MORE than 100 producers, researchers and industry stakeholders gathered at the Douglas Daly Research Farm south of Darwin last week, highlighting strong industry engagement despite the challenges following a significant wet season and the approaching muster.

Organised by the NT Government’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the field day reflected a sector in transition, with a clear focus on lifting productivity and profitability while responding to increasing expectations around emissions and sustainability.

The CRC for Developing Northern Australia, Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC (ZNE-Ag CRC), NT Farmers Association, NT Cattlemen’s Association, Cotton Research and Development Corporation and Grains Research and Development Corporation were among the organisations contributing to the day’s program.

CRC for Developing Northern Australia chief executive, Anthony Curro, said the work underway in the region is focused on giving producers more flexibility in how they run their businesses.

“By integrating cropping and livestock systems, we’re helping producers build more resilient and diversified operations that can better manage seasonal variability and market pressures,” he said.

“This work is a key part of the broader northern development agenda, unlocking the potential of the north while ensuring systems remain productive, profitable and sustainable over the long term.”

Practical, adoptable solutions

Moving between paddock demonstrations and technical presentations, the event showcased research grounded in real-world application across the Top End and broader northern Australia, with a strong emphasis on practical, adoptable solutions.

A key starting point was soils, a fundamental constraint in many operations. Luke Finn and Jason Hill from the NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment outlined the importance of understanding soil variability and aligning land capability with enterprise decisions, particularly as cotton and mixed farming systems expand across the Douglas Daly region. Precision agriculture and improved nutrient management were also highlighted as pathways to better input efficiency and yield outcomes.

Research underway at DDRF is exploring cotton, alternative feed sources and cropping configurations designed to improve nitrogen use efficiency and overall system productivity. Complementary livestock research, including work led by Tim Schatz from NT DAF is examining how these systems can enhance cattle performance, including the use of cottonseed as a supplementary feed and broader “crops for cattle” approaches to address seasonal feed gaps.

A producer attending the day said seeing the research in action was a major drawcard.

“When you start looking at how feed costs, cattle prices and weight gains interact, it gives you a much clearer picture of where these feeding systems actually stack up. It’s not just about putting kilos on, it’s about understanding when and where that investment pays off across the whole herd and making more informed business decisions.”

Pest management remains a critical challenge, and sessions on fall armyworm and buffalo fly reinforced the need for region-specific solutions. Ongoing work into pheromone-based monitoring and control methods is aiming to improve the accuracy and effectiveness of pest management strategies under northern conditions.

Work presented by Tim Schatz on buffalo fly management also highlighted the scale of the challenge and the potential gains from improved control strategies.

Longer-term productivity drivers were also in focus, with updates from David Johnson, University of New England, on genetic and reproductive research highlighting the role of improved herd performance in lifting profitability. Projects examining reproductive efficiency and genomics continue to build the evidence base for more targeted breeding strategies in tropical beef systems.

Technology and emissions management were consistent themes throughout the day. Emerging tools such as virtual fencing and remote livestock management systems, including trials led by Christie Pearson, are being tested for their potential to improve grazing control and labour efficiency across large-scale operations. At the same time, research by the ZNE CRC into low methane feedbases and emissions measurement is helping to translate the emissions conversation into practical management decisions on-farm.

Across all sessions, a clear message emerged: this is not research for its own sake, but development in action, with projects increasingly tested in commercial environments and focused on delivering outcomes producers can apply.

The strong turnout underscored the value of events like the Douglas Daly field day in connecting research with industry. In a region defined by variability and scale, collaboration remains critical to building resilient, productive systems for the future.

 

 

 

 

Published via Beef Central: https://www.beefcentral.com/production/douglas-daly-field-day-tackles-productivity-profitability-and-emissions/