THE latest results of a key EverGraze trial site in southern NSW will be open for inspection later this month.
The site, near Holbrook in NSW, is home to research of new farming systems aimed at boosting profits and reducing the environmental impact of grazing.
The aim is to increase livestock production by 50 per cent by growing more perennials while improving water management, ground cover, biodiversity and soil health at the same time.
EverGraze is a joint initiative between the Future Farm Industries Co-operative Research Centre, Meat and Livestock Australia and Australian Wool Innovation.
EverGraze national co-ordinator Geoffrey Saul said most of the program's sites, six of which are in southern Australia, were badly hit by drought in 2006-07.
However, improved rainfall earlier this year allowed researchers to make comparisons under what were typical conditions.
"The dry conditions have really tested the performance of our grazing systems," Mr Saul said.
"So we now have a good idea of what species and systems can cope with variable climatic conditions that are likely to occur more frequently."
The Holbrook site is measuring the gains from running a rotationally grazed phalaris system with a native grass pasture.
The native grass pasture is based on wallaby grass, weeping grass and red grass.
In the control trial, wethers are set-stocked on the native pasture and breeding ewes on the phalaris-based pasture.
In the trial treatment, a single flock of breeding ewes is grazing the phalaris and native pastures in one system.
The other treatment is a partial integration, in which separate flocks of wethers and ewes graze in the one system.
The field day will be held at the EverGraze site in Kanimbla Rd, north of Holbrook, on November 25, from 10am.
For details, phone (02) 6933 4174 or email jvirgona@csu.edu.au
In addition to the Holbrook site, field days will be held on several supporting trial sites in coming weeks.
For details visit EverGraze.
