Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) Program
| Project start date: | 30 May 2014 |
| Project end date: | 30 June 2017 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | Victoria |
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Summary
Higher rates of productivity growth are required in the southern beef and sheep industries to negate declining terms of trade and maintain profitable and sustainable businesses. Significant productivity improvements can be achieved through the adoption of existing research and known best practice technologies.
Eight sheep and beef industry on-farm Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) were conducted over a period of three years, targeting MLA and Agriculture Victoria priorities and addressing innovative practices associated with grazing management, annual fodder varieties, pasture cropping, gibberellic acid for winter feed production and pasture regeneration, weaning strategies to improve cattle temperament, managing ewes according to pregnancy scanning status, and the provision of shelter and autumn saving of pastures for lambing ewes.
Impacts of the demonstrations were evaluated at the enterprise level as well as the Victorian industry level. Wider extension and industry development has been conducted for completed demonstrations.
Objectives
The objectives of this project were to:
• efficiently and effectively coordinate and govern the development, selection, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting of an MLA- Agriculture Victoria PDS collaboration
• directly engage 100 sheep and beef producers through up to 10 PDS sites that align with MLA strategic priority areas
• identify and facilitate a route to market for PDS outcomes and extend PDS outcomes to industry beyond those groups directly involved in sites and the BESTWOOL BESTLAMB and BetterBeef networks
• evaluate the impact of the program on changes in KASA and adoption, evaluate the program value to industry and make recommendations on opportunities for continuous improvement.
Progress
The program directly engaged 276 enterprises, 9 service providers and 11 producer groups in the demonstration sites. Broader extension activities engaged more than 1,271 producers and 110 service providers, with 41% of these from outside of Agriculture Victoria’s sheep and beef networks.
Significant gains were achieved in self-assessed producer scores pertaining to their knowledge (+29% to +32%), skill (+22% to +38%) and adoption (+6% to +41%) over the duration of the project. Little change was achieved in attitudes or aspirations, but these were scored quite highly from the outset. The ADOPT model was used to predict a likely adoption profile for each of the innovations demonstrated.
