There is more to farming than yields, and more to forests than trees
In balancing conservation concerns and agricultural aims, there are other factors to consider, including what farmers want and what happens to crops growing near forests.
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Optimism needed – let’s study climate resilience
The latest CSIRO Biodiversity Knowledge Project seems premised on agriculture being a negative force. In reality farmers have some really positive stories of land use and climate resilience, which we should be sharing and learning from.
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Brassica makes lamb finishing difference
Brassica has been demonstrated as the most cost effective pasture species for finishing heavy trade lambs over summer, autumn and winter on Moffitts Farm. The alternatives such as supplementary feeding lambs with pasture silage, lucerne silage or pellets are in our experience more expensive per kg dry matter fed, more labour time consuming and result in more variable lamb growth rate performance.
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Yellowheaded pasture cockchafers – ally or enemy?
Vigorous pastures species managed for resilience to variable rainfall will be able to accommodate a range of insects such as Yellowheaded cockchafer larvae, field crickets and red legged earth mites. They become part of the soil food web rather than a problem.
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Livestock farming tips for beginners
Small and absentee landowners need to consider a wide range of animal welfare, environmental, infrastructure, technology, cost and time issues when deciding on which type of livestock to buy for their farms.
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Environment improving but some scientists reluctant to admit it
Many Australian farmers have dramatically improved the state of the environment over the past decade, however, while these improvements are noted in the State of the Environment report released in March 2017, the authors persisted in painting a gloomy picture of the future.,
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Natural 1080 protecting plants and wildlife from predators
Many people are unaware that poison 1080 is the most environmentally sensitive and target-specific poison available to protect Australia’s vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems from feral animals, because it occurs naturally in over 30 species of native plants.
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Exclusion fencing brings multiple outcomes to landcare farming
After 30 years of landcare farming practice change, greater emphasis should be put on protecting the enhanced environments built up across participating farms. It’s time for more dollars being allocated to exclusion fencing for its long-term benefits in protecting farm ecosystem functions and livelihoods.
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Livestock farming review may help put brakes on “maverick” grazing businesses
Given the Animal Industries Advisory Committee failed to understand what constitutes best practice grazing management which protects ecosystem functions, and the Victorian state government supported virtually all its recommendations it is unlikely that the changes to be made to planning procedures for livestock enterprises will make a significant difference.
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Wiltipoll ewe joining and lambing management on Moffitts Farm
On Moffitts Farm near Romsey, Victoria a ram joining management program is reducing the lambing period to about three weeks. Coupled with attention to high pasture herbage levels in lambing paddocks for avoiding bad wind chill impacts and ensuring high levels of ewe nutrition, lamb marking percentage is keeping above 130% .
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Live export animal welfare needs feedback mechanism to farmers
The recent statement by Animals Australia that farmers who are involved in the live export trade are being “kept in the dark” over the treatment of their stock seems to be correct. This situation can be easily changed to give farmers knowledge about what happens to their livestock overseas.
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Moffitts Farm Spring 2016 Update
Seasonal rainfall conditions changed dramatically between May and September 2016. After 30 months of below average monthly rainfall, above average rainfall has made a significant impact.
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Phosphorus source comparison trial has flawed methodology
The Wongwibinda, Northern Tablelands NSW fertiliser trial was established through local farmer interest in composts as an alternative source of phosphorus and other plant nutrients. Unfortunately the trial has produced biased results.
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Sledge hammer killing another reason to question live exports future
The latest expose showing killing cattle with a sledge hammer in a Vietnamese abattoir highlights the inability of the Australian government’s Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) to prevent animal cruelty.
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Considerations in buying and applying lime
By Lisa Miller. Soil monitoring through the Corangamite soil monitoring program and trial sites shows soil acidification issues are not limited to the topsoil (0-10cm) but commonly extend to 10-20cm in all soils types, indicating our liming practices are not keeping pace with acidification rates.
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Livestock farming on pasture is a responsibility not a right
Patrick Francis summarises the key points in his submission to the Victorian government’s Animal Industries Advisory committee’s review into a presumed intensification of livestock farming.
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Phosphorus for pastures –
Comment by Patrick Francis. I am continually challenged by how conventional agricultural science has simplified phosphorus fertiliser applications for maintaining or increasing plant production in an incredibly complex soil medium where interactions are only partly understood.
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Mulesing under pressure from Merino wool value chain players
The marketability of wool from mulesed sheep where the operation is undertaken without pain relief is declining and the same may not be far off for Merino wool from sheep mulesed with pain relief. By Patrick Francis
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Pasture trials with lime plus organic and inorganic fertilisers
Farmers should be monitoring soil test data as well as paddock carrying capacity per hectare and per 100 mm of rainfall.
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Moffitts Farm seasonal update March 2016
In early March 2016 the two years of lower than average rainfall set a milestone for Moffitts Farm, all surface water had evaporated.
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The “should” of sheep welfare inappropriate for 21st century farming
New animal welfare standards for sheep will still result in people not being legally liable for many undesirable sheep husbandry and handling practices.
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Lime trial review Woady Yaloak
Results of a three year liming trial on grazing and cropping farms to help farmers make more informed decisions on lime applications.
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Media confusing climate change belief with successfully managing climate variability
By Patrick Francis Coinciding with the COP 21 Climate Change conference in Paris has been an increase in the number
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Basics – Sheep
At Moffitts Farm we breed a type of sheep known as a Wiltipoll, they have no horns and they shed their wool in spring, so they have a short coat for the summer – no shearing is required.
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Crowdfunding African farmers
Crowdfunding can enable youth and women in agriculture to raise funds from multiple individuals through donations, presales/rewards, debt, or equity.
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African food revolution targets youth and women
The rapid rise of urban food markets across sub-Saharan Africa represents an unparalleled opportunity to drive development of African agriculture, according to conveners of the African Green Revolution Forum.
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Blackmore’s right to farm – a case study
Petition fails to understand the complex animal husbandry and ecosystem functions associated with Blackmore’s move to finishing his Wagyu cattle on farm.
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Right to farm livestock requires holistic decision making by farmers and councils
Livestock farming intensity is a relative term which should not be categorized by the percentage of daily feed intake which an animal eats. What is important about intensity are the outcomes associated with livestock health and welfare, outcomes for ecosystem functions across the farm concerned, and issues with feeding logistics and transport in the vicinity of the farm.
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Perennial pasture soil carbon opportunities more about opinion than science
By Patrick Francis The value of optimising soil organic carbon (SOC) to farming ecosystems and plant and livestock productivity is
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Moffitts Farm lamb scoops a Fine Food award
Moffitts Farm Wiltipoll sheep meat has won a silver medal in the 2015 Royal Melbourne Fine Food Awards.
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Farming webinars a great extension tool
Webinars are close to the ultimate extension tool because they give farmers specific information on a topic of interest without the farmer having to leave home
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RSPCA live export policy attacks demean the beef/sheep sectors welfare credibility
The RSPCA is the target of a concerted campaign by state farmer organisations and vested interest commentators to discredit it and possibly diminish its role in overseeing animal welfare on farms.
Read MoreBulky pastures best defence against new born lamb exposure deaths
By Patrick Francis A feature of grazing management on Moffitts Farm is allowing summer active perennial grass species in lambing
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Crop WUE improvement a soil health triumph
New maps detailing the water use efficiency (WUE) of wheat crops across Australia reflect the comprehensive practice changes that have taken place in the grains industry,
Read MoreThe Tesla battery heralds new beginning for stand alone solar and wind power
By Professor John Mathews While wind and solar power have made great strides in recent years, with renewables now accounting
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Frequently Asked Questions – Moffitts Farm
SIZE AND LOCATION Moffitts is a 50 ha farm in the Macedon Ranges shire, near the town of Romsey.
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New attitudes to native grasses for win-win outcomes
Precede: There has been a paradigm shift in the way Ian Locke ‘Spring Valley’ Holbrook NSW manages and grazes the
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Holistic grazing ensures ecosystem resilience
The nine months from 1 July 2014 to 1 April 2015 have been unprecedented in terms of low rainfall and frequency of falls since we started our holistic grazing program in 2000.
Read MoreSo called “carbon farming” fails to embrace broadacre farmers
High hopes for soil carbon revenue dashed By Patrick Francis After attending a workshop entitled “The business case for carbon
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