Synergistic increases to productivity on small farms

Tom Abbottsmith Youl B.MEng

TOM’S PADDOCK

TOPICS• What we do at Graceburn Farm?–Biodiversity–Primary Industry

• Benefits & Difficulties– Planned Rotational Cattle Grazing– Mobile, Nomadic Chooks

• Future opportunities & Questions

The Abbott Smiths have been stewards of this Devonian, sedimentary landscape (ancient and infertile) since the 1960s.

Graceburn Farm (130Ha)

Wildlife Habitat – in drainage line

BIODIVERSITYTfN Covenanted Wildlife corridors

Threatened Long-nosed Bandicoot in protected habitat

Ring-tailed possum

Little Pied Cormorants Nesting

PRIMARY INDUSTRYSelf replacing cattle herd

Selling Grass Fed Beef direct to the public and weaners through sale yards.

Joel Salatin

Paddock Eggs from Nomadic Chooks, delivered to Cafes, retail outlets and sold direct to the public.

BENEFITS

Planned Rotation for Cattle Grazing (Mowers)

Daily grazing Plan - a 5 monthly cycle, helps manage risk

Steady animal nutritional curve (fibre & protein)

Complete utilisation of pasture

Promotes perennial diversity in pasture

Eliminates overgrazing

(of highly palatable plants)

Better distributed of manure(no stock camps)

Stock density (trampling aids in feeding the soil)

BENEFITS

Mobile, Nomadic Chooks (Fertilisers)

•

Eating grass and bugs (produces very tasty eggs)

Chooks spread cow pats (as they hunt for bugs)

Chook poop adds fertiliser to pasture

Moving away from their poop (aids Chooks health)

Off farm Feed, drought proofs egg income

Ethical food production (clean, green and nutritious)

DIFFICULTIES

Planned Rotation for Cattle Grazing

Expense of water and fencing infrastructure

Keeping one largemob with different

food requirements

Daily commitment to temporary fencing setup

Cattle quickly become tame (reduced flight distance)

DIFFICULTIES

Mobile, Nomadic Chooks

Poop is not evenly distributed, it concentrates under trailers (450 Chooks, 5t/Ha in two days)

Collecting eggs is a daily job (7 days a week, 52 weeks a year)

Must be moved regularly (as ground is impacted)

Laying percentages fluctuate throughout the year (molting and weather)

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIESOther integrated Tom’s Paddock enterprises?– Pasture based Meat Chickens, Turkeys, Pigs– Chicken and Beef STOCK– Dehydrated Dog Treats– Specialised Veggies, Mushrooms, Bush Tucker– Farm scale compost (sale to the public)– Farm Stays, Farm Tours, Workshops, Education – Aquaponics, Yabbies– Farmed Kangaroo, Rabbits (30+ kittens/year)

QUESTIONS?