ON FARM NATIONAL SEASONAL CHALLENGES: WHAT’S ON OUR PLATE: Things are going well. Despite receiving We weaned during April–May to well over our average rainfall during maintain good body condition on the the monsoon event earlier in the year, cows and help foster good rebreeding we were fortunate to have sustained rates. During June and July we’re a comparatively small number of focusing on grass management. The livestock losses. weaners will be the first mob to The feed budget has been completed. graze the new leucaena paddock. Traditionally we don’t expect rain We participated in an MLA Donor SNAPSHOT: from now until the end of the year, so Company Innovation Fast‑Track project Lynda and Darcy O’Brien, l that’s why our feed budgeting is so that allowed us to develop 300ha Basalt, Queensland important. We were carrying quite a of leucaena and mixed legumes, large herd last year, within capacity, integrated with our existing pastures. and we still have some surplus grass This is the largest project of its kind in coming into the non‑growing season. the area. There’s been an explosion of As a result, we’re looking at using that diversity in this paddock. grass for some agistment cattle. We’ll PROGRESS AGAINST budget right through to our green date LONG‑TERMGOALS: (25 December) and for another six Continuing to recruit and nurture the weeks after that, in case of a late season.right quality staff is imperative. In terms Area: Generally speaking, this year is going of continuing to monitor profit drivers, 21,000ha to be about making sure our business we’ve seen an upward trajectory in continues to maximise profit drivers and calving rates purely from better nutrition Enterprise: and management, driven by rotating Breeding, backgrounding and agistment contain costs. The challenging area is the breeders, improved pasture obviously the market situation – the quality, strategic supplementation and market for cattle in the north is not early use of water supplementation ACTIVITIES OVER THE strong because of the drought in many NEXT TWO MONTHS: parts of Australia. It’s taken some time to provide adequate urea. We want to for exporters to begin taking cattle out continue tightening our breeder herd by > preg testing our breeder herd of this area of Queensland. focusing on nutrition and on our strategy and making strategic decisions with empty cattle, which will change based on the results depending on the market when we preg test, and we may carry more dry cattle. ■ > taking pasture samples to direct supplementation decision making Lynda O’Brien with advice from a nutritionist E: lyndajobrien@gmail.com > continuing soil testing – there are three different testing sites over the property to monitor changes in soil quality as a result of improvements to pasture and changes in management practices in those areas. 13