Dual-purpose cropping: The opportunity for a step change in production in the temperate region of Australia

Abstract

Mixed farming businesses, where cropping and livestock enterprises are managed through the integration of the resources and requirements for each, are the predominant farming system of southern Australia. The combination of these enterprises provides a major opportunity to reduce business risks for farming in these regions by mitigating the financial effects of climate and price variability (Bell et al. 2021). A key requirement for a profitable livestock enterprise is the provision of a diversified feedbase that will reduce the overall cost of feeding livestock by anticipating seasonal variability in growing conditions and identifying and filling feed gaps (Moore et al. 2009).