“Making it Happen”
Charley Walker BSc (hons) NSch
Barnside Farm
@BarnsideFarm
Stocking Rate
+35%
Output per Hectare
+50%
2 fields, set stocked
8 paddocks, 3 day shifts
Increased Pasture Growth
Improved Pasture
Utilisation
Improved Pasture Quality
BUT
2 Tonnes of Concentrate Feed
3 x 3 Reel systems + posts & gates
4 x 100 gallon Water Troughs
10 x 100m rolls of 25mm pipe
Paddock Size
BlockSize
GroupSize
Shift Frequency
Farm Layout
Fencing
Grazing System
Water
Management & Labour
Handling Facilities
Access & Laneways
2 fields, set stocked
8 paddocks, 3 day shifts
Stocking Rate +35% (2013-2017)
0
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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Sto
ckin
g kg
/ha
KgLW produced/hectare +50%
0
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2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
kg li
vew
eig
ht
pro
du
ced
/ha
Sheep Beef
Outer Grazing Block
160 acres Improved Pasture:
divided into 24 x 7 acre paddocks
Inner Grazing Block
160 acres Improved Pasture
divided into 24 x 7 acre paddocks
Rough Grazing & Heather
110 acres of species rich grassland and heather moorland
Several disjointed enclosures ranging from 2 to 48 acres
Wintering & Finishing Block
160 acres temporary grass and undersown arable silage
Subdivided into 7 acre paddocks for autumn only
Farm Layout
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
April to mid May – Lambing & Calving
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
Late May – “The Great Migration”
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
195
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
Late May to mid June – 1st Rotation
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
Late June to early August – 2nd & 3rd Rotations
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
Mid August to late October
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
November & December
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
110 ac
January & February
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Triplets & Thins
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering, Silage & Finishing
March
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
Late March – Pre-lambing rotation
Outer Grazing Block Inner Grazing Block
Rough Grazing & HeatherWintering & Finishing Block
April to mid May – Lambing & Calving
26/09/2019
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kgD
M/h
a
Target Range
Actual Cover
Forecast Cover
Minimum Cover
Measured
(kgDM/ha) Start J F M A M J J A S O N D
Forecast/Actual 1,468 1,455 1,482 1,561 1,701 2,085 2,180 2,397 2,663 2,684 2,426 1,993 1,669
Minimum 478 498 82 521 1,143 1,329 1,388 1,530 1,677 1,766 1,841 1,379 741
Pasture Cover for BarnsideJan 19 - Dec 19SBD 7.2.2.41
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kg
DM
/ha/d
Actual Growth
Predicted Growth
Total Annual kgDM/ha kgDM J F M A M J J A S O N D
Forecast/Actual 7,722 /ha/d 0.0 7.2 9.8 20.0 41.4 38.7 52.1 40.2 24.0 15.2 4.0 0.0
Potential Pasture Growth for BarnsideJan 19 - Dec 19SBD 7.2.2.41
Final Tips
• Be Bold– Go as large as you dare with group size
– be creative with mixed mobs
• Be Flexible– Build in as much flexibility as possible to give you
management options
• Keep it simple – It’s simple to design a complex system but
complex to design a simple system
Charley Walker
Barnside Farm @BarnsideFarm