Planning for whole-farm systems research at a credible scale: subdividing land into farmlets with equivalent initial conditions

Abstract

Abstract.Most research comparing different farming systems has been conducted on relatively uniform plots at small scales made necessary by the desire for sufficient replication of the systems and cost limitations. This paper describes an alternative approach to plan the allocation of land to three unreplicated whole-farm management systems such that each farmlet had equivalent starting conditions and yet was at a scale credible to both livestock producers and researchers. The paddocks of each farmlet were distributed across the landscape in a 'patchwork quilt' pattern after six iterations of a mapping exercise using a Geographic Information System. Allocation of paddocks took into account those variables of the landscape and natural resource capacity that were not able to be altered. An important benefit of the procedure was that it ensured that the farmlets were co-located with contiguous paddock boundaries so that all farmlets experienced the same climatic as well as biophysical conditions. An electromagnetic survey was conducted of the entire property and used in conjunction with a detailed soils map in order to classify areas into soil conductivity groupings. Equivalent areas of each soil type were allocated across the three farmlets. Similarly, land was distributed according to its topography so that no farmlet would be compromised by being allocated more low lying, flood-prone land than any other farmlet. The third factor used to allocate land to each farmlet was the prior fertiliser history of the original paddocks. This process ensured that each farmlet was objectively allocated equivalent areas of soil type, topography and fertiliser history thus avoiding initial bias among the farmlets. After the plan for all paddocks of each farmlet was finalised, new paddock boundaries were drawn and where necessary, fencing was removed, modified and added, along with re-arranged watering points. The farmlet treatments commenced in July 2000 when the first pasture establishment and differential fertiliser applications were carried out. Evidence from the electromagnetic survey and the Landsat imagery confirmed that the distribution of hydrologic soil conductivity and vegetation greenness were similar between all farmlets just before the commencement of the experiment.

Comparing the climate experienced during the Cicerone farmlet experiment against the climatic record

“…The Cicerone Project farmlet experiment was located 17 km south of Armidale, NSW (30 37 0 S, 151 33 0 E), at an elevation of~1050 m above sea level, with terrain described as flat to undulating (Scott et al 2013d).…”

The effects of pasture inputs and intensive rotational grazing on superfine wool production, quality and income

“…The soils across all three farmlets were predominantly podsolic with some minor basalt areas (Scott et al 2013c). The region is subject to a summer-dominant rainfall with a long-term average of~780 mm.…”

“…Due to the substantial size of the three farmlets (each 53 ha), replication of the design was prohibitive in cost and so it was essential that the three farmlets started out with equivalent levels of potential productivity. Through an iterative planning process, the land was allocated to each of the farmlets so that, at the commencement of the trial, each comprised equivalent areas of soil type, slope and recent fertiliser history (Scott et al 2013c). Following a survey of livestock producers commissioned by the Cicerone Project (Kaine et al 2013) and considerable subsequent negotiation, the three treatments were decided upon .…”

Whole-farm management of soil nutrients drives productive grazing systems: the Cicerone farmlet experiment confirms earlier research

“…The selection of the treatments (Scott et al 2013c) and the conduct of the Cicerone farmlet experiment were under the control of a management Board consisting of a majority of local livestock producers with extension, research and consultant specialists, which met at~6-week intervals throughout the Project. Prior to the commencement of the different management strategies, the land was partitioned among farmlets in such a way that each unreplicated farmlet was allocated areas with equivalent attributes such as soil type, slope and fertiliser history (Scott et al 2013d). Soils were mostly a mix of Yellow Chromosol and Sodosol derived from granite parent material with a minority of Brown Dermosols derived from basalt (Isbell 1996).…”