Project management

AgriPartner Consulting has a strong history in delivering successful projects for industry. Whether it is literature reviews, desktop studies or on-farm research trials, AgriPartner Consulting can help. 

We work with farmers everyday which drives us to ensure that all research outcomes are practical, relevant and of benefit to producers and the broader industry.

If you have an area that needs research or would like to discuss how we can assist your organisation, please don't hesitate to contact us.

AgriPartner Consulting has extensive networks to assist in delivering results and practical information to producers. We collaborate with many organisations and highly value the opportunity this brings, some of the organisations we have worked with include:

• Meat and Livestock Australia

• Australian Wool Innovation

• Birchip Cropping Group

• SARDI

• Mallee Sustainable Farming

• Ag Excellence Alliance

• Natural Resources SA Murray Darling Basin

• SheepConnect SA

• Yorke Peninsula Alkaline Soils Group

• Farmlink

Current projects:

Maximising the value of existing technology for sheep producers (MLA, 2019)

The adoption of electronic tags (eID) and associated technologies by commercial sheep producers has been low, despite this technology being readily available for over 10 years. Common feedback from producers and industry professionals has identified that resistance to adoption is based on limited information relating to the long-term effects on flock structure and profitability of alternative management decisions guided by the information collected using eID.

This project undertook a desktop study to model a range of common breeding management systems (scenarios) used by commercial sheepmeat enterprises. It modelled the long-term gain, as measured over five years, that can be achieved through changing management decisions based on the data generated using eID and associated technologies (e.g. pregnancy scanning, fleece weighing).

Final results from this project will be available in June 2019. Enter your details below to receive updates on this project when they become available.

Previous projects and publications:

• Copper deficiency: A review of the economic cost and current constraints to effective management of copper deficiency in southern Australian sheep flocks (MLA, 2012 – 2016)

  Click HERE to download the full report (Courtesy of Meat and Livestock Australia)
  As pasture testing has continued to reveal a broader issue of copper deficiency in areas not previously considered at risk, this trial was initiated to investigate the prevalence, effects, identification and treatment options for copper deficiency in sheep flocks. Following an extensive literature review, a series of trials were conducted at six sites in South Australia and Victoria to measure the impact and effect of treatments on copper deficiency. It was found that scouring and lameness in sheep are not directly related to copper deficiency, as is commonly believed. The greatest production effect of copper deficiency was a reduction in ewe and lamb survival rates. A range of methods were tested for identifying the extent of copper deficiency on a property, with pasture mineral analysis proving to be the most useful and cost effective option for producers to implement. A range of treatment options were trialled; each was effective at elevating liver copper concentration in line with their respective copper dose rate. Selection of the most appropriate treatment will depend on the severity of the deficiency and the required treatment length of time. Professional advice should be sought in recommending an appropriate copper dose rate as toxicity can be experienced where excessive amounts of copper are provided.

• Knowing Our Native Pastures (National Landcare Programme, 2015 – 2016)
  This project conducted a series of workshops in the Mid North of South Australia delivering information on best practice grazing management of native pastures. This project also monitored native pasture nutritive value across four properties in the Mid North. 
  Visit the project page HERE to view these results and the project publication.

• iSheep: Data Driving Management (SA MDB NRM, 2015 – 2016)
  This project demonstrated various sheep technologies based on the use of electronic (RFID) tags. It provided a range a extension activities including a field day, fact sheets and videos on implementing these technologies and the benefits that can be achieved.
  Visit the project page HERE to view the project results, factsheets and videos.

• Dickson, H. (2013) Grazing management using nutritional content of native pasture. Outback Lakes Group.

• Dickson, H. (2013) Understanding soil nutrients and their effect on plant nutritional value. Outback Lakes Group.
  

• Dickson H. & Jolly S. (2011) National Procedures and Guidelines for Intensive Sheep and Lamb Feeding Systems. Meat and Livestock Australia

• Increasing the productivity and profitability of South Australian sheep enterprises from grazing saltbush plantations (South Australian Sheep Industry Fund, 2010 – 2013) [unpublished]

• Dickson, H., Wallace, A., Jolly, S. & Walkom, S. (2011) Prime lamb finishing options. Meat and Livestock Australia.

• Lomax, S., Dickson, H., Sheil, M. & Windsor, P. (2010), Topical anaesthesia alleviates short-term pain of castration and tail docking in lambs. Australian Veterinary Journal, 88: 67–74.

• Dickson, H., Lomax, S., Windsor, P. & Sheil, M. (2008). Post castration and tail docking pain alleviation in lambs. Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. Vol. 27

Next page: Livestock management