NEXUS project: exploring profitable, sustainable livestock businesses in an increasingly variable climate : Milestone 8

The NEXUS project is developing transdisciplinary adaptations that encompass biophysical, economic and social dimensions for livestock production systems to prepare for future, increasingly variable climates. The present report articulates progress towards three deliverables: a project review meeting in February 2022, a progress update on engagement with the wider red meat industry, and our farm experiments (‘Involve and Partner activities’). Actions from the project review meeting included the need to begin planning industry articles as part of MLA media, and the use of a rating scale to compare and rank each thematic adaptation with respect to productivity, profitability and greenhouse gas emissions. This includes industry promotion of our most recent economic and biophysical modelling of two thematic adaptations. A range of communications and extension events have occurred, including four meetings with a Regional Reference Group of advisors and farmers, meetings with SALRC members, completion of popular press articles (radio and newspapers), industry publications (e.g. MLA Feedback), publication of an article in a prestigious international peer-reviewed journal (Global Change Biology), submission of a second paper for publication in another journal, as well as presentations at a range of field days and conferences. A strategic plan for remaining communications, extension and engagement has been developed. The Involve and Partner activities have commenced. These comprise feeding a biochar supplement to Wagyu calves on a commercial farm in north-western Tasmania. This primary aim is to determine whether biochar supplementation improves animal liveweight gain; these measurements will also be completed with assessments of pasture biomass and composition, as well as a range of social work to facilitate monitoring and evaluation of impact of this on farm demonstration.