Drought - technical resources
Study - the effect of drought on relative returns for the major broadacre enterprises
A study (PDF 48Kb) commissioned by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has confirmed that Merino sheep and wool enterprises are some of the most resilient farming enterprises during drought.
StockPlan®
StockPlan® is a suite of computer decision support tools & a workshop that enable sheep producers to explore and make informative and timely decisions about feeding &/or destocking options entering, during or emerging from drought.
Download AWI's StockPlan Insight Fact Sheet (PDF 439Kb).
Enrol for StockPlan training
Feeding and Managing Sheep in Dry Times
This publication provides WA and SA producers with practical guidelines and examples, for feeding and managing sheep during dry seasons and drought years. Whilst the publication focuses on dry times and confinement feeding systems (feedlots), it includes useful information on getting through the normal summer / autumn feed gap period.
Download a copy of AWI's Feeding and Managing Sheep in Dry Times (PDF 1 Mb)
Managing Sheep in Droughtlots
A best practice guide which highlights the purpose, benefits and experiences of woolgrowers managing sheep in confined areas during drought.
Download a copy of AWI's Managing Sheep in Droughtlots (PDF 1Mb)
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Stock Water – a limited resource
A practical fact sheet (PDF 52Kb) on calculating stock water budgets - critical information during drought and for any wool producer considering confinement feeding their sheep.
Managing Fodder Prices for Droughts
A guide to strategies that assist sheep producers manage fodder prices and supply risks during droughts.
Download a copy of AWI's Managing Fodder Prices for Droughts (PDF 574Kb)
Which Sheep do I Keep?
A guide to help producers decide which sheep to retain during drought. The guide helps managers, when confronted with a pasture shortage, determine whether to sell or supplementary feed all, some or none of their flock.
Download a copy of AWI's Which Sheep do I Keep? (PDF 602Kb)
Planning for Profit
This practical guide is a unique business tool that provides a series of step-by-step, cost-effective breeding and pasture management options for producers to consider post drought. You can right-click on these links and select "Save Target As..." to save these files to your computer.
- Introduction (PDF 108Kb)
- Improved pasture utilisation (PDF 161Kb)
- Matching livestock production and pasture production (PDF 79Kb)
- Improving pasture management (PDF 154Kb)
- Selection of superior genetics (PDF 172Kb)
- Joining three times in two years (PDF 222Kb)
- Joining management (PDF 66Kb)
- Improving lamb survival (PDF 124Kb)
- Weaner management (PDF 126Kb)
- Flock structure (PDF100Kb)
Lifetimewool Feed Budget Tables
A practical tool for determining feed budgets for ewe flocks during drought conditions in Southern Australia. The guide will provide an understanding of whether available pasture is meeting their nutrition requirements and if not, how much to supplementary feed.
Download a copy of the Feed Budget Tables (PDF 214Kb) and visit the Lifetimewool website for more information.
Weather resources
Check these websites for latest forecasts (refresh your page for the latest information):
- The Bureau of Meteorology has a great new website designed for primary producers and natural resource managers called “Water and the Land” http://www.bom.gov.au/watl with heaps of information on rainfall (4-8 day forecasts and 3 month outlooks), temperatures, wind, satellite images and more.
- 7-day rain outlook for Australia (US-based COLA website): http://wxmaps.org/pix/aus.vv.html
- 4-day total forecast rainfall for Australia (Australian Bureau of Meteorology “Water and the Land” website): http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/watl/rainfall/aggregate.jsp
- Australian Weather News 3-10 day Austral