To capture some of these realities and provide an indication of how the different systems compare in physical and economic terms.

• Farming systems with greater reliance on livestock performed better than more cropping intensive systems over the last five years.
• The lower income and lower cost perennial pasture system was found to be the most profitable under the assumptions made.
• Dry conditions over the last five years have generally played havoc with the performance of cropping intensive systems, particularly the continuous cropping system.
• Because of this, we suggest that the results provide more guidance about the robustness of farming systems during extended dry conditions rather than average conditions so keenly sought.