NEWS
Media Release: November 21, 2025
Successful ‘Stock Smart’ Workshop Series with Bruce Maynard Empowers Small-Property Livestock Owners Across the Southwest
RegenWA Ltd, in partnership with PHCC, South Coast NRM, Torbay Catchment Group, and Lower Blackwood LCDC, successfully delivered a three-part Stock Smart: Livestock Essentials for Small Properties workshop series this month as part of the Make Your Hectare Count: Small Landholder Engagement Program. Featuring renowned Australian agricultural innovator Bruce Maynard, these workshops were held in Youngs Siding, West Coolup and Karridale, attracting landholders eager to build practical skills in stress free livestock management, animal nutrition, and grazing systems.
Across all locations, Bruce guided participants through the foundations of animal behaviour, and the importance of reducing stress to improve animal health and performance. He emphasised how recognising an animal’s natural decision-making abilities – rather than relying solely on pressure or force – can significantly increase voluntary feed intake and overall wellbeing.
Every workshop was part-theory, part-practical, providing attendees with the opportunity to practice their stress-free stock handling in the paddock or yards with one-on-one guidance from Bruce.
West Coolup Workshop Highlights
Participants explored the complexities of animal health and nutrition, including:
• Understanding the difference between and appropriate use of ‘force’ and ‘choice’ when handling stock
• The importance of paddock diversity, giving animals more options to meet their varied needs for energy, protein, minerals, vitamins and micronutrients (phytochemicals)
• How phytochemicals in plants change during the day based on light and temperature, influencing grazing behaviour
• Controllable factors such as stocking rate, livestock type, timing and distribution shape outcomes
In the grazing management session, Bruce described grazing and rest periods as “an accordion” – flexible and responsive rather than fixed. He explained that using the same grazing tool repeatedly can lead to plant resistance or monocultures, mirroring the principles of herbicide resistance.
Youngs Siding Workshop Highlights
Local conditions and examples brought the theory to life for the group of landholders at the 2nd workshop on the south coast. Bruce discussed a regional challenge – selenium-deficient soils – and hypothesised whether a dry lick might allow animals to self-regulate their intake, rather than using regular injections.
Other topics discussed included:
• Kikuyu poisoning: cloudy days accumulate nitrate in the plant, which can be fatal to livestock
• The principle that livestock are individuals: even same-age, same-breed animals have different nutrient needs
• Stress-free stock handling techniques using the correct use and sequencing of pressure points: aspect, plane of movement, and position
• The ongoing nature of grazing and livestock management: Always balancing and only temporarily balanced.
Despite a wet morning, participants remained highly engaged and enjoyed a practical sheep-handling demonstration once the skies cleared. This group was particularly interested in Bruce’s 2-day Stress Free Stockmanship Course so here’s hoping he’s back over in WA soon!
Karridale Workshop Highlights
The final workshop was delivered by our project partners Lower Blackwood LCDC and attracted the largest
group. Building on previous sessions while addressing local matters, Bruce explored:
• The importance of understanding regulatory requirements related to vaccinations, record keeping, auditing, PICs, NLIS, NVDs, and electronic ID tags, and where to access factsheets and guidance
• Why 75–85% of a livestock diet can be reliably met with just six species, with the remainder supported by diverse phytochemicals
• Practical approaches to increase paddock utilisation, such as combining mobs
• How grazing speed should match pasture growth – move animals fast during fast growth, while observing the landscape’s limits and capacity (using the “Maynard Marker”)
The practical session of the workshop offered participants the chance to hone their new skills such as
parallelling on both cattle and sheep – a great opportunity to observe how these principles can be used with any
animal.
Practical, Supportive Learning for Small Landholders
Participants praised the workshops for their accessible delivery, hands-on examples, and Bruce’s ability to turn complex science into practical steps for everyday management, with one participant saying, “I learnt more today than I have in the past 18 months.”
RegenWA extends sincere thanks to the workshop hosts and partner organisations whose support made this series possible. The Stock Smart workshop series reflects RegenWA’s commitment to supporting landholders in adopting regenerative practices and principles across WA, no matter property size or farming experience. This project is supported by funding through the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.
-ENDS-
For media enquiries, please contact:
RegenWA Communications
e: info@regenwa.com
p: (08) 9374 3333
About Perth NRM
Perth NRM is a highly regarded for-purpose organisation within the Natural Resource Management (NRM) sector. It works in collaboration with federal, state, and local governments, as well as the community, academia, and the corporate sector, to deliver innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Perth NRM achieves economic, environmental, public health, and social outcomes that align with stakeholder goals, all grounded in evidence-based research. With its strategic approach to natural resource management, Perth NRM plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term sustainability of Perth and Western Australia’s agriculture, supply chains, and environment.
About RegenWA
RegenWA Ltd, established by Perth NRM in 2017, drives impactful sustainable agricultural initiatives. RegenWA supports Western Australian farmers in adopting, implementing, and sharing innovative land management practices aimed at restoring the natural capital essential to food systems. Its members are committed to enhancing farming systems across Western Australia, from the southwest to the Kimberley and the inland rangelands.
