Implementation of Producer Demonstration Sites to increase research adoption and practice change in the Northern Territory

Summary

​Three Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) were conducted on properties in the Northern Territory (NT) with the general aim of increasing productivity and profitability of pastoral enterprises in the NT. Through the PDS’s the producers involved increased weight gains using HGPs, increased the proportion of polled animals in their herd using the Polled Gene Marker Test and  established a nucleus bull breeding herd to breed herd bulls on-property. All strategies were found to be profitable using a Cost:Benefit Analysis. The Demonstrations were carried out on four locations across the NT; Lakefield and Avago Stations on the Sturt Plateau and Hayfield, Helen Springs and Brunchilly Stations on the Barkly Tableland. Ongoing adoption of the primary objectives by producers was low although adoption of components of the PDS’s was high. A highlight of the project was the holding of field days on the stations where the results of the projects and talks by expert speakers were presented.