AWI’s investments in the pastoral zone focus on lowering the costs of production and increasing the sustainability of grazing systems.

There are currently 1,735 pastoral zone wool growers across Australia. The profitability of these businesses is reliant on the sustainable grazing of native grasslands and shrublands. AWI has invested in a range of pilot projects that have the potential to assist pastoral woolgrowers in better matching stocking rate and feed supply and preparing for periods of drought. These monitoring and assessment tools also have the potential to allow growers to demonstrate their environmental credentials to consumers.

Wool growers in the pastoral zone are highly dependent on seasonal rainfall as a determinant of the appropriate stocking rate for their property. The efficient and timely use of climate forecasting tools will assist producers to make management and stocking rate decisions and prepare for periods of drought.

In many parts of the pastoral zone, specialist wool producers are increasing their focus on meat production from dual purpose sheep such as Dohnes and exotic sheep breeds such as Dorpers and Damaras. The impact on profitability in shifting from a wool to a meat focus will be examined in an economic study funded by AWI.

There is interest in increasing the productivity of pastoral zone systems through the use of sheep finishing systems and cost effective supplementation strategies. A number of studies are underway to better understand the nutritive value of traditional rangeland plants with high salt content and to investigate cost effective mechanisms to establish and manage shrub based production systems in low rainfall environments.

AWI invests in the Bestprac network across the pastoral zone. Bestprac provides a mechanism for pastoral zone producers to meet in small groups and with the assistance of a facilitator investigate and discuss techniques for improving the profitability and sustainability of wool production systems.

Labour shortages are estimated to cost the pastoral industry as much as $637 million a year, and the cost of staff turnover, including lost productivity, is estimated at up to $364 million a year in the report ‘Attracting and retaining staff in Australia’s beef, sheep and wool industries’, jointly funded by AWI and MLA.  The report identifies communication and clear leadership as important.  Farm managers who can recognise their own management style and adapt to meet the expectations of their employees are likely to have more success in attracting and retaining their staff.  AWI has developed training units which may help develop new skills to manage staff as part of the joint AWI and MLA initiative, ‘Making More From Sheep’.