Agriculture Commons^™

Changing Land Use On Unproductive Soils, Andrew Blake, Mike Clarke, Angela Stuart-Street

Resource management technical reports

A three year study completed in 2010 examined farming systems in the north-eastern agricultural region and eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia which experienced a succession of variable seasons from 2000. This culminated in severe drought in 2006 and 2007. At that time, farmers experienced labour shortages and declining terms of trade triggered by cost inflation outpacing growth in commodity prices. As a result, farm business equity was eroded as farm debt escalated. This left many farm businesses in a highly vulnerable state. At the time of the study many farmers were facing an uncertain future.

These experiences, coupled with a …

Influence Of Water Supply On Farm Productivity In The North-Eastern Wheatbelt, E J. Hauck

Resource management technical reports

In the area with reliable reticulated water supplies, average what yield, average wool production and average number of sheep per pastured hectare showed a positive correlation with annual rainfall in all but one year. By contrast, in the area served by on-farm water supplies only, average wheat yield and annual rainfall were strongly correlated, whereas average wool production and average number of sheep per pastured hectare showed a weaker correlation with annual rainfall. These correlations suggest tt on farms with a reliable water supply, livestock numbers have been adjusted annually to ensure optimum utilisation of available feed in all seasons.

Pumps : A Method Of Financially Assessing Groundwater Pumping Used To Mitigate Salinity In South-Western Australia, Richard J. George Dr

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Drains : A Method Of Financially Assessing Drains Used To Mitigate Waterlogging In South-Western Australia, John S. Salerian, D J. Mcfarlane

Resource management technical reports

Seepage interceptor drains are often effective in mitigating waterlogging in duplex (sand over clay) soils on hill slopes in the sout-west. Spoon and W drains are sometimes effective in removing excess surface waters form clay flats.

This report outlines a method to determine the long-term (1 to 20 years) cost-effectiveness of installing drains to mitigate waterlogging for each individual situation.

Banks : A Method Of Financially Assessing Banks Used To Mitigate Water Erosion In South-Western Australia, John S. Salerian, D J. Mcfarlane

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

The Problems And Prospects Of The Kimberley Pastoral Industry, R B. Hacker

Resource management technical reports

The pastoral industry in the Kimberley region began in the early 1880s withthe introduction of cattle overlanded from Queensland and New South Wales into the East Kimberley and with the almost simultaneous introduction, by sea, ofboth sheep and cattle into the Fitzroy Valley.Occupation of the more accessible areas was gradually achieved by theprogressive extension of these two arms of settlement which ultimately metaround the present location of Fitzroy Crossing. Extensive development of themore rugged areas of the North Kimberley came later with the construction ofreasonable access roads to the few isolated stations which had been initiallyestablished in this area.

Visit Of Working Party On North Kimberley Agricultural Development To The Area In July 1977, D G. Wilcox, J Ripley, R F. Johnson

Resource management technical reports

Report suggests that the area of land suitable for Townsville Stylo in the North Kimberley above the 750 mm rainfall isohyet is about 1.25 million hectares. The regions in which land suitable for Stylosanthes can be found are shown. A brief description of the suitability of the land systems of the region for Stylosanthes is given.

Agricultural Development In The North Kimberley : Terms, Conditions And Farm Size Recommendations, D G. Wilcox, J Ripley, R F. Johnson

Resource management technical reports

There are approximately 1,250,000 hectares of land in this area of Kimberley which may be sown to pastures such as Townsville Stylo, other Stylosanthes species or to other introduced pastures. The report recommends that grazing properties comprising 10,000 ha. of land capable of growing improved pastures, together with 60,000 ha. of native pasture land, should be established in the area. The economic size of the farm unit is 5,300 adult cattle equivalents.