ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE FEEDBASE f Self herding success Imagine if you could control “We’re not supplementary feeding the “The idea is to change how animals livestockmovements without livestock,” Dean said. respond when people arrive in the using fences or pressure. “We’re pulling them into areas where we area,” Dean said. According to researcher Dr Dean want them to be and away from areas “The benefits of that are enormous, Revell and NSW sheep producer where we don’t want them to be. from easier yard work through to Bruce Maynard, you can. “In grazing animals, one of the biggest better performance of animals after nants of what they eat anddetermi transportation from one location Dean and Bruce havedeveloped a to another.” ■ livestockn traditional grazing), isgo (iwhere theymanagementstrategy called ‘selfherding’. It involves allowing what they’ve been eating and where animalsto become familiarwith signals they’ve been going RESEARCH IN . and attractants that can be used “Once an area is set up as preferred, REVIEW as guides to shape their movement then it becomes reinforced as more through the landscape. preferred. It’s like a popular restaurant –PROJECT NAME “The broad principle is to use attraction being popular is an attractant in itself. Grazing with self herding to improve and positive feedback rather than performance of pastoral cattle “With self herding, we’re changing that. exclusion or negative reinforcement,” We’re setting up a new habit to take RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS Dean said. over the old habit.” Rangelands NRM, Revell “The main tools we use to do this are Science, Stress-free Stockmanship, Over time, the new grazing behaviour Northern Territory Primary nutritional attractants and associated in itself provides a benefit because the signals, such as sight, sound, smell Industries and Resources, Territory animals become more used to going to NRM, Vista Agriculture Services/ or taste.” other areas and they broaden their diet, Oxley Grazing A signal is the first thing that triggers which Dean said had implications for a response because it can motivate animal health and productivity. FUNDING ORGANISATIONS the animals to develop a behaviour MLA, with in-kind contributions “Self herding is particularly relevant to from research organisations and, over time, the animals become the rangelands but is also relevant on a conditioned to respond to the signals smaller scale,” he said. GOAL and associate them with a reward. 1. Demonstrate that rangeland “In a paddock trial at Kidman Springs in self herding techniques provide In practice, this may mean that a witch’s the NT, the managers are successfully hat or a CD hanging from a pole to a practical approach to influence enticing the animals into areas they grazing locations of cattle within catch the sun, or even windchimes, had not been using, which relieved the are linked in the animal’s mind with a paddocks, allowing a form pressure on an over-utilised patch.” of rotational grazing without tasty treat of a mineral lick or salt. An extra special reward, such as molasses, As well as the obvious benefits, self fencing subdivision. pellets or crushed lupins, paired with a herding improves the relationship 2. Quantify changes in biomass unique signal, such as a whistle, can be between people and animals, with across extensive grazing systems used as a jackpot. many associated benefits. and provide producer guidelines to achieve optimum grazing management. 3. Quantify changes in conception rates with the implementation of self herding. BUDGET $575,000 (MLA $350,000) DURATION 2017–2019 Dr Dean Revell E: dean@revellscience.com.au Bruce Maynard E: Bruce.maynard@bigpond.com Mobile lick feeders are important tools in self herding training. selfherding.com 26