These features included higher pasture consumption per hectare and per megalitre, higher stocking rates, higher use of nitrogen fertiliser, and higher milk production per cow. This indicates that effective farm management has a greater impact on water use efficiency than the type of system employed. Trials in heavy clay soils were abandoned as the Gopher monitors could not perform in those conditions. However they have proved successful in other soils. These trials measured the water requirements of ryegrass and clover.
Results suggest it is critical to water ryegrass and clover pasture little and often.
The author discusses the impact of low soil moisture on the profitability of planting cotton, sorghum and grains. He suggests it may be better to plant cotton and sorghum early in the season and hope for more rain. Corn is particularly suited to being planted later in the season. This money is helping fund eco-efficiency assessments in the Qld dairy farming industry. This money will fund an adoption program and soil moisture monitoring equipment for 35 demonstration sites.