Animal nutrition webinars
Integrating livestock into mixed farming systems: Summer nutrition
Speaker: Ed Riggall
Speaker: Ed RiggallEd Riggall is the Director and Principal Consultant at AgPro Management, serving around 180 clients across Western Australia, from Albany to Geraldton and Esperance to Augusta. With a background in consulting and hands-on farm experience, Ed established AgPro to support farmers in creating productive, sustainable, and profitable farming systems. His expertise spans farm business management, animal husbandry, budgeting, business analysis, and strategic planning. Through AgPro, Ed helps clients align their farming practices with management capacities and environmental needs. He also hosts the "AgPro Cast" podcast, discussing important topics in livestock and agriculture.
This webinar covers:
- Managing livestock through the non-growing season, including utilising stubble, and confinement feeding as a tactical management strategy to manage the feed gap and allow pastures to establish at the start of the next growing season
- Role of alternative pasture and feed sources in this period
- The risk and impact of a late break.
Date and time: 7-8pm AEDT, 11 December 2024
Speaker: Deb Scammell
Speaker: Deb ScammellDeb Scammell is a livestock consultant at Talking Livestock, she assists producers with nutrition and production planning in their sheep and beef enterprises. She consults directly to farmers and runs industry courses and projects. Deb is based in the Clare Valley.
Prior to starting her own business, Talking Livestock, Deb worked in the commercial nutrition space in several different roles covering technical, sales and national management. Deb has also been involved with sheep genetic programs and DNA, EID technology and extension and sheep research.
Deb graduated from Adelaide University with a Bachelor of Agricultural science with honours in Animal science and has studied ruminant nutrition post-graduation.
Key points:
- Determining why and what you need before purchasing products that are not fit for purpose.
- Saving money on supplements by determining when they are required, what is required and what is the most economical way to supply this.
- Finding the best fit ‘supplement method’ for yourself and your property.
Dr Jillian Kelly is the founder of Animal Health and Nutrition Consulting, a company she started in 2022 after almost 20 years as a production animal veterinarian in the private and government sectors.
This webinar sees her discuss the different types of containment feeding systems, the pros and cons of containment feeding and considerations with regards to livestock management, nutrition, and animal health.
The webinar covers:
- Containment feeding as a proactive management strategy for drought, fire, flood or to meet production targets
- How containment feeding areas can be low cost and versatile
- The need for careful planning in establishing confinement feeding areas
- Attention to detail with regards to nutrition and management to achieve good results
Date: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Presenter: Dr Colin Trengrove
Details: As the sheep industry strives to optimise lamb growth rates, meeting trace minerals requirement remains a key production consideration. Join Dr Colin Trengrove from the University of Adelaide to discuss:
- When and why do we see lamb mineral deficiencies?
- How to recognise and identify trace mineral deficiencies?
- What practices can be implemented to minimise or treat these deficiencies?
Next Steps:
- Making More From Sheep resources.
- Lifetime Ewe Management course.
- Profitable Grazing Systems courses e.g. Lifting Lamb Survival, Improving Ewe Performance
- Consider hosting a Producer Demonstration Site
Date: Wednesday March 16th 2022
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Presenters: Colin Trengove
Details: Trace mineral deficiencies affecting sheep in Australia commonly occur in late winter to spring and in above average rainfall seasons these deficiencies can occur earlier. Join Colin Trengove from the University of Adelaide to discuss:
- What influences trace mineral deficiencies?
- How do they impact ewes at lambing?
- What practices can be implemented to minimise or treat these deficiencies?
Next Steps:
- Making More From Sheep resources
- Lifetime Ewe Management course
- Profitable Grazing Systems courses e.g. Lifting Lamb Survival, Improving Ewe Performance
- Consider hosting a Producer Demonstration Site.
Date: Wednesday February 16th 2022
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Presenters: Dean Thomas
Details: New crop cultivars, alternate crop species, modern harvesters and a reduction in the density of volunteer pasture plants have affected the nutritional value of modern crop stubbles that are grazed by sheep. A recent scoping study found that modern crop stubbles are notoriously variable in quality. This webinar will provide producers with up-to-date information on the feeding value of modern stubbles.
Additional resources: Grazing modern stubbles booklet
Date: Wednesday November 3rd 2021
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Presenters: Chris Blore, Agriculture Victoria
Details: Stock Containment areas are a versatile management tool for Australian sheep producers; this webinar will cover some key reasons you should invest in a stock containment area. The session will discuss the following topics:
- Considerations for site selection
- How does a SCA fit into your farming system
- Using stock containment areas during emergencies
- How they can play a part in a changing climate
The following information and associated links will be available on the MLA website with the webinar recording.
- Overview and relevant resources on MLA website
- National guidelines for intensive sheep and lamb feeding
- Producer Demonstration Sites ongoing in this space and available to propose a project
- NSW DPI containment feeding resources
- AWI Managing Sheep in Droughtlots resource.
Date: Wednesday November 10th 2021
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Presenters: Clem Sturmfels, Agriculture Victoria
Details: The success of your Stock Containment Area will depend on planning, ensuring that it is fit for purpose, compliant and user friendly. This panel session will cover:
- Design
- Water and feed systems, including the welfare requirements for stock density and water quality
- Design considerations for year-round usage.
Date: Wednesday November 17 2021
Time: 8.00pm AEDT
Presenters: Technical Panel
Details: Stock Containment areas are commonly used for summer containment feeding. But their use for strategic management such as autumn saving or emergency preparedness is becoming more widespread. These additional uses require different management considerations; this panel session will cover:
- Managing livestock in the stock containment areas
- Tactical SCA use for farm management
- Nutritional requirements of different classes of stock
- Common animal health risks and mitigations.
