Episode 13: Dionne Walsh – the Paddock Power project
Many breeder paddocks in northern Australia are too big and under-watered to achieve optimum productivity. In the Barkly Tableland region, for example, average paddock area is 218 km² (21,800 hectares) and some are more than 1000 km². These large, poorly watered paddocks impact on reproduction and profitability: there’s over-and under-utilised feed (depending on distance from water), incomplete musters and limited opportunities to implement herd segregation, controlled mating or tactical pasture management.
Dr Dionne Walsh is the Rangeland Program Manager for the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Resources. In this episode, we chat about a new research project called “Paddock Power”.
The Paddock Power project aims to deliver better evidence and advice for producers investing in paddock development to lift cattle herd productivity in northern Australia.
The Paddock Power project aims to answer three questions:
- How much impact is paddock area and distance to water having on production?
- Where should we put new water and/or fencing infrastructure to get best bang for buck?
- Which infrastructure development option/s will deliver the best return on investment?
Learn more at the website here, and follow the project on Facebook here.
You can listen to the episode on the Apple Podcast app by clicking here, on the Spotify app by clicking here or through the media player below.
This episode is sponsored by the Charles Darwin University Katherine Rural Campus.
Charles Darwin University’s Agriculture and Rural Operations team focusses on North Australian production and business systems, offering current, real world knowledge and experience by delivering both full qualifications and industry required short courses.
Courses at the Rural Campus are designed to develop the skills required for work on a North Australian beef cattle property or in the Top End Agricultural Industry, while providing a sound knowledge base in the pastoral and/or agricultural industries.
We have dedicated staff who specialise in workplace training and assessment and Recognition of Prior Learning. They will come to you and we service some of the most remote areas in the Northern Territory. Find out more at cdu.edu.au