MLA - Meat & Livestock Australia Limited

11/18/2022 | News release | Archived content

Enhanced producer demonstration site program

Enhanced producer demonstration site program

18 November 2022

Background

The Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site (EPDS) concept was developed in 2014 as a partnership between Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Agriculture Victoria. The partnership brings the benefits of integrating with Agriculture Victoria's BestWool/BestLamb and BetterBeef network of producers. Groups receive assistance from Agriculture Victoria extension staff throughout the demonstrations including monitoring, evaluation, reporting and communication.

This project comprised of two parts. Firstly, the completion of a suite of eight (phase one) demonstrations that commenced in 2014, and secondly, a further seven (phase two) demonstrations, established through an expression of interest (EOI) process that commenced in 2018-19.

Phase one

Phase one demonstrations involved 47 host producer sites and 276 group members. Sixty-six group events were held with 1,665 producers and 128 service providers attending. An evaluation was conducted three years after these demonstrations concluded and found that 84% of producers interviewed had made or were in the process of making practice changes to their farm business (many of them significant changes). Producers rated the demonstrations 8.7/10 for helping them to understand the management practice or technology.

Phase two

Phase two demonstrations involved 41 host producer sites and 254 group members. Sixty-two group activities and presentations were conducted with 1,042 producers and 163 service providers attending. Seventy-nine media articles and events promoted these demonstrations and their outcomes. Producer knowledge and skills increased across all demonstrations. High levels of adoption or intention to adopt practices was measured for all demonstrations except Adopting accelerated beef finishing systems using grazed fodder beet and Drones for monitoring sheep welfare. These projects identified issues and risks that prevented adoption.

EPDS phase two is now complete, the program final report and individual project reports will be published on the MLA website soon.

EPDS Phase two demonstrations

The project aimed to directly engage 100 beef and sheep producers through seven EPDS projects. These projects were aligned with key profit drivers, MLA and SALRC priorities through an EOI process, and were supported by regional SALRC committees.

The demonstration projects included:

1. Adopting accelerated beef finishing systems using grazed fodder beet crops

2. Using soil moisture probes to predict winter/spring pasture growth

3. To wean or not to wean

4. Annual grass control strategies in perennial pastures

5. Using drones on farm to check sheep welfare

6. Demonstrating the benefits of dung beetles to prime lamb producers

7. Increasing lamb survival.