AusFarm FAQ
Common questions and answers
- What enterprises does AusFarm simulate?
- How do I go about putting together a simulation of a mixed farming system?
- Who uses AusFarm?
- How do I use one of my models in AusFarm?
- Can AusFarm optimise a farming system?
1. What enterprises does AusFarm simulate?
AusFarm can simulate different combinations of cropping and grazing enterprises. AusFarm offers the user great flexibilty in describing flock or herd structures and livestock and crop management systems. Any model that is compliant with a common modelling protocol can be incorporated as a module into AusFarm.
Available farm enterprises include wheat, canola and pasture rotations with a range of beef or sheep grazing enterprises, a haycutting operation or ungrazed grassland. Other crop models that have been developed for the APSIM tool may become available in the future. Contact the GRAZPLAN team at CSIRO to discuss the types of models that can be used in AusFarm.
2. How do I go about putting together a simulation of a mixed farming system?
Users configure a farm system by selecting appropriate models of a site, paddocks, crops, pastures and livestock. The user then writes an expilict set of management rules for that system. These units can be configured in many combinations and economically analysed.
AusFarm is mostly used by researchers who have receive training in writing management rules.
4. How do I use one of my models in AusFarm?
Contact the GRAZPLAN team at CSIRO to discuss how to make your model compliant with the Common Modelling Protocol used by AusFarm.
5. Can AusFarm optimise a farming system?
Not yet. AusFarm outputs are currently processed externally for this purpose.