ON FARM SHEEP FEEDBASE f Match‑making pasture grows business The desire for resilience led toseasonal adjustments, them participating in Grazing understanding the cost of Matcher, an initiative of animalproduction and improving production advisor Jeisane market compliance. Accioly, who partnered with former dairy researcher MartinMatt said he came away Staines and agronomist Dan with stronger skills to better Parnell to help producers manage their grass through improve grazing management strategic rotational grazing. and business performance. “Before, we were hit and Mattsaid the collaborative miss – we’d shift sheep natureof the 12‑month in a haphazard fashion programwas exceptionally with no science behind valuable those decisions. . “The way the training was “Now we look at plant growth structured as group and rather than food on offer to one‑on‑one learning – make decisions. Plant growth including going to other is measured through leaf participants’ farms and stage. We graze at three leaf, discussing what has worked then let it return to that stage Matt Nield believes producers learn best by taking advantage of thefor others – was a big benefitbefore grazing again.” experience and knowledge of others. because it allowed me to Matt said after implementing Image: Caroline Telfer get the most value for the strategic grazing, their wool investment and time I was cut was up, lambs were 2kg Improved carcase The couple run a putting in,” Matt said. heavier at weaning and compliance and better self‑replacing flock at “When you spend money to go there was more grass later in feedbase production Karridale near Augusta and and do something like this, youthe season. are two of the clear recently completed the wantto get the best return.” outcomes WA’s Matt Grazing Matcher™pogra “All this was achieved in a through PGS. They’re Grass management year when we were feeding Nield and Emma Pinnick now part way through the Grazing Matcher supports at lambing, which is usually have gained from MLA’s Benchmarking for Profit and producers to match grazing unheard of. Last year’s break Profitable Grazing Production program. inputs with outputs and, came seven weeks after the Systems (PGS) training. Continuous improvement through skills‑based learning,average time,” he said. According to Matt, if Matt and Emma have helps participants set a “While we consider this a very producers aren’t always taken a strategic approach strategy using feed budgeting.good result, we take the view learning, they’re not going since setting up their This strategy is established this is not something you do forward. He believes one business from scratch five by monitoring and managing in just one year, but rather of the best ways to learn is years ago. Their business pastures and animal condition.is gradually implemented to take advantage of the plan focuses on building Producers also learn skills over time, as there is capital experience and knowledge resilience and continually for farm mapping, seeding, expenditure involved, so the of others. improving performance. applying fertiliser, making benefits will be ongoing.” SNAPSHOT:Matt Nield and Emma Pinnick, Karridale, WAS Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 530ha Wool and 6,500 Merino ewes and Ryegrass Variable – 950mm leased prime lambs wethers (2,000 joined to and clover sandy, gravel (800 Merino sires; 2,000 joined and karri loam growing to Poll Dorset sires) season) 38