RESILIENT BUSINESSES SOUTHERN CATTLE CLIMATE VARIABILITY Building resilience SNAPSHOT:Gillian Sanbrook, from the ground upBowna, NSW l I f NSW beef producer cattle and finishing them over the time of year. Gillian Sanbrook had nine months or so, selling “My mantra is 100% ground to distil her grazing off at 500–550kg. She runs cover, 100% of the time,” business into one between 200 and 600 head she said. concept, it would be at any one time, depending on the season. Usually Gillian restocks Area: ‘ground cover, ground during March/April, but in cover, ground cover’. Forecasting grass 990ha 2019 she made the decision Gillian re‑fenced the to restock in June at a third Enterprise: Tapping into the benefits of property into more than 100% ground cover – such of her normal stocking rate, Trade cattle 60 paddocks for rotational based on the forecast and as retaining moisture and grazing and planted around Livestock: promoting healthy soil feed and water availability. 20% of the farm to trees, 500 head microbiology – allows her shrubs and native grasses, “By looking after the land, regenerative business to which have become part I am in a much better position Pasture: remain resilient in the face of of the grazing rotation. She to look after the livestock.” Phalaris, natives and annuals climate variability. established contour banks to When Gillian (pictured) slow the flow of water across New opportunity Soil: the property, allowing more Gillian’s regenerative farming Granite slopes and creek flats moved from the Riverina approach is shared by a local plains to the Wymah Valley time for it to be absorbed. Rainfall: network, ‘8 Families’, who in the south west slopes of “It’s taken a long time, but I meet every six weeks to 750mm NSW, she expected to find now have reliable ground share ideas and learn from reliable rainfall and plenty cover and am rebuilding soil speakers and tours. Gillian Sanbrook of cattle feed. organic matter,” Gillian said. E: gillian@bibbaringa. In December, through a com But since she arrived at She uses tools such as partnership between 8 ‘Bibbaringa’ 12 years ago, Bureau of Meteorology Families and paddock‑to‑plate BOM forecasts: annual rainfall has ranged forecasts, monthly climate company Provenir, her cattle bom.gov.au/climate/ from 380mm to more reports and regular webinars were processed on her farm ahead than 1,000mm. to make stocking decisions in a mobile abattoir. The beef BOM webinars: The last few growing seasons at the start of autumn and was marketed to Provenir’s bom.gov.au/webinars have been particularly end of spring. customers, which include For more stories late with no real spring or Gillian uses her own high‑end restaurants. like Gillian’s, visit: autumn, so not much grass spreadsheet system to As well as reducing costs climatekelpie.com.au was produced before the manage livestock and and reducing stress to cattle, cold winter. paddock feed, and forecasts she sees this as a better carrying capacity based on LESSONS Gillian realised she would route to market with full LEARNED need to take a more past performance and how traceability for her grassfed opportunistic approach much grass is on hand. beef, produced without to grazing. Cattle are moved every antibiotics or hormones. ■ > Maintain ground cover two to five days, leaving to protect the natural In April 2016 she sold her capital (soil). entire cattle herd and now paddocks to rest for three to focuses on buying in young seven months, depending on > Climate variability demands an opportunistic approach to business. Image: Jayne Newgreen 2266