RESILIENT BUSINESSES NORTHERN CATTLE Managing costs in SNAPSHOT:Ian and Penny an uncertain climateSt Lawrence,MacGibbon,l Queensland There are long odds on keeping cattle productive when the northern wet season fails to deliver, but Queensland beef producer Ian MacGibbon has a strategy to meet Area: the challenge head on. 13,700ha “You don’t make money Enterprise: speculating on rainfall – Beef cattle and sugar cane managing risk by managing costs is vital,” he said. Livestock: 5,000 Brahman cattle His Fitzroy grazing enterprise includes coastal land and Pasture: river country, which present Improved with legumes and different seasonal challenges. Rhodes grass, as well as native black spear grass and Throughout the year, Ian forest Mitchell grass carefully monitors seasonal North Queensland beef producer Ian MacGibbon uses seasonal rainfall and adapts his forecasts to manage risk. Soil: business with a focus on River flats, heavy clay, maintaining profitability. grass composition and He has further spread risk by ranges, lighter coastal flats Strategies include: regenerated native grasses diversifying into sugar cane, and stylos, which perform purchasing a 280ha irrigated Rainfall: • managing stock numbers to better in dry conditions. property at Millaroo in the 720mm (variable) protect ground cover Burdekin region. • increasing the focus In the past few years, Ian Ian MacGibbon on rotational grazing to has taken it a step further Tools E: ametdale@bigpond. improve grass composition and cut his paddock size Ian compares his 12‑month com again, dividing the 1,200ha rolling rainfall total from • adjusting joining time paddocks into six paddocks his own records to local CliMate app: to maximise breeder of around 200–250ha. One averages to plan his climateapp.net.au condition. is grazed while the other fivestocking rates. Bureau of Meteorology Productive pastures are spelled. short‑term weather In the past two years, he’s When the 2018–19 wet Monitoring rainfall has also only had five‑eighths of forecasts: season yielded only 50–60% motivated Ian to push joining the average rainfall, which bom.gov.au/climate/ of the usual rainfall, Ian madeback a month to 1 December. means he’s only willing ahead the decision to reduce stock “Cattle condition can to hold five‑eighths of his For more stories like numbers substantially. deteriorate over the winter, potential cattle numbers. Ian’s, visit: He sold more than 900 head so we need to wean early climatekelpie.com.au He also uses the CliMate above his normal annual and maximise condition app to keep track of where sales – this maintained grass before joining.” he is, compared to seasonal LESSONS so he didn’t have to feed This matches the local ‘green averages, and the Bureau LEARNED cae through winter.ttl date’ of 1 December for St of Meteorology short‑term Protecting ground cover Lawrence – the date locals weather forecasts to > Manage risk by also allowed him to take expect 50mm of rainfall plan planting, spraying managing costs. full advantage of any within a three‑day period. and irrigating. water captured. > Monitor seasonal Ian’s approach to dealing The next project on the outlooks and adapt Ian started experimenting with climate variability is agenda is to improve management with rotational grazing about maintaining income grass‑budgeting techniques, accordingly. around 10 years ago, dividing while reducing risk, such to help plan nutritional > Manage pastures two 1,200ha paddocks into as running a high‑content requirements from the end of so they respond to quarters to spell over the Brahman herd which is well April through to the start of rain events. wet season. This improved suited to the environment. the wet season. ■ 25