ABOUT THE PROJECT

MSF with the support of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) is on a mission to close the knowledge gap around feed and nutrition in low rainfall zones. 

With feedback from MSF members, we’ve heard loud and clear that farmers need a better understanding of digestibility, energy value, and mineral content in a range of pastures and crops. 

And it’s not just about grazing the usual suspects — we’re talking about exploring alternatives like pulses. Whether it’s building flock numbers or reintroducing sheep, MSF knows there needs to be more flexibility and better information available to address nutritional deficiencies and manage seasonal variability.

This will be achieved by the following objectives:

• Identify the nutritional value and mineral content of a range of Mallee pastures and grazing crops including the variance between seasons over two years.
• Develop a dataset of the nutritional value and mineral content of low rainfall pastures for use by producers and industry.
• Increase producer confidence and decision-making ability in relation to sheep management through the development of region-specific feed base resources.
• Conduct grower events at the end of the project to extend results, with the aim to building database of farmers to target for participating in Lifetime Ewe Management.

PODCASTS

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  Know your Mallee Feed Base
  
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  Feed Nutrition of low rainfall crops and pastures
  
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  AWI Feed nutrition results of low rainfall crops and pastures
  
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  Introducing to AWI Feed nutrition project with Hamish Dickson
  

PROJECT RESOURCES

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USEFUL RESOURCES

• AWI Stock water_a limited resourceLifetime Ewe Management (LTEM) Flyer
• AWI Standard reference weight calculator
• LifeTimeWool Feed Budget Tables_Break of season in annual pastures
• LifeTimeWool Feed Budget Tables_Drought conditions
• LTW Feed Budget Tables_Green pastures in southern Australia
• AWI Reducing Mob Size Fact Sheet-marking rate_5
• Sheep diseases – the farmers guide
• AWI Flystrike Extension Program
• AWI MSF Know Your Mallee Feedbase – workshop handout
• AgriPartner Consulting – Primrose feed test results

• LTEM App App Store
• LTEM Google Play
• AWI Feed on Offer Library
• FeedTest Labs
• NSW DPI Feed Quality Service 
• Stubble Grazing Calculator
• Estimating feed on offer (FOO) of grazing crops and stubble
• NSW DPI Drought & Supplementary Feed Calculator
• Making more from sheep animal health fact sheets
• Veterinary Handbook for sheep, cattle & goats
• Biological wool defleecing research
• PIRSA Livestock disease surveillance program
• NSW DPI lamb autopsy guide