Whole Farm Systems Analysis of Climate Change Impacts on the Southern Grazing (SARDI component) Industries - (a sub-project under the Climate Change Adaptation in the Southern Australian Livestock …

Summary

The Climate Change Adaptation in the Southern Australian Livestock Industries program focused on the mitigation of greenhouse gases and climate change adaptation options at a farm systems level.

During this three-year project, 325 livestock producers were directly engaged to look at the impacts and potential adaptations of climate change on livestock enterprises by 2030. The livestock producers were engaged at workshops and seminars at seven locations run in the southeast, Fleurieu Peninsula, Mid North and Eyre Peninsula regions of South Australia.

Objectives

The objectives of this project were to:

• create a knowledge base established to underpin ongoing engagement with livestock producers in South Australia
• educate 1400 livestock producers across SA on the key research outcomes of the program through a combination of field days, workshops, media and written material and use of the SARDI climate support program
• create a program of on farm trailing of key recommendations within each of the agro-climatic regions of Southern Australia via the MLA Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) programs and similar programs supported by other RDE providers.

Key findings

Generally, by 2030 the impacts of climate change on livestock and pasture production in Southern Australia is most likely to include be shorter growing seasons, greater variability in pasture growth, reduced pasture quality, increased variability in farm gross margins, reduced livestock production from high heat days, reduced wool quality. However, through appropriate management interventions addressing seasonal variability and strategic long term planning, farm profits can be maintained or improved.

Benefits to industry

Thirty base enterprises have been set up in GrassGro making this a valuable resource for now and in the future. This data could be used to do any number of analyses including total greenhouse gas emissions.

The GrassGro model can be used in tandem with the AusFarm model to do some of this analysis. Some of this work can be completed in South Australia, however it could adopted to other jurisdictions.

MLA action

MLA has published the final report and provided links to various models that were further developed through this investment.

Future research

There is scope on most farms to improve pasture utilisation and grazing systems and thus profit. This approach should also reduce methane emissions intensity, as in theory, better pastures and utilisation, animals will reach target weight quicker and be removed from property sooner, reducing methane emissions per unit of liveweight produced.

Any case study or project that can demonstrate this in conjunction with modelling would be a valuable initiative.