An appraisal of Sustainable Grazing Systems: The program, the triple bottom line impacts and the sustainability of grazing systems

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture

Volumn 43, Issue 7-8, 2003, Pages 1061-1082

  Mason, W K ^a   Lodge, G M ^b   Allan, C J ^c   Andrew, M H ^d   Johnson, T ^e   Russell, B ^c   Simpson, I H ^f  

^a SGS Coordinator   (Australia)

^b NSW AGRICULTURE   (Australia)

^c Advocacy Education and Research   (Australia)

^d URS Sustainable Development   (Australia)

^e Producer Member SGS Steering Grp   (Australia)

^f SGS Extension Facilitator   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

GRAZING; LIVESTOCK FARMING; PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT; SUSTAINABILITY;

AUSTRALIA;

EID: 0142091393     PISSN: 08161089     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1071/ea03043     Document Type: Review

References (87)

1. Allan CJ, Mason WK, Reeve IJ, Hooper S (2003) Evaluation of the impact of SGS on livestock producers and their practices. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 1031-1040.
2. Allen P, van Dusen D, Lundy L, Gliessman S (1991) Integrating social, environmental and economic issues in sustainable agriculture. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 6, 34-39.
3. Anderson CA, Muir L (Eds) (2003) Application of sustainability indicators to the management of soil and catchment health. A special issue of Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 195-323.
4. Andrew J (2003) Key features of the regional producer network for enabling social learning. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 1015-1029.
5. Andrew MH, Lodge GM (2003) The Sustainable Grazing Systems National Experiment. 1. Introduction and methods. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 695-709.
6. Andrew MH, Lodge GM, Mason WK, Price RJ (2003) The Sustainable Grazing Systems National Experiment. 2. Scientific outcomes and effectiveness of the research and development processes. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 993-1013.
7. Angus JF, Gault RR, Peoples MB, Stapper M, Van Herwaarden (2001) Soil water extraction by dryland crops, annual pastures and lucerne in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 183-192.
8. Anon. (2002a) 'SGS (Sustainable Grazing Systems) final report - a triple bottom line report.' (Meat & Livestock Australia: Sydney) http://www.mla.com.au
9. Anon. (2002b) Evaluation of SGS Harvest Year. Prepared by Hassall & Associates, December 2002. (Meat & Livestock Australia: Sydney) http://www.mla.com.au
10. Anon. (1996a) 'Australia: state of the environment 1996.' (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood, Vic.)
11. Anon. (1996b) 'Preparation report for the Grazing Systems Sustainability Key Program.' Prepared for the Meat Research Corporation by PDP Australia Pty Ltd. (Sydney)
12. Anon. (1995) 'PROGRAZE Profitable, sustainable grazing.' (Ed. S Latham) (NSW Agriculture: Orange)
13. Barlow R, Ellis NJS, Mason WK (2003) A practical framework to evaluate and report combined natural resource and production outcomes of agricultural research to livestock producers. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 745-754.
14. Bell AK, Allan CJ (2000) PROGRAZE - an extension package in grazing and pasture management. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 325-330.
15. Brougham RW (1959) The effects of frequency and intensity of grazing on productivity of a pasture of short-rotation ryegrass and red and white clover. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 2, 1232-1248.
16. Bryant FC, Dahl BE, Pettit RD, Britton CM (1989) Does short duration grazing work in arid and semi-arid regions? Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 44, 290-296.
17. Carruthers G, Tinning G (2003) Where, and how, do monitoring and sustainability indicators fit into environmental management systems? Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 307-323.
18. Chapman DF, McCaskill MR, Quigley PE, Thompson AN, Graham JF, Borg D, Lamb J, Kearney G, Saul GR, Clark SG (2003) Effects of grazing management and fertiliser inputs on the productivity and sustainability of phalaris-based pastures in Western Victoria. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 785-798.
19. Clark DA, Lambert MG, Grant DA (1986) Influence of fertilizer and grazing management on North Island moist hill country. 5. Animal production. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 29, 407-420.
20. Cullen, Peter (2002) Environmental aspects of sustainability. In 'Transition to sustainability. Australian Academy of Science symposium proceedings.' http://www.science.org.au/sata2002/cullen.htm
21. Dolling PJ (2001) water use and drainage under phalaris, annual pastures, and crops on a duplex soil in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 305-316.
22. Dunin FX, Smith CJ, Zegelin SJ, Leuning R, Denmead OT, Poss R (2001) Water balance changes in a crop sequence with lucerne. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 247-261.
23. Elkington J (1997) 'Cannibals with Forks: the Triple Bottom Line.' (Capstone Publishing: London)
24. Frost FM (2000) Value orientations: impact and implications in the extension of complex farming systems. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 511-517.
25. Gammon DM (1978) A review of experiments comparing systems of grazing management on natural pastures. Proceedings of the Grassland Society of South Africa 13, 75-82.*
26. Garden DL, Ellis NJS, Rab MA, Langford CM, Johnston WH, Shields C, Murphy T, Holmberg M, Dassanayake KB, Harden S (2003) Fertiliser and grazing effects on production and botanical composition of native grasslands in south-east Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 843-859.
27. Gilding P, Hogarth M, Reed D (2002) 'Single bottom line sustainability.' Ecos Corporation discussion paper www.ecoscorporation.com.
28. Graham JF, Cullen BR, Lodge GM, Andrew MH, Christy BP, Holst P, Wang Xuerong, Murphy SR, Thompson A (2003) SGS Animal Production Theme: effects of grazing systems on animal production and interaction with sustainability over a range of pasture types in southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 977-991.
29. Grime JP (1997) Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning; the debate deepens. Science 277, 1260-1261.
30. Heady HF (1961) Continuous vs specialized grazing systems: a review and application to the California annual type. Journal of Range Management 14, 182-193.
31. Hill R, James N (1999) Intensification - will simple rotations increase profits? In 'Proceedings of the 40th annual conference of the Grassland Society of Victoria'. (Ed. R Stockdale) pp. 49-51. (Grassland Society of Victoria Inc.: Mornington)
32. Hutchinson KJ (1992) The grazing resource. In 'Proceedings of the 6th Australian agronomy conference'. Armidale. (Eds KJ Hutchinson, PJ Vickery) pp. 54-60. (Australian Society of Agronomy: Parkville, Vic.)
33. Johnson T, Barlow R, Freebairn D (2001) 'Review of the SGS National Experiment.' Final report to MLA. (Meat & Livestock Australia: Sydney)
34. Johnson IR, Lodge GM, White RE (2003) The Sustainable Grazing Systems Pasture Model: description, philosophy and application to the SGS National Experiment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 711-728.
35. Johnston WH, Garden DL, Rančić A, Koen TB, Dassanayake KB, Langford CM, Ellis NJS, Rab MA, Tuteja NK, Mitchell M, Wadsworth J, Dight D, Holbrook K, LeLievre R, McGeoch SM (2003) The impact of pasture development and grazing on water-yielding catchments in the Murray-Darling Basin in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 817-841.
36. Kemp DR, Michalk DL, Virgona JM (2000) Towards more sustainable pastures: lesson learnt. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 343-356.
37. Kemp DR, King WMcG, Gilmour AR, Lodge GM, Murphy SR, Quigley PE, Sanford P, Andrew MH (2003) SGS Biodiversity Theme: impact of plant biodiversity on the productivity and stability of grazing systems across southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 961-975.
38. King KL (1997) Soil organisms and soil fertility. In 'Banking on soil fertility'. Seventh annual conference of the Tasmanian Branch of the Grassland Society of Victoria Inc. pp. 34-44. (Grassland Society of Victoria Inc.: Mornington, Vic.)
39. King C, Gunton J, Freebairn J, Coutts J, Webb I (2000) The sustainability indicator industry: where to from here? A focus group study to explore the potential of farmer participation in the development of indicators. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 343-356.
40. Latta RA, Blacklow LJ, Cocks PS (2001) Comparative soil water, pasture production, and crop yields in phase farming systems with lucerne and annual pasture in Western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 295-303.
41. Lefroy EC, Pate JS, Stirzaker RJ (2001a) Growth, water use efficiency, and adaptive features of the tree legume tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus Link.) on deep sands in south-western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 221-234.
42. Lefroy EC, Stirzaker RJ, Pate JS (2001b) The influence of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus Link.) trees on the water balance of an alley cropping system on deep sand in south-western Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 235-246.
43. Lobry de Bruyn LA, Abbey JA (2003) Characterisation of farmers' soil sense and the implications for on-farm monitoring of soil health. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 285-306.
44. Lodge GM, Murphy SR, Harden S (2003a) Effects of grazing and management on herbage mass, persistence, animal production and soil water content of native pastures. 1. A redgrass-wallaby grass pasture, Barraba, North West Slopes, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 875-890.
45. Lodge GM, Murphy SR, Harden S (2003b) Effects of grazing and management on herbage mass, persistence, animal production and soil water content of native pastures. 2. A mixed native pasture, Manilla, North West Slopes, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 891-905.
46. Lodge GM, Murphy SR, Harden S (2003c) Effects of continuous and seasonal grazing strategies on the herbage mass, persistence, animal productivity and soil water content of a Sirosa phalaris-subterranean clover pasture, North-West Slopes, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 539-552.
47. Mason WK, Lamb K, Russell B (2003) The Sustainable Grazing Systems Program: new solutions for livestock producers. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 663-672.
48. Mason WK, Cahill GT, Warn L Eds (2003b) Towards Sustainable Grazing - the professional producers guide. Published by Meat & Livestock Australia: Sydney http://www.mla.com.au
49. McCallum MH, Connor DJ, O'Leary GJ (2001) Water use by lucerne and effect on crops in the Victorian Wimmera. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 193-201.
50. McCaskill MR, Ridley AM, Okom A, White RE, Andrew MH, Michalk DL, Melland A, Johnston WH, Murphy SR (2003) SGS Nutrient Theme: environmental assessment of nutrient application to extensive pastures in the high rainfall zone of southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 927-944.
51. McCown RL (2001) Farming systems research and farming practice. In 'Proceedings of the 10th Australian Agronomy Conference'. Hobart. http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/plenery/4/mccown.htm
52. McDowall MM, Hall DJM, Johnson DA, Bowyer J, Spicer P (2003) Kikuyu and annual pasture: a characterisation of a productive and sustainable beef production system on the South Coast of Western Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 769-783.
53. McKenzie FR, Tainton NM (1996) Effect of grazing frequency and intensity on Lolium perenne L. pastures under subtropical conditions: herbage production. African Journal of Range and Forage Science 13, 1-5.
54. McMeekan CP, Walshe MJ (1963) The inter - relationships of grazing method and stocking rate in the efficiency of pasture utilization by dairy cattle. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 61, 147-166.
55. Michalk DL, Dowling PM, Kemp DR, King WMcG, Packer IJ, Holst PJ, Jones RE, Priest SM, Millar GD, Brisbane S, Stanley DF (2003) Sustainable grazing systems for the Central Tablelands, New South Wales. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 861-874.
56. Morley F (1995) Comparing grazing systems. In 'Proceedings of the 36th Grassland Society of Victoria'. (Ed. L Warn) p. 8. (Grassland Society of Australia Inc.: Mornington, Vic.)
57. Murphy SR, Lodge GM (2001a) Real time analysis of rainfall, runoff events and soil water status in grazed pastures. In 'Proceedings of the 10th Australian agronomy conference, Hobart.' http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/5/b/murphyS.htm
58. Murphy SR, Lodge GM (2001b) Plant density, litter and bare soil effects on actual evaporation and transpiration in autumn. In 'Proceedings of the tenth Australian agronomy conference'. Hobart. http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/2/b/murphy2.htm
59. Myers LF (1972) Effects of grazing and grazing systems. In 'Plants for sheep in Australia'. (Eds JH Leigh, JC Noble) pp. 184-192. (Angus and Robertson: Sydney)
60. Neher D (1992) Ecological sustainability in agricultural systems: definitions and measurement. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 2, 51-61.
61. Nicholson C, Barr N, Kentish A, Dowling PM, McCormick LH, Palmer M, Simpson IH, Simpson K, Walsh J (2003) A research-extension model for encouraging the adoption of productive and sustainable practice in high rainfall grazing areas. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 685-694.
62. Packer WI, Michalk DL, Brisbane S, Dowling PM, Millar DG, King WMcG, Kemp DR, Priest SM (2003) Reducing deep drainage through controlled runoff management in high recharge tablelands landscape. In 'Solutions for a better environment'. Proceedings of the 11th Australian Agronomy Conference, 2-6 February 2003, Geelong, Victoria. Published on CDROM ISBN 0-9750313-0-9. Web site www.regional.org.au/au/asa.
63. Pannell DJ (2003) What is the value of sustainability indicators? Economic issues in monitoring and management for sustainability. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 239-244.
64. Pieper RD (1980) Impacts of grazing systems on livestock. In 'Grazing management systems for South East Rangelands. A symposium'. (Eds KC McDaniel, C Allison) (Range Improvement Task Force, New Mexico State University: Las Cruces)
65. Pieper RD, Heitschmidt RK (1988) Is short duration grazing the answer? Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 43, 133-137.
66. Pratt DJ, Gwynne MD (1977) Rangeland management and ecology in East Africa. (Hodder and Stoughton: London)
67. Price RJ (2003) Identifying social spaces in the Sustainable Grazing Systems Program. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 1041-1059.
68. Reeve IJ, Kaine G, Lees JW, Barclay E (2000) Producer perceptions of pasture decline and grazing management. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 331-341.
69. Ridley AM, White RE, Simpson RJ, Callinan L (1997) Water use and drainage under phalaris, cocksfoot and annual ryegrass pastures. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 1011-1023.
70. Ridley AM, Christy B, Dunin FX, Haines PJ, Wilson KF, Ellington A (2001) Lucerne in crop rotations on the Riverine Plains. 1. The soil water balance. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 52, 263-277.
71. Ridley AM, Christy BP, White RE, McLean T, Green R (2003a) North-east Victoria SGS National Experiment site: water and nutrient losses from grazing systems on contrasting soil types and levels of input. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 799-815.
72. Ridley AM, Paramore TR, Beverly CR, Dunin FX, Froelich J (2003b) Developing environmental monitoring tools from sustainability indicators in the southern Riverina. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 271-284.
73. Sanford P, Wang X, Greathead KD, Gladman JH, Speijers J (2003a) Impact of Tasmanian blue gum belts and kikuyu-based pasture on sheep production and groundwater recharge in south-western Western Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 755-767.
74. Sanford P, Cullen, BR, Dowling PM, Garden DL, Chapman DF, Lodge GM, Andrew MH, Quigley PE, Murphy SR, King WMcG, Johnston WH, Kemp DR (2003b) SGS Pasture Theme: effect of climate, soil factors and management on pasture production and stability across the high rainfall zone of southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 945-959.
75. Schaller N (1990) Mainstreaming low-input agriculture. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 45, 101-109.
76. Scott JM, Pandy S, Parton, KA (1992) A framework for understanding the long-term value of pasture leys in cropping systems. In 'Proceedings of the 6th Australian Society of Agronomy Conference'. Armidale. (Eds KJ Hutchinson, PJ Vickery) pp. 198-201. (Australian Society of Agronomy: Parkville, Vic.)
77. Scott JM, Lovett JV (1997) Pastures in sustainable systems. In 'Pasture production and management'. (Eds JV Lovett, JM Scott) pp. 269-276. (Inkata Press: Sydney)
78. Scott JM, Hutchinson KJ, King K, Chen W, McLeod M, Blair GJ, White A, Wilkinson D, Lefroy RDB, Creswell H, Daniel H, Harris C, MacLeod DA, Blair N, Chamberlain G (2000) Quantifying the sustainability of grazed pastures on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, 257-265.
79. Simpson IH, Kay G, Mason WK (2003) The SGS Regional Producer Network: a successful application of interactive participation. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 673-684.
80. Simpson RJ, Bond WJ, Cresswell HP, Paydar Z, Clark SG, Moore AD, Alcock DJ, Donnelly JR, Freer M, Keating BA, Huth NI, Snow VO (1998) A strategic assessment of sustainability of grazed pasture systems in terms of their water balance. In 'Proceedings of the 9th Australian agronomy conference'. Wagga Wagga. (Eds DL Michalk, JE Pratley) pp. 239-242. (The Australian Agronomy Society Inc.: Melbourne)
81. Sutton S (2001) Sustainability: getting oriented. Green Innovations Inc. http://www.green-innovations.asn.au/sustainability-getting-oriented. htm
82. Taylor CA, Hothmann MM, Merrill LB, Elledge D (1980) Diet selection by cattle under high-intensity low-frequency, short duration and Merrill grazing systems. Journal of Range Management 33, 428-34.
83. Volesky JD, De Achaval O'Farrell F, Ellis WC, Kothmann MM, Horn FP, Phillips WA, Coleman SW (1994) A comparison of frontal, continuous, and rotation grazing systems. Journal of Range Management 47, 210-214.
84. Wheeler, JL (1962) Experimentation in grazing management. Herbage Abstracts 32, 1-7.
85. White RE, Helyar KR, Ridley AM, Chen D, Heng LK, Evans J, Fisher R, Hirth R, Mele PM, Morrison GR, Creswell HP, Paydar Z, Dunin FX, Dove H, Simpson RJ (2000) Sustainability and productivity of perennial and annual pastures in the high rainfall zone of southeastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40 267-283.
86. White RE, Christy BP, Ridley AM, Okom AE, Murphy SR, Johnston WH, Michalk DL, Sanford P, McCaskill MR, Johnson IR, Garden DL, Hall DJM, Andrew MH (2003) SGS Water Theme: influence of soil, pasture type and management on water use in grazing systems across the high rainfall zone of southern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 907-926.
87. Willoughby WM (1970) Grassland management. In 'Australian grasslands.' (Ed. RM Moore) pp. 392-407. (National University Press: Canberra)