ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE COMPLIANCE p Making more fromcullcows H ow to increase weight • grazing on the floodplain (high-value,“The most cost-effective and, hence, the abundant pasture) throughout the option for improving value profitability of cull cows dry season has long been a vexed • short-term (60–70 days) lot feeding atof cull cows for the years question in the Northern Territory. the Katherine Research Station withand cattle we observed, two ration options and at the cost of feed Challenging dry seasons, high grain and a.high-value corn-based ration transport costs and limited market optionssourced from Queensland ($750/twe were able to source, have often seen producers left with no delivered from Queensland) choice but to retain surplus breeders. In was the floodplain option,” turn, stocking rates and mortalities canb. an NT-produced live export Kieren said. increase, reproductive performance fall (shipper) pellet ($435/t). and land condition deteriorate. Kieren said while the research was “It provided the lowest cost of gain, Previous research has shown cull cowsinitially designed to generate some assuming a $4/week adjustment could generate up to 50% of a northerninformation and demonstrate potentialrate; however, this is not an option enterprise’s total annual cash flow – butways of improving the quality and valuefor everyone.” how to capture that opportunity has of cattle supplied to the LivingstoneThe Territory’s sub-coastal floodplain been the conundrum. Beef processing facility (currently regions play a significant role in the A project, led by NT Department of closed), the outcomes can still be live export trade, covering roughly applied to take advantage of other 6,800km, with a carrying capacity of2 Primary Industries and Resources Beefmarket opportunities. about 170,000 head (depending on wet Officer Kieren McCosker, is looking season rainfall). into providing objective information onThe project involved 156 head of three short-term feeding strategies tocommercial cattle which were less thanKieren said the floodplains provide a increase the value of cull cows prior to420kg, under body condition scorewindow of opportunity during the dry slaughter or market. These included:3 and dry. season to value-add most stock classes 38