Bruce Storer manages his poll merino stud in Waeel on a 1218 hectares of land, they crop about 750hecates of cereals and legumes every year.
His target markets are Stud stock, cull lambs to the abattoir and Cull ewes to Muchea sale yards.
By working with Wheatbelt NRM in this project Bruce hopes to make his business more robust and profitable by providing autumn feed for their livestock without incurring wind and water erosion. Bruce is also passionate about providing more shelter in both winter and summer for improved livestock health.
Bruce’s demonstration idea is planting an assortment of fodder shrubs in harmony with his new GPS navigation style cropping program to better utilise land area. Creating forage under-story but also upper-story shelter and shade for livestock and wind/water erosion benefits.
Some areas of planting may not be fenced off but available to livestock whenever in the paddock. Ultimately the goal is to have plantings in every paddock and then monitor lamb birth and survival percentages in this environment as well as monitor wool quality and quantity. “We believe livestock have a critical role in sustainable farming in WA” says Bruce.
Bruce is keen to continue soil testing at GPS selected sites to monitor changes in soil nutrition and carbon as well as improving pasture rotation to increase soil organic carbon.
Bruce is a member of the Australian Sandalwood Network, Australian Sandalwood Cooperative, AvonGro, and the Stud breeders association of WA.
Bruce identified that his to two biggest soil constraints were low soil organic carbon and low soil biology.
To find out more about Bruce and our other farmers register your interest by contacting Bonny Dunlop-Heague on 0477 885 514 or at bdunlop@wheatbeltnrm.org.au.