By Melissa Blewitt

Four sites. Four years. One question: how do on-farm feed sources really affect sheep productivity?
Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) has launched a new four-year research project investigating how on-farm feed sources influence sheep productivity across low-rainfall farming systems in the Central West.
The project will combine detailed measurements of soil, pasture and feed resources with livestock tracking and individual animal production data across four sites in the region. The aim is to build a clearer understanding of how feedbase resources translate into productivity outcomes at the paddock level.
Recently, researchers collected baseline soil data at the first site near Trundle. Soil cores were taken to a depth of 60 centimetres, alongside standard soil testing, establishing the first reference point in what will become a detailed long-term dataset tracking soil and feedbase change over time.
Across all sites, the project will monitor herbage availability and quality before and after grazing events. Livestock thermoregulation and behavioural data will also be recorded using tracking collars, providing insight into animal movement patterns and resilience under environmental stressors such as heat and temperature extremes.
By integrating soil, pasture and animal performance data, the project aims to improve understanding of how natural resource management and feed availability influence sheep productivity in drought-prone and variable climates.
The project – Drought and climate resilient sheep farms and landscapes tailor-made for low rainfall farming regions – will run over four years, with ongoing updates and findings to be shared as the study progresses.