Grazing Methods & Strategies for Aussie Farmers

Traditional ride-on mowers tend to be loud and require ongoing maintenance while also emitting carbon monoxide and dioxide into the atmosphere. On top of this, mowing is a chore that chews up valuable time and energy. That’s why countless Aussie farmers and regional homeowners rely on grazing to keep the grass neat, tidy and weed-free.

A smart grazer doesn’t just rely on one method. To keep your grass short and herd healthy, it’s best practice to incorporate a range of grazing methods into your overall grazing strategy. Read on for our round-up of the top grazing methods for Aussie farmers.

Set stocking

Set stocking refers to the method of grazing livestock in a paddock over an extended period. When this grazing method is employed:

  • The paddock is rarely rested
  • The stocking rate tends to be calculated to ensure that livestock can be grazed throughout the year.
  • Supplementary feeding may be relied on to allow for seasonal imbalances in feed supply to demand.

Rotational grazing

When livestock is rotated through a series of paddocks, this is referred to as rotational grazing. Once the final paddock has been grazed, the first paddock to be grazed has rested. This facilitates sufficient pasture growth for the paddock grazing sequence to start all over again.

Compared to set stocking, rotational grazing requires higher paddock-by-paddock stocking rates. Rotational grazing aims to graze plants intensively at the most nutritious stage in their growth cycle. This is done while allowing rest time between grazing events to allow palatable species to continue to thrive. Rotational grazing:

  • Facilitates higher stocking rates
  • Encourages the persistence of palatable perennial pasture species
  • It tends to require greater labour input and more infrastructure compared to set stocking.

Tactical grazing

Sometimes, adhering to either set stocking or rotational grazing simply isn’t the best way to allow producers to meet their objectives. Here’s where tactical grazing comes into the picture.

Tactical grazing brings together a broad range of grazing methods, including set stocking and rotational grazing, within a single year or a series of years. Incorporating a range of grazing methods into the grazing strategy helps farmers meet different animal and pasture objectives. Tactical grazing empowers farmers to strike a balance between feed supply and the demands of various livestock classes for growth rate, reproduction, and maintenance.

Tactical grazing is not too difficult for farmers to implement on their farms, especially for farms that already have either a rotational or deferred grazing system. These farms will already have the required fencing and water supplies to allow for any grazing method to be implemented. This also allows farmers to swap between different grazing methods throughout the year to meet their specified production targets.

Grazing to manage pasture species

Selecting the grazing approach best suited to the species mix on the property is an important consideration. Proper grazing management is crucial to ensuring the persistence of pasture species. During their reproduction and establishment, pastures are more vulnerable to grazing. Here, grazing can be used to target unwanted species to help prevent seed set. Alternatively, the farmer can rest desirable species to promote seed production.

Supplementary feeding

To help farmers meet feed demand with their feed supply, supplementary feeding may be required for their grazing strategy. By implementing supplementary feeding, farmers can manage any nutritional issues (for example protein, energy or mineral requirements). Plus, incorporating supplementary feeding can compensate for seasonal declines in pasture production or quality. That said, it’s up to the farmer to weigh up the cost of supplementary feeding against the benefits. To help reduce supplementary feeding costs, farmers can:

  • Change the management calendar (for example, the time of calving, kidding or lambing)
  • Change the target market
  • Change the species or enterprise mix
  • Use animals with high genetic merit that grow faster and can be sold while the feed is available
  • Sow pasture to remove a feed gap.

Common Animals For Grazing

The grazing methods the farmer chooses to utilise will influence what types of grazing animals they choose.

  • Goats: goats offer farmers an inquisitive and loveable grazer. These animals are a popular choice for lawn maintenance both for farms and regional acreage areas. Goats’ only downside is their unpredictable browsing habits which may cause uneven grass lengths.
  • Sheep: sheep are a fairly popular, reliable grazing choice for farms. Plus, they can be used for wool or milk. Being social animals, you will need at least two sheep for your pasture.
  • Cows: cows are a good choice for farmers looking to have grazing animals covering large plots of land. They’re reliable creatures; they won’t try to run away, they’ll munch through plenty of grass, and they can produce milk. The setbacks that come with cows include managing their manure and their effects on the environment (methane emissions).

There are plenty of excellent grazing methods farmers can incorporate into their grazing strategy. The type of grazing method you select depends on your pasture, your goals and your grazing animals. To keep your grazing animals happy, Global Rotomoulding stocks a wide variety of agricultural products. We stock high-quality troughs and feeders, fertiliser tanks, poly water tanks and more. Be sure to contact our helpful team if you have any questions about our range of products.

Why Plastic Parts Are Rapidly Overtaking Metal

Plastic vs metal – it’s a long-debated topic in agricultural, mechanical, automotive and several other industries. While metal parts and assets have been king since the first machines were created, new science has made a new (better suited) successor. Enter plastic. 

Traditionally plastics struggled to compete with the strength and durability of metals. However, current plastic technologies have allowed this substance to perform as well as, and, in some cases better than, metal. 

So when both substances can perform the same job at the same level, it boils down to cost, weight and efficiency – to which plastic is the clear victor. 

If you haven’t already, it’s time to start rethinking where you’re using metal parts and consider if you could benefit from a cheaper and better tool. 

Plastic – Stronger Than You’d Think

Plastics excel at having a high strength-to-weight ratio. It can withstand more stress before failure while weighing less than a metal part. Combine this with better tensile strength and a higher ability to resist being deformed under mass density and plastic makes a good argument against metal enthusiasts. 

The below diagram shows a broad performance range of several plastics (categorised in Polymer and Composite categories) and how they compare to metal options. While the strongest metals rank higher than plastics, the plastic options aren’t far behind and have a lower density. 

Better Chemical Resistances 

Plastics are generally less susceptible to damage from chemicals or chemical reactions. Metal water storage tanks can cause zinc to leak through your water supply, leaving an unpleasant metallic taste. 

Worse, a study by the Public and Environmental Health Service in Tasmania found harmful lead levels in some stainless steel tanks. Steel tanks are used commonly in the mining industry to store sulfuric acid. At a high concentration (98% or above) steel can handle the acidic qualities of the acid for years. However, once the solution is diluted (Lower than 93%) the formula becomes highly corrosive. Poly liquid storage tanks, which we specialise in, can dependably store this acid at most concentrations. 

Poly Plastics, The Lightweight Champion 

More weight means more power is needed to move it. One of the best reasons to replace your heavy steel products with lightweight plastic products is you significantly lower your load. 

Our poly agricultural equipment is easy to roll, lift and reposition. Very rarely do we rely on heavy machinery when it comes to installing even our largest products. If you’re looking to replace a vehicle-mounted item with a plastic one, you’ll have improved fuel efficiency and no problem lifting them on or off your ute.

Faster Fabrication Times To Meet Strict Deadlines

Time equals money! When you’re in a pinch and need a replacement part fast, utilising plastic manufacturing will have you back on your feet long before a metal replacement can be created. 

Plastic’s design flexibility allows for designs to be created in one part, whereas metal parts often require assembly or welding to create one piece. Because of a more simplistic design process, you save time, labour and cost compared to what metal manufacturing would take. 

Heat Resistance

The biggest argument against plastics is it’s lower melting point than popular metals like steel or iron. However new high-performance thermoplastics technology has a melting point of 3593.333°C where carbon steel melts between 1425 – 1540°C. Still, most common plastics will melt somewhere in the 200°C range.

Know When It’s Right To Use 

Your safety and wellbeing is our priority at Global. While we love the benefits plastics offer, sometimes metal is the right material for the job. Consider these cons when planning your replacements.

Limited Wear Resistance

Plastic’s low resistance threshold means it may be affected by high temperatures, acidity and other corrosive elements. However, there are higher-resistance plastic options better suited for handling chemicals. For example, our rotomoulded cartage tanks are suitable for transporting diesel and a range of other substances. 

Lower Structural Strength

Plastics are unsuited for supporting structures and replacing high-weight bearing parts of heavy machinery.  

If you feel that lightweight plastic will benefit you, the team at Global Rotomoulding can help out. We create a range of tanks, parts and other agricultural equipment. If you want a custom plastic piece to help you out, call us today to see how we can help. 

Why Your Poly Tank Colour Is More Important Than You Might Think

So, you’ve decided to buy a water storage tank. Once you have chosen your tank size, type and location on your property, it’s time to choose the tank colour. It turns out, there is so much more to poly tank colours than just the aesthetics; although these are important. 

In fact, there’s plenty of science involved in poly tank colours. Tank owners can leverage this science to their advantage when it comes to their water storage. 

We want to help you make an informed, well-rounded decision when choosing your poly tank colour. So, we’ve put together this comprehensive list of considerations to help you choose the best poly tank colour for your property. We’ve broken it down – first diving into how poly tank colours work, then functional considerations and lastly the aesthetic considerations of poly tank colours. 

Read on if you want to make an informed decision when choosing your poly tank colour. 

How Do Poly Tank Colours Work?

Let’s first dive into how poly tank colours are made. 

What Poly Tank Colours Are Made Of

The colours that are used in poly water tanks come from either one pigment or a mixture of pigments. There are two main sources of colour pigments: chemicals created in a lab, or mined minerals. Each production method yields different pigments. The pigment can then be combined with uncoloured polyethylene which is then eventually utilised in rotational moulding.  

How The Colours Are Added 

The polyethylene, colours and additives are initially processed through an extruder. This creates a masterbatch or encapsulated colour. This colour is then added to a carrier resin. 

To create a colour compound, the masterbatch is again combined with the natural coloured polyethylene in an extruder. After, the mix is processed through a mill. This results in a coloured polyethylene powder, which is utilised in the roto-moulding process. 

When adding colours to polyethylene, they must be durable enough so they will not fade when exposed to the high temperatures that occur during the roto-moulding process.

The colours must adhere to the following requirements:  

  • Maintain colour at high roto-moulding temperatures.
  • Resistant to fade in harsh outdoor environments.
  • Must not bleed out onto the mould.
  • Food and water grade plastic where necessary. 
  • Contain no heavy metals.
  • Economical price.
  • Sustainable impact on the environment.

What Poly Tank Colours Are Available

Tanks made from polyethylene generally accommodate the widest range of colours. At Global Rotomoulding, we offer tanks in plenty of colours across the COLORBOND colour range

Regulations

Many paints may contain solvents and other materials that could leak into the water supply. Therefore colours used in tanks need to comply with government standards for the safe storage of water.  

Functional Considerations

Now we’ll dive into why you should care about your poly tank colour from a practical perspective.  

Algae Contamination

Algae thrive in sunlight. If a tank was painted with an inadequate amount of pigments, this can let in enough sunlight that facilitates algae growth. This can have troubling health concerns. Some forms of algae, like the toxic blue-green algae, are highly dangerous to humans and animals. 

This does not mean that light coloured tanks are a breeding ground for algae. When they are manufactured with an adequate wall thickness by an established manufacturer, algae is effectively prevented.   

It is important to note that algae could be present in a tank with adequate wall thickness if the water is sourced from areas already contaminated with algae. Or, it may occur if the lid of the tank has been left open, letting sunlight in. 

Water Temperature

The colour of the tank can affect the temperature of the stored water too. Pigments will absorb light from the sun and convert the energy into heat. Darker colours will lead to a hotter tank as the day progresses. The tank will also climb to higher temperatures when it is empty.  

Carbon black, which is a pigment used for black or grey tanks, will reach the highest temperature among all of the tank colours (unsurprisingly), reaching up to 63 degrees celsius. 

Other darker colours like phthalocyanine blue and phthalocyanine green can reach between 60-62 degrees celsius. 

Hence, a lighter water tank will store water at cooler temperatures. Generally, this is better for tank owners – especially those caring for livestock. Livestock are more likely to drink cooler water. When our livestock drinks more, they will consume more food, hence increasing their productivity.   

Cooler water may also be necessary across other industries, such as industrial sectors. Here, cooler water is especially pertinent for concrete mixing. It is also required when washing and processing food products. 

UV Protection

UV protection may be a requirement for some tank owners. A process known as photo-oxidation is the primary cause for faded water tanks. Therefore, opting for UV stabilised water tanks that utilise high quality, durable poly resins will help to prevent any damage caused by UV light. 

Choosing an established manufacturer that sells UV stabilised poly tanks is critical to ensure protection from sun exposure.   

Aesthetic Considerations

Once you have considered the functional requirements of your tank, it’s time to consider your aesthetic preferences.

Make It All Flow

If you don’t want your tank to stick out like a sore thumb, opt for a colour that will blend seamlessly with the environment it is placed in. For example, when placing a tank outside a neutral cream or beige coloured home, why not try Classic Cream or Paperbark for the rainwater tank? 

Make A Statement

Perhaps you want to make a statement with your colour choice? You could opt for complementary colours for your house and tank. Complementary colours sit opposite each other on the colour wheel. When together, they pop in a fun and bright way. Common combinations are red and green or orange and blue. We particularly love Mountain Blue, which compliments earthy reds and oranges.  

Pick Up On Accents

If you have accent colours on the eaves, doors or window sills of your home, perhaps choose the same colour for your tank. This gives a seamless finish, without looking too uniform. Rivergum is a common accent without being too bright.

An Aerial View

Alternatively, you may choose to match your tank to your roof. An exact match is easy with Global Tanks COLORBOND colour matched tank colours. 

This makes for a stunning aerial view for those living on a farm where helicopters and planes tend to pass. A common colour choice is coupling a Heritage Red COLORBOND roof with the matching tank.  

When it comes to choosing your poly tank colour, there are perhaps more considerations to make than you’d initially think. This can be overwhelming. But, as long as you’re addressing the functional and aesthetic requirements for your poly tank, you can rest assured you have made the right decision. At Global Tanks, we stock tanks for a diverse range of applications, including Domestic tanks (Slimline, Underground tanks), Rural tanks and tanks for commercial systems (fire services, chemical storage). Our tanks come in up to 30 beautiful, rich colours. Find out more about our range of tanks here, and be sure to contact us if you have any questions. 

How Rotational Moulding Builds Strong Plastic Products

powdered plastic

Want to know why plastic is the perfect material for heavy duty rotationally moulded products? We take a closer look.

Here at Global Rotomoulding, we pride ourselves on our top-of-the-range moulds, innovative designs and strong plastic products. We have chosen to use polyethylene for a number of reasons. Find out why it’s ideal for mining, agriculture and transportation accessories below.

Polyethylene: the facts

Easy to mould

Polyethylene is a plastic with the ability to withstand high temperatures over a prolonged period, maintaining its stability while being moulded into the desired shape.

Consistently uniform

Its consistency means that uniform thickness is assured, an important feature of our products.

Strong and reliable

At Global Rotomoulding we use low-density polyethylene, as it’s stiff, strong and stress crack resistant. We focus across the board to make sure our strong plastic products can handle the requirements of any agricultural or industrial job.

Food Grade

Our products have a wide variety of uses. Our transportable tanks, in particular, can store anything from grain to diesel. We make sure that our plastic is food grade and can hygienically store feed for your cattle while also maintaining hazardous chemicals. All of our tanks are even colour coded according to appropriate usage.

UV resistant

Our products are produced with longevity and durability in mind. This is why all of our plastics are UV resistant and made to withstand the Australian summer outdoors.

Rust and corrosion resistant

One of the main advantages of utilising plastic over steel is that all of our products are still sturdy, but will not rust. Plastic is better suited to survive the harsh Australian climate and weather.

Light

Because our plastic is low-density, it is also light. This is especially convenient in our range of rural vehicle accessories as it means the majority of the weight in the ute bed can be used for tools rather than the actual toolbox.

Weighted

Because our products are lightweight, we build in features that allow them to be weighed down when needed. As such, products like our ballast trough can be moved around a paddock easily, but weighed down once situated to stop weather and cattle from pushing it over.

Double Walled

Weighing our products is achieved through their double-wall mould. The inner and outer skin in the ballast trough can be filled with water to stabilise it. The double walling also provides increased durability by placing less pressure on particular points, minimising cracking.

Sound like plastic rotomoulding is the perfect solution for your needs? Contact Global now to discuss innovative ideas, existing products and how we can help you get the most out of your equipment!

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Rotomoulding Innovations: Fan Cowl

In this case study, we take a look at the development process of the Fan Cowl and walk you through some of the benefits of using rotomoulded products in the agricultural industry.

 At Global Rotomoulding, we’re passionate about developing innovative products that meet our client’s expectations. And the Quantum Mist Fan Cowl is no exception!

What is the Quantum Mist Fan Cowl?

Made in collaboration with Trymak and Croplands Equipment, the Quantum Mist Fan Cowl was designed to improve spray coverage and crop protection on Australian farms. The fans are fitted to a tractor drawn spraying trailer with rotomoulded tanks and give farmers the ability to spray multiple rows of crops at once.

Innovative Design

When Croplands and Trymak approached us to help them develop this project, they were looking for a product that would set a new benchmark for quality and functionality in the agricultural industry. They provided us with a comprehensive brief and asked us to develop an innovative product which would meet the functional requirements of the end user.

Some of the non-negotiable requirements for the Fan Cowl were:

  • Easy assembly
  • Minimum number of parts
  • Low part cost
  • Safe to operate
  • Will not damage crops
  • Easy to clean and maintain
  • Tough rotomoulded cowl
  • Fully adjustable clamping system
Rotomoulding Innovations: Fan Cowl

Rotomoulding Innovations: Fan Cowl

Custom Solutions

During the development phase of the Fan Cowl, we had to overcome many practical design hurdles. For example, for the fan to work efficiently it relies on a tight dimensional tolerance between the inner wall of the cowl and the fan blade. This was a big problem for us because the temperatures in Mildura — where our Victorian offices are located — can fluctuate by up to 25° in a single day, making it incredibly difficult to assemble the parts together without variations.

To overcome this problem, we came up with an innovative solution! We removed all of the parts from the tools at a certain temperature to ensure consistent sizing, and then placed them in an assembly jig. We also made the decision to put some of the parts together during the final stages of the cooling process to guarantee that the individual moldings would fit together.

Rotomoulding Technology

As a result, the end user is presented with a product that offers improved efficiency and outstanding performance. Some other benefits of using rotomoulding technology in the agricultural industry include:

  • Greater durability and no weld lines
  • UV stabilised for the harsh Australian conditions
  • Lightweight and easy to transport
  • No rust, corrosion or weak joints
  • Environmentally-friendly plastic

 Global Rotomoulding are experts at developing custom-made moulds and innovative rotomoulded products. If you’re interested in producing rotomoulded components, send us an enquiry or give us a call today: 1800 666 333.

 Photo Credit | Croplands