Dry times

Managing your land and stock during dry times

In dry times it is important to make risk management decisions early. Below are some useful links, tools and resources that you might need, to make the necessary management and financial decisions on farm, and most importantly to look after your mental health in tough times.

Dry times, livestock and farm finance

This series of fact sheets is for farmers to manage livestock and farm finances in dry seasons. They were produced by Primary Industries and Regions SA and the Department for Environment and Water with the support of MacKillop Farm Management Group and SheepConnect SA.

Other publications

These publications can assist you with decision making and management during dry times.

Cattle

Crops

Sheep

Soil management

Shelter

Planning and designing your shelterbelt video

Tools and calculators

These tools and calculators can help determine and predict feed demand and budgeting, stocking rates, livestock condition scoring, climate impacts, pasture growth rates, weather and climate forecasts.

Feed budgeting calculator to compare cost of feeding, agisting or selling livestock (spreadsheet)

Tools and calculators - Meat and Livestock Australia

Tools for management - Lifetime Wool

Water and the land - Bureau of Meteorology

Long range weather and climate - Bureau of Meteorology

Confinement feeding videos

These videos, developed by Birchip Cropping Group, provide guidance on establishing and managing confinement feeding. The case studies were produced by Agriculture Victoria on farms which have established confinement feeding lots.

Why should I build a containment area?

How do I choose a location for a containment area?

How to manage sheep in a containment area?

How to make the transition out of a containment area?

Farmer view - Why I established a containment are

Confinement feeding case study - Trevor Robert’s story

Confinement feeding case study - Lachlan Ralton’s story