ON FARM SHEEP on track energy source for livestock “It’s based, to some extent, much there was to do, but SNAPSHOT: production while protecting on what has worked in the process of applying for Angus and Toby the soil and the landscape. western Queensland for wild the program and reporting dog and kangaroo control,” back to MDC has helped Nichols, Edah Station, “Shrubs are high in protein, Angus said. us to clarify our short and Murchison, WA and while they remain medium-term goals, as well S they will keep sheep alive, The cell captures seven as bringing more discipline but what the landscape water points, and rangeland to our approach. is missing is the grasses self-herding and stress-free and other plants that grow stockmanship methods will “Without Fast-Track, we might between the shrubs and be tested for rotating the have attempted the fence, Mulga. They provide energy sheep around these water but we certainly wouldn’t to enable animals to thrive,” points to minimise internal have been as disciplined in Greg said. fencing. To date, the fence managing and monitoring has proved a successful the grazing pressure and “Ideally, a good barrier and Angus plans making sure the whole Area: mix of perennial to install electric wires on system worked.” 100,000ha grasses and other high-pressure areas to The next step is to develop reduce pressure from the a management regimen Enterprise: groundcover plants outside and thus reduce by matching stocking rates Lamb and wool production growing between the need for continual to pasture growth. Angus Livestock: monitoring and repairs. believes the ideal enterprise 500 sheep the shrubs can will be sheep trading, where provide a supply of Tracking the impact animals are bought and sold Pasture: Self-mustering yards are based on pasture conditions. Mixed native grasses and quality protein and being installed at watering shrubs and saltbush energy, delivering points and equipped with “We hope this project will add cameras to monitor kangaroo to the developing blueprint Soil: high reproduction numbers. A university for successful livestock Hardpan Mulga and growth rates. honours student is currently production in the Murchison. This groundcover capturing data on kangaroo We have neighbours who Rainfall: and wild dog populations have been successful out 230mm also reduces run-off, over a three-month period, here and they are onboard retains water in using 100 motion-activated and are looking forward Angus Nichols cameras located around to sharing in the journey,” E: anhappydaze@gmail. the landscape and the property. he said. ■ com repairs the soil.” “The Fast-Track support has helped us collect the data LESSONS Collaborative effort for what’s going on both LEARNED The 30,000ha cell involves inside and outside the cell 70km of 1.2m high, 11-wire to illustrate just what impact fence. Angus is halfway, > Management of total kangaroos and wild dogs grazing pressure is having completed the work have in these environments,” to date with neighbours at a expected to help cost of $3,500/km (materials Angus said. underpin successful only). In collaboration with “We had all these thoughts on livestock enterprises neighbours, the Nichols’s how to best run the property in the Murchison. will install more fencing and restore it to productivity, > The restoration of (in addition to the fencing but the Fast-Track project grasses is essential to around the original cell) made us put it all down on running a productive to be part of a 230,000ha paper. It was somewhat sheep enterprise. predator-proof cell. daunting to realise how 31