ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE The catalyst for a EcoRich Grazing to conduct a detailed “We assessed the land condition but benchmarking group in assessment of all 12 properties in the also applied some economics into what the Maranoa region of group,” Ian said . it will cost to improve it and what they Queensland to undertake The assessment process will get in return with extra carrying a grazing management project Col used Queensland land type capacity,” Col said. was a detailed analysis of their classifications and the land assessment “The power is in being businesses and the performance system described in MLA’s Grazing Land per animal equivalent (AE). Management material. It applies the A, able to put real figures B, C or D classification to land in each on improved carrying “It’s one thing to work out how many paddock of the properties, where A, as AEs are being carried and how many Ian describes, is “as good as it gets”. capacity and improved kilograms of beef each animal unit is land condition. producing, but this information is much “There are very few places anywhere more meaningful within the context that are in A condition across the whole of what the carrying capacity of the property,” Ian says. “Most producers are stocked to property is; that is, how many AEs it Land in C condition (poor) is less than capacity for the pasture and land should be running in the long term,” half as productive as land in A condition, condition that they have, but could said consultant Ian McLean of Bush and this has a proportionate effect have higher carrying capacities if Agribusiness, who runs the group. on carrying capacity. Col said land in the land was in better condition with condition B or C can usually come back more productive pastures,” Col said. The group had been established for h “They were encouraged by seeing what about three years, meeting four times a toA condition wit rest. year, when it began a project through they could do.” ■ “Land in B condition will bounce back the MLA Donor Company Producer quickly,” Col said. Ian McLean, Bush Agribusiness Innovation Fast-Track program to T: 0401 118 191 determine long-term carrying capacity “If it’s C condition, it will take longer. and land condition. Category D is irretrievable without E: ian@babusiness.com.au mechanical intervention. Ian said while matching stocking rate Land Condition Guide: to carrying capacity is a fundamental “If pastures are in poor condition, southerngulf.com.au/wp-content/ tenet of pastoral production, applying they need spelling. The poorer the uploads/2016/07/GUI-Land- the principle has practical challenges. condition, the longer the spelling Condition-Rev2.pdf Ultimately, failing to meet this challenge required for recovery. Where there’s mla.com.au/ leads to declining land condition in woody weed encroachment, that may barklygrazingmanagement some places. need controlling. Where pastures are in particularly poor condition, pasture Want to learn more about grazing “Land condition gives a good measure replacement may be necessary.” management in northern of long-term carrying capacity,” Ian said. enterprises? Get along to an More important than the simple pasture upcoming MLA Grazing Land “It’s independent of season and rainfall. classification in this project was Col’s Management EDGE event at assessment of the current carrying Rockhampton or Toowoomba, Qld. “At the moment, most producers have a capacity and the potential carrying gut feel for what their carrying capacity Information: mla.com.au/events is and some do it very well. This project capacity if the land was in A condition. is looking to formalise it more and ask what the carrying capacity would be if the whole property was in ‘A’ condition. “We’re also setting up some monitoring sites and training producers in formal land condition assessment and annual forage budgeting, so they continue to monitor land condition and better match stocking rate to carrying capacity year-to-year, after this project ends.” While there are some sheep producers in the group, it’s predominantly rangeland cattle producers with extensive pastoral properties and a small amount of forage cropping thrown in. “We began the project by engaging Producer Geoff Nicol on Ninderra, near Injune, working on land condition assessment. rangeland ecologist Col Paton from 33