Final SGS benchmarking Survey 2001 – Non hrz zones
DRAFT questions - Commercial in Confidence 18 May 2001
1
Did you have 100 or more sheep and/or 30 or more beef cattle at 31 March 2001?
IF NO TO Q1 end of interview
2
In what Local Government Area is your property located?
3
What is the postcode for your property location?
4) At March 31 2001 what was the total grazing area of your property? (ha)
Note : include area under crop at that date
5) At March 31 what area of your property was: (Ha)
- under crop or fallow about to be sown
- sown to perennial pasture including lucerne
- sown to annual pasture
- native pasture
NOTE: Sum of Q5 = Q4
6) Area of crop sown/planted to harvest during 2000/2001? Ha
7) Area of crop sown and intended for grazing only during 2000/2001 (Ha)
If Qs 6 and 7 = 0. Go to Q10
8) Generally, how long is the pasture phase in your crop rotation? (years)
9) Generally, how would you describe the mix of species in the pasture phase of your crop
rotation? (Code)
1
Mix of annual grasses and annual legumes
2
Mix of annual grasses, annual legumes and perennials
3
Perennials (including lucerne and other perennial legumes)
4
Native grasses
10) At March 31, 2001 how many sheep were in your flock, including marked lambs (No)?
11) Ask sheep producers:
In broad terms, is your sheep production best described as?
1 Wool
2 Combined wool and lambs
3 Specialist lamb
4 Stud production
5Other (specify)
If Q11 = 1, 4 or 5 go to Q13
If produce lambs then (if Q11 = 2 or 3)
12) What is your main method of finishing lambs? (Code)
1. Grain in a feedlot
2. Grain supplement on pasture
3. Silage supplement on pasture
4. Fodder crop
5. Lucerne
6. Pasture (other than lucerne)
7. Does not finish
13) At March 31, 2001, how many beef cattle were in your herd, including marked calves
(No)?
14) Ask beef producers:
In broad terms, is your cattle production best described as ....
1 Commercial beef operation
2 Stud
3 Mixed stud and commercial
4 Store finishing
5 Feedlotting
6 Other (specify
If Q14 = 2, 5 or 6 go to Q16
If commercial beef, or Store finishing then (if Q14 = 1, 3 or 4)
15) What is your main method of finishing beef cattle? (Code
1
Grain in a feedlot
2
Grain supplement on pasture
3
Silage supplement on pasture
4
Fodder crop
5
Lucerne
6
Pasture (other than lucerne)
7
Does not finish
16) What is your main method of feeding cast for age ewes or cows for the last 4 weeks before
slaughter/sale ?(code)
1
Grain in a feedlot
2
Grain supplement on pasture
3
Silage supplement on pasture
4
Fodder crop
5
Lucerne
6
Pasture (other than lucerne)
7
Have no cast for age ewes or cows
17) For the last financial year (1999/2000), using the following categories approximately what
percentage of gross farm income was contributed by each of these farm enterprises?
Codes: 1 No contribution
2 > 0 & < 30 %
3 30 % or more
Wool
Lambs
Mutton
Beef cattle
Crops
Other
18) How often do you resow pastures ? ( code)
 don’t sow pastures
 at the start of each pasture phase after crop
 once every 5 years
 once every 10 years
 other
19) How would you rate the overall quality of the pastures on your property now compared
to five years ago?
1 Poorer
2 About the same
3 Better
20) How would you best describe your grazing management?
1 Set stocking on most of the property
2 Rotational grazing, regularly moving stock
3 No fixed plan, moves are based on prevailing circumstances
21) I will now list some grazing management practices and I want to know whether over the
past five years they were a core part of your management, or you have tested them, or did not
use the practice
a) Temporary subdivision to manage livestock grazing area
b) Boxing mobs / herds to assist management
c) Resting pastures to achieve a targeted amount of feed
d) Managing grazing so ground cover is always present
e) Regularly resting pasture to assist pasture persistence
f) Matching pasture quality, with livestock needs
g) Calculate a feed budget
22) Have you heard of SGS or Farmwalk - the Sustainable Grazing Systems program ? Y/N
23) Have you heard of a course called PROGRAZE? Y/N
Now considering pasture fertiliser management,
24) Which best describes your pasture fertiliser practices?
1 Most paddocks every year
2 Some paddocks every year
3 Most paddocks, every couple of years
4 Some paddocks, every couple of years
5 Don’t fertilise
25) For the fertiliser types I name, would you be now using less, about the same, more, or
don’t use compared to five years ago
Phosphate
Nitrogen
Lime
Gypsum
26) Over the past 12 months to what extent have you undertaken the following activities?
Respond with either Never, Sometimes, Often
a) Used a farm management consultant
b) Participated in farm benchmarking programs
c) Weighed livestock
d) Assessed livestock by fat scoring
e) Assessed pastures in kg Dry matter/ha and digestibility
f) Conducted soil tests
g) Sold livestock in the sale yards
h) Sold livestock over the hooks
i) Target specific markets
Now considering land management issues,
27) Are you a member of a Landcare group? Y/N
28) Is soil acidity an issue on your farm ? Y/N
If N go to 30
29) Do you use any of the following practices in managing soil acidity ?
Soil tests to determine soil Ph Y/N
Apply lime Y/N
Sown perennial pastures Y/N
30) Is Dryland salinity an issue on your farm ?Y/N
If N go to 32
31) Do you use any of the following practices in managing dryland salinity ?
Sown perennial pastures Y/N
Plant trees Y/N
Sown salt tolerant pastures Y/N
Fenced off salty areas Y/N
32) Is Soil erosion an issue on your farm? Y/N
If N go to 34
33) Do you use any of the following practices in managing soil erosion ?
Fence off degraded areas Y/N
Create contour banks Y/N
Manage grazing to maintain ground cover /Y/N
Direct drill crops or pastures Y/N
Sown permanent pastures Y/N
Plant wind breaks Y/N
Implement regular procedures to control fauna, and pest animal populations Y/N
34) Is Water Quality in farm dams and creeks an issue on your farm ? Y/N
If N go to 36
35) Do you use any of the following practices in managing water quality?
Fence off degraded areas Y/N
Fence off river banks Y/N
Water stock mostly by troughs Y/N
Have permanent pastures Y/N
Revegetate areas
36) Is weed control an issue on your farm ? Y/N
If N go to 38
37) Do you use any of the following practices to manage weeds ?
Spray /Grazing – selective herbicides in conjunction with grazing management Y/N
Grazing Management – exclude Spray/GrazingY/N
Grazing with goats Y/N
Herbicides – exclude Spray/Grazing Y/N
Burning Y/N
Sow perennial pastures Y/N
Crop and pasture rotation Y/N
Biological control – actively sought or aware and making use of Y/N
38) For your livestock enterprises, do you know the cost of production in dollars per kilogram
? Y/N
39) Do you:
a) Have a documented breeding objective Y/N
b) Use performance recorded sires Y/N
c) Make business decisions jointly with others who work in the business Y/N
d) Spend more than 7 days on formal farm training activities each year Y/N
e) Have documented financial goals Y/N
f) Have specific production goals for livestock Y/N
40) Rank the following programs as low, medium or high priority areas for Meat and
Livestock Australia (MLA) to focus on, to assist your business.
a) Farm enterprise integration
b) Increasing carcase weight and yield
c) Improved fertility
d) Managing disease
e) Improving meat quality
f) Developing markets
g) Addressing environmental issues
h) Improving information to producers
DEMOGRAPHICS
41) Into which of the following age groups do you fall?
Less than 20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
over 60
42) What is the highest level of education you have achieved ?
School Certificate or less
HSC
TAFE Certificate course
TAFE Trade course
Tertiary Graduate
Post Graduate
43) Are you a member of Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) ? Y/N
if farmer asks, farmer can call 1800 675 717 for information