FIFTY primary producers attended a Better Management Information Day at the Spyglass Research Facility, Blue Water Springs, on October 24, when Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests (DAFF) scientist Peter O'Reagan spoke of the lessons learnt about pasture management during the 15-year Wambiana experiment.
DAFF field officer Tim McGrath revealed the steps taken to synchronise pregnancies on 7000 heifers at Mt Emu, and vet and grazier Dr Ian Braithwaite gave an in-depth explanation on improving producers' property management systems, focusing predominantly on optimum calving periods.
Dr Braithwaite told graziers that water points should not be further than five kilometres apart, as there was evidence that cattle do not forage further, and if they do they will be burning up condition getting back to water.
This will also improve the occupancy rate of the property as more country is able to be grazed.
He also said that having breeders calve in the time of the year when there is good feed available will ensure the body condition score (BCS) of the cow will be sufficient to support the calf until weaned and to cycle in time to be able to drop another calf within 12 months.
He explained that breeders that calve in the hard time of the year have a very high mortality rate both of the cow and the calf. If the cow does survive, it is unlikely to calve again for two years.
Using a 9000-head breeder herd on the Barclay that adopted the breeding management system, Dr Braithwaite said the supplementary feed bill dropped from $380,000 to $100,000/year.
This was because the cows were going into the dry season with a very healthy BCS.
Graziers were told that cattle body condition was becoming an animal welfare issue, and he saw the time coming when there would be independent BCS monitors monitoring herds right across northern Australia.
Already the Queensland Welfare Act states that cattle with a BCS of less than 2 must receive remedial treatment.
