StockPlan® is a suite of decision-support tools that enable cattle and sheep producers to explore management options in the early stages of and during a drought.

StockPlan® consists of 3 integrated sofware tools that work together to assist producers make management decisions that minimise the environmental and financial impacts of drought.

StockPlan® helps foster drought preparedness, an important component in managing animal production systems before the situation on a farm is irreversible.

What questions can StockPlan® help answer?

Stockplan will help answer such questions as:

• How much will it cost to feed my stock for a specified time?
• How will my decision affect my flock or herd and financial position?
• Is it better to sell or agist my stock?
• Is agistment an option for certain classes of animals?

The StockPlan® Suite

StockPlan® consists of 3 software tools:

Im Pack

Herd and flock structure analysis

This decision tool uses a static modelling approach that provides a producer with the opportunity to assess the structure of the herd or flock over a 10-year period.

The Im Pack decision tool allows the user to explore a wide range of options e.g. selling off parts of the herd or flock and recovering stock numbers over the following years.

FSA Pack

Economic assessment of feeding, selling and agisting

FSA Pack (feed, sell or agist decision) is designed to evaluate the cost of the various options for a specific group of livestock rather than a whole farm analysis. FSA allows for the user to specify up to four different drought lengths, and provides cash cost estimates and “bottom line” financial estimates.

Drought Pack

Quantitative break-even analysis

Drought Pack, an energy-based model (MJ ME/kg fed), assesses the cost of feeding and determines the break-even price for specific animal classes.

StockPlan® also provides help through seven sources: Introduction; Decision-making Process; Drought and Overgrazing Issues; Animal Health and Welfare; Climate; Bob’s Story; and ‘Where To Get Help’.

Contact Details

For more details and purchasing of the StockPlan® Suite, contact NSW Department of Primary Industries on 1800 628 422 or 0269 512 775.

For workshop registration, contact Murrumbidgee Rural Studies Centre on 1800 628 422 or 0269 512 775.