Saving Our Soils During Drought

The Saving Our Soils During Drought project aims to enhance drought resilience in Southern NSW by promoting the adoption of stock confinement feeding areas to mitigate the adverse effects of drought on livestock production systems and farm natural assets, particularly soils.

During droughts, soils that lose groundcover become highly susceptible to wind and water erosion, leading to significant land degradation, as evidenced by dust storms and severe soil erosion. Delivered by Hub partner NSW Local Land Services (LLS), the Saving Our Soils During Drought project addresses these challenges by demonstrating best practices in stock confinement feeding area implementation to foster widespread adoption.

Key project activities and deliverables include:

  • 15 stock confinement feeding area demonstration sites to showcase the benefit in maintaining groundcover and reducing erosion
  • Six case studies developed to provide examples and document successful implementation of stock confinement feeding areas
  • A guide to confinement feeding sheep and cattle in NSW showing landholders and extension officers how to establish and manage stock confinement feeding areas effectively
  • 19 workshops and 18 facilitated visits to the demonstration sites to provide hands-on training and knowledge exchange
  • Technical officers responding to more than 400 phone and email enquiries for tailored assistance and support

A large-scale approach combined with development of an extensive evidence base and the use of the strong collaborative networks across the Hub, NSW LLS, Farming Systems Groups and the Soil Knowledge Network, means the project ensures long-term sustainability and resilience for Southern NSW livestock and mixed farming operations.

Read the impact case study

Project lead

NSW Local Land Services (LLS)

Collaborating partners

  • Holbrook Landcare
  • FarmLink Research Limited
  • Riverine Plains Inc
  • Central West Farming Systems Group
  • Irrigation Farmers Network
  • The Soil Knowledge Network

Project funding

This project is funded by the Australian Government through the Future Drought Fund's Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes Grants Program.

Resources

Booklet - Guide to confinement feeding sheep and cattle in NSW

Web page - What is confinement feeding?

Dry times webinar - Do I keep and feed or sell in a falling market?

Dry times webinar - Feeding sheep in dry times

Dry times webinar - Feeding cattle in dry times

Dry times webinar - Early weaning of lambs and calves in dry times

Planning ahead webinar - Making the most of surplus feed

Case study - “Breakfast Creek Station” confinement feeding, Boorowa NSW

Case study - “Glendalyn” confinement feeding, Binalong NSW

Case study - "Tallawangra" confinement feeding, Mudgee NSW

Research report - Saving Our Soils: Groundcover trigger points for pasture resilience during drought