the paired-paddock extension program employed different management practices and had different attitude s to productivity issues compared with the general pastoral producers. Befo re entering the program the Triple P volunteers were already employing more productive practices such as soil testing, measuring pasture availability and spring lambing. In addition the volunteers had higher whole-farm stocki ng rates and fertiliser use than the general pastoral producers. The differ ent management practices employed by the 2 groups were consistent with thei r contrasting attitudes towards managing their farms. The Triple P voluntee rs were focused on improving production per hectare through increased stock ing rates, which could be achieved by additional expenditure on fertiliser and pasture renovation. The general pastoral producers were more focused on improving production per head which was achieved by gauging animal perform ance, maintaining stock in good condition and maintaining expenditure on an imal health. We contend that the differences identified between the producers volunteeri ng to participate in the Triple P Program and the general pastoral producer s are a direct consequence of the voluntary approach used to recruit Triple P participants. This approach attracts a select group of farmers who are i nclined to engage in extension and training activities and tend to have dif ferent attitudes and practices to the general pastoral producer. A more pro active approach to recruitment will be required if a larger proportion of t he general producer population is to engage in the paired-paddock extension program.