Make silage while the rain falls: preparing for dry seasons

Farm dams underpin water supply on many properties, yet a significant amount of what they hold can be lost before it is ever used. As water becomes harder to secure, understanding those losses is a practical step towards drought preparedness.In this episode, Mike Scobie, a water resources engineer from the University of Southern Queensland and a researcher on the GGA national Ripple Effect project, explains how dams lose water through evaporation and seepage. He works through the options for reducing those losses, including dam design and management practices such as floating covers, shade cloth, chemical films and vegetation.Mike’s advice is to start by measuring what your dam is losing. Whether an option stacks up then depends on how you value your water. He also introduces EvapAdvisor.com, a free online tool that estimates dam losses and the cost of saving water. For more, the Ripple Effect’s growing resource library includes factsheets, case studies, journal articles, podcasts, videos and guides to help you make better water decisions.Knowing where your water goes, and what it is worth, puts you in a stronger position to keep dams working through dry seasons.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.EvapAdvisor - Stored Water Evaporation Calculation & Mitigation AdvisorThe Ripple Effect project - Grower Group AllianceThe Ripple Effect resource library - Grower Group AllianceHub news - Drought Hub

Make hay while the sun shines, or in this case, silage in the years when the rain falls. Being prepared may be the best tactic a livestock business has for the years when the rainfall is irregular.In this episode, Dr Jeisane Accioly-McIllree, Executive Officer of the Western Beef Association, and David Humphreys, Ferguson Valley beef producer and Vice Chair of Western Beef, reflect on a season that started strong but delivered little follow-up rain.The conversation focuses on good management ahead of a long, dry summer. Jeisane and David discuss feed budgeting against stock numbers, testing hay and silage, buying feed on value rather than cost, storing it well and carrying some over into the next season. They also cover grazing management, regular condition scoring and offloading less productive stock early.Practical resources are highlighted throughout, including Western Beef's borrowable hay and silage coring tools, the Rumen8 feed planning software, grazing management training, the Leading the Herd forums and the Western Beef alumni network.The episode reinforces that dry periods are a regular feature of the south-west. Preparing in the good years determines how well a business gets through the lean ones.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Better Making and Use of Hay and Silage – Mitigating drought and season variability effects for WA livestock industry - SW WA HubLivestock nutrition in dry seasons with hay, silage and containment feeding - SW WA HubSilage, is it all it’s wrapped up to be? -  SW WA HubRumen8 tutorial videos - Western BeefRumen8 Easy Beef and Dairy Cattle DietsHow to measure forage dry matter using a microwave - South West NRMHow to sample forage - South West NRMHay and silage test corer locations and laboratory information - Western BeefHub news - Drought Hub

The Transformative Aboriginal Agricultural Methods (TAAM) project is exploring how Aboriginal knowledge and modern agricultural science can work together to improve soil health, restore landscapes and support more resilient farming systems.This episode is part of the Indigenous farming methods series and in it, we speak to Clint Hansen, founder of Maaman Marra Boodjar, and Associate Professor Dave Blake from Edith Cowan University.They discuss how Aboriginal knowledge holders, farmers and researchers came together to share their understanding of Country and explore culturally informed approaches to landscape rehydration. Clint explains how leaky weirs - built using locally sourced rocks, branches and soil - can slow water movement, capture sediment and seeds, and support the regeneration of eroded areas.The episode also explores how soil testing, microbiome analysis, drones and sensor networks were used to measure changes in soil moisture, temperature and biomass across trial sites near Perenjori.The TAAM project is supported by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, Edith Cowan University and the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.'If we don't look after Country, we won't have anything' - National Indigenous TimesVideo - Transformative Aboriginal agricultural methods: Maaman Marra BoodjarVideo - Transformational program: pathways towards resilience in Western AustraliaField day blends Aboriginal knowledge and science for climate resilience - WA Agricultural Research CollaborationTransformative Aboriginal agricultural methods: Maaman Marra Boodjar - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

Securing reliable on-farm water is one of the most pressing challenges for Wheatbelt farmers facing consecutive dry seasons, with some spending over $60,000 in a single year just to keep water up to stock.In this episode, Dr Richard George from DPIRD and Professor Brett Harris from Curtin University talk about a targeted approach to finding water in fractured bedrock aquifers deep beneath the Wheatbelt landscape.Drawing on the results of Phase One of the WaterSmart Farms program, where 75% of sites struck usable groundwater, the conversation covers how precision magnetic surveying is dramatically improving drilling success rates, what reliable groundwater means for farm decision-making through dry periods, and what's needed to take this method from research into broad industry uptake via Phase Two's voucher program. The Ripple Effect project - Grower Group AllianceWaterSmart Dams project - Grower Group AllianceWater Smart Projects gallery - Grower Group AllianceMADFIG is delighted to announce the release of our first Podcast! - MADFIGWaterSmart Dams: Understanding dams with the Water Evaluation Platform - SW WA HubWaterSmart Farms voucher program - DPIRDWater Evaluation PlatformHub news - Drought Hub

Australia’s Southern Rangelands are some of the most variable and challenging pastoral landscapes in the world. Climate variability, rising costs, legacy land condition and large-scale operations can make it challenging to make management decisions and know where new technologies can genuinely add value.In this episode, landscape ecologist Richard Marver from Contour Consulting and Krystie Bremer, Executive Officer of the Gascoyne Pilbara Rangelands Initiative (GPRI), discuss the planning work underway through the Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project.Drawing on decades of experience across the Southern Rangelands, they explore how a challenge led and place-based approach can support better grazing management. They discuss the role of local knowledge, peer to peer learning and demonstration sites in helping pastoral businesses assess where targeted technologies may improve decision making and drought resilience.The episode also explores the difficulty of navigating the rapidly growing agtech industry. Richard and Krystie discuss the SW WA Hub’s developing AgTech Adoption Guide, which aims to help pastoralists and advisers better understand available tools, likely costs and where different technologies may suit different operations.The conversation highlights that successful technology adoption is not simply about new tools. It depends on matching technology to local conditions, business goals and management capacity.The Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust. It is is led by Adelaide University through the SA Drought Hub.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program | Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGascoyne Regional Drought Resilience Plan Managing livestock health and disease during dry seasons - Drought HubThe triple bottom line: lessons from the Pastoral Business Toolbox - Drought HubVirtual fencing and drone monitoring: enhancing rangeland management through AgTech - Drought HubHub news - Drought Hub

Virtual fencing could become a game-changer for Australian livestock producers, replacing kilometres of wire and hours of labour with a GPS collar and an app. But its potential goes well beyond convenience. By giving farmers unprecedented control over grazing pressure, virtual fencing is shaping up as a powerful tool for dry‑season management and climate resilience.In this episode, Esperance farmer Simon Fowler and SARDI researcher Bianca Agenbag unpack how the technology is helping producers maximise pasture utilisation, run virtual feedlots through feed gaps, and protect precious feed reserves when seasons turn tough. They also discuss the research underway to help farmers assess whether virtual fencing stacks up economically for their own operations.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Virtual fencing: breaking down boundaries in livestock grazing - SW WA HubVirtually Fence Free project (Future Drought Fund) - NQ Dry TropicsCommercialisation of Virtual Fencing for Livestock - SARDI / PIRSAVirtual fencing for improved drought resilience on South Australian farms - SA Drought HubVirtual fencing for improved drought resilience on South Australian farms - SW WA HubVirtual fencing provides productivity gains from strip grazing in broadacre farming - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

Uncertain seasons require clear thinking, not more noise.In this episode, Rod Birch, a grain grower from Coorow, shares his approach to planning for and managing through dry seasons and broader uncertainty.Rod discusses the importance of focusing on core fundamentals, identifying key risks such as lower-than-expected rainfall, input supply and markets, and avoiding unnecessary noise when making decisions.The conversation explores planning across short, medium, and long timeframes, along with the role of good relationships and trusted advice in supporting decision making.While Rod speaks from a grain growing perspective, the principles apply across agriculture, reinforcing that although conditions change, the fundamentals of good planning remain the same.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Links on drought and mental health support - SW WA HubRiskWi$e - The National Risk Management Initiative - Grower Group AllianceNavigating extreme seasonal variability in WA’s Wheatbelt - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

Input constraints are a challenge, not just currently in 2026, but also off the back of dry seasons when financial constraints can dominate decision making. In both contexts, smart allocation can make a real difference to whole of farm performance.In this episode, cropping farmer Dylan Hirsch from Latham WA and CSIRO research scientist Roger Lawes discuss practical strategies for making the most of limited inputs, with a strong focus on the highest input cost of nitrogen.They discuss how ranking paddocks by yield potential using historical data and remote sensing can help target limited inputs, while also considering how growers can adjust crop and rotation decisions when conditions or supply constraints change.Roger then shares insights from the national Grain Automate project, including a new calculator tool to help evaluate precision spraying investments.The conversation highlights the role of farm data in decision making to effectively optimise a constrained resource.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Grain Automate Economic Model Calculator - Grain Automate - GRDC & CSIROSpray Program Calculator - GRDC & CSIROGrain Automate - GRDCHub news - Drought Hub

Seasonal climate outlooks can inform planning, but they are only one part of farm decision-making.In this episode, Dr Meredith Guthrie, from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and Phil Smyth, northern Wheatbelt agronomist from Nutrien Coorow, talk about the 2026 seasonal outlook.Meredith explains current climate drivers, how to interpret climate model probabilities and how the potential development of an El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole may result in 2026 looking a bit like the difficult year of 2023.They then go on to discuss what these forecasts may mean for growers, including dry sowing, crop selection, managing input costs, and making the most of early rainfall opportunities.The conversation highlights the importance of using forecasts as guidance while focusing on sound management decisions throughout the season and how there is always space for hope.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Long-range weather, climate and water availability - Bureau of MeteorologySeasonal Climate Outlook - Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentLong-range forecasts: weeks, months and seasons - Bureau of MeteorologyHub news - Drought Hub

Water quality is one of the most overlooked factors in spray performance, yet it can have major impacts on efficacy, compatibility and long-term resistance risk.In this episode, agronomist Bill Campbell from Campbell Ag and Damon Cusack from the Fitzgerald Biosphere Group (FBG) discuss how water quality varies across Western Australia and what growers can do to better manage it.They explore common issues including hard water tying up glyphosate, high turbidity reducing the effectiveness of paraquat, and elevated pH shortening the half-life of certain insecticides and fungicides.The conversation highlights key results from FBG’s Water Quality Snapshot project, which revealed significant variability in water sources, even between dams on the same farm.Practical strategies include testing all water sources, ranking them by quality, matching water to product where possible, and investing in storage or treatment systems. The episode also points to useful tools and fact sheets available through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).A small investment in understanding your water could make a big difference to spray results and farm resilience.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Sprayer workshops – filter to “west” region and “workshops” - GRDCWater tests - CSBPWaterSmart Dams: Making Dams Work Again — Fitzgerald Biosphere GroupWater Evaluation Platform - University of Western AustraliaWater quality factsheet - GRDCSpray mixing and batch guides - GRDCWater Smart Dams project - Grower Group AllianceHub news - Drought Hub