ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE roductivity and profitability • target weights for yearling been using for more than heifers and steers three years now. • conception rate targets “We mix hydrous di‑calcium within the breeding herd. phosphate (DCP) with copra “We attended the ‘Better meal, which acts as an management of phosphorus attractant to get the cattle to nutrition of grazing cattle’ eat it,” Rob said. workshop run by QAAFI Growing season results (Queensland Alliance As a result of implementing a for Agriculture and Food P supplementation program, Innovation), we referred to Rob and Ainsley have: the MLA P manual and spoke to FutureBeef extension • improved body condition officers to learn what the across their herd P requirements of different • improved conception rates livestock classes were,” in their breeder herd Ainsley said. • increased heifer growth rates Rob and Ainsley identified • increased the percentage that the peak P requirement of heifers reaching target coincided with the highest joining weights. production phase – during the wet season, when “As soon as we got energy and protein the P intake correct, weren’t limiting. we saw the results “We ramp up the P within the growing supplementation in the Rob and Ainsley McArthur ramp up P supplementation in the growing season to get the best results. growing season, making season,” Rob said. it ad lib until the pasture’s growth slows and starts to “P supplementation has also LESSONS Rob and Ainsley McArthur hay off,” Rob said. helped with the performance LEARNED E: admin@mcarthur However, helping the cattle of our agistment cattle – it holdings.com.au to meet their P requirement helps them adapt to the nutrition and improves > Persistence MLA’s phosphorus hub, through supplementation overall animal performance combined with trial including a new guide was a challenging task. on our coastal country.” and error will pay off. on phosphorus “We persisted, and it really > Conduct specific supplementation: came down to trial and error,” According to Rob and Ainsley, mla.com.au/phosphorus measuring everything is key land‑type mapping Ainsley said. to seeing results. – don’t rely on The FutureBeef website “The supplement needed to generic maps. contains phosphorus be palatable, easy to deliver “We know how much the resources including a copra meal and DCP is per > Monitor and measure webinar series during the wet season and tonne, we know how many so phosphorus on phosphorus cost‑effective.” kilograms are delivered to inputs generate a supplementation – visit Eventually, the McArthurs each paddock and how many positive return. futurebeef.com.au and settled on a winning grams per head the cattle search ‘phosphorus’ combination which they’ve are eating,” Ainsleysaid. ■ SNAPSHOT:Rob and Ainsley McArthur, ‘Mystery Park’, St Lawrence, Queensland l Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 12,000ha Cattle breeding, 4,500 tropically Black speargrass, Coastal eucalypt, 1,050mm backgrounding adapted pangola, signal, predominantly and agistment composite cattle Rhodes grass silty loam and clay and stylo interspersed with fertile creek flats 13