Winter Grazing Plan

Critical Source Areas are areas that collect surface water and can transport nutrients to waterways or groundwater. Critical Source Areas (CSA's) are marked on the Winter Grazing Plans for each paddock.

Winter grazing does not occur in CSA's in wet conditions from 1 May to 30 September each year - these areas are left in grass, and upper reaches grazed while dry or lifted rather than grazed.
A CSA is dry enough to graze when no pugging results.
Stock are excluded from CSA's with a buffer of 5m, or up to 20m if steep. These buffers may be in a grass paddock lower down the CSA and may be supplemented by a temporary bale detention dam.
Bales are placed on higher areas of crop paddocks away from CSA's in areas where tractors can safely access.
Slopes are grazed top to bottom toward CSA's and waterways if possible.
Winter grazing does not occur within 5m of any waterway, or 100m of a water abstraction point. Any crop in these areas is lifted.
Backfences are used to protect previously grazed areas and they are replanted as early as practicable.
Crops are sown along the contour where safe to do so.
Other CSA Management:
- New irrigation is designed to avoid CSA's as much as practical.
- Irrigation schedules for fixed grid apply less water to CSA's.
- Ballance exclusion maps help contractors avoid CSA's.
- Farm tracks are cambered and maintained annually.
- Water tables have cut-outs to spill water onto paddocks where possible.
- Rock armouring and piping is used where necessary to prevent scouring.
- Gateways and troughs are maintained with gravel.
- Drainage is installed as needed, and planting continues.

Wet Weather Planning and Animal Welfare

During wet weather when the paddock is becoming pugged beyond ankle height stock are run off to a sacrifice paddock with a large break to minimise damage and this is typically next years crop paddock.
Pugged paddocks are renovated with full cultivation back to grass including ripping if necessary.
Stock are given extra feed in wet, snowy or cold conditions.
Bale positions are moved daily to leave straw beds for stock to lie on.
Cows are scanned and drafted into early, mid and late calvers so springers can be moved onto grass paddocks ahead of calving.
Stock are consciously monitored daily for animal health issues such as acidosis, lameness, mastitis, condition loss, slowness, bagging up or calving. These animals are monitored, treated and separated as required.
Animal health is monitored by Allflex collars which inform decision making during transition in particular.
Transition typically begins with 30 minutes on the first week from first cow on to last cow off and increases in 15 minute increments.
Mob sizes are restricted to 300 maximum during winter to limit competition and to limit pressure on paddocks, cows and staff in difficult conditions. Milking mobs grazing on/off can be 400.
A feed budget is used based on square metres and crop residual is monitored.