Stocking rate decision tools for rangeland pastoralists

Project Name:

Stocking rate decisions are fundamental to pastoral management. While graziers factor in many environmental issues into their stocking rate decisions, few effectively incorporate all of the information that is either routinely collected on properties (e.g. rainfall, paddock grazing histories) or could be easily acquired (e.g. resource condition, seasonal climate forecasts).

Stocking rate decision tools for rangeland pastoralists aimed to make this information more readily useable to assist graziers with the difficult decisions that are fundamental to their economic and ecological success.

Aims

The projects objectives were:

To evaluate by simulation the behaviour and interpretation of grazing charts under ideal management.
To present the results of the evaluation, and at least one other method of stocking rate assessment to focus groups in the Western Division of NSW.
To collate graziers’ assessments of stocking rate tools based on focus groups discussions and on-property trials.

Products and Publications