What Do Beef Prodcution People Do

DISCLAIMER

The product merchandise names in this publication are supplied on the understanding that no preference between equivalent products is intended and that the inclusion of a product does not imply endorsement past NSW Department of Primary Industries over whatsoever other equivalent product from another manufacturer.

Introduction

Grazing industries are mostly considered to be more beneficial than cropping systems in terms of their environmental consequence. Notwithstanding, beefiness production does impact upon plants, soil, air and water, and depletes resources such as fuel. Ecology management in grazing beefiness production is therefore but as important to the future of the industry and its individual producers as is product quality and consistency, profitability and market admission.

Colonists arriving in Australia in the 1800s traditionally set out to 'conquer' or 'tame' the land, and applied European methods of farming in doing then. We now realise that this path is not sustainable. Producers must work with the country and its climate, within its limitations.

Management issues for today's beefiness producer

Beefiness production in Commonwealth of australia today is a complex business organization. The European methods of farming that were initially introduced to this country take had to exist modified to allow for the unreliable nature of Australia's climate, and its very different soils and vegetation. Marketplace forces accept changed considerably in the terminal couple of decades, and consumers now demand natural nutrient which is free of chemicals and is produced without detriment to the surround or to the welfare of animals.

Beef producers demand to have a wide understanding of many factors if they wish to build and maintain a successful, sustainable concern:

• sustainable pasture direction;
• maintenance of biodiversity;
• soil management;
• water management;
  • minimisation of greenhouse gas emissions;
  • minimisation of offensive odours and dust;
• efficient employ of other resources such equally fuel;
• good stock management, taking animal welfare into consideration;
• responsible employ of chemicals;
• property management planning, including good take chances direction, with enterprise flexibility which enables adaptation to irresolute markets;
• good monitoring and recording systems which gather useful data about the enterprise and let assessment of financial and environmental sustainability;
• good community relationships and perceptions.
• air management:

Sustainable pasture management

The way in which animals graze can brand or break a pasture. Cattle producers have traditionally put the needs of their stock first. Withal, in difficult times when the requirements of animals and plants may be in conflict, the plants' requirements must not be forgotten. Perennial grasses must not be sacrificed because of brusk-term desperation.

In drought conditions, it may be necessary to start manus feeding or to destock sooner than is considered necessary to maintain the stock, in order to ensure pasture survival, and speed recovery when useful pelting falls. (For further information on managing pasture in drought, visit DroughtHub department of the website.)

The growth of pasture may be divided into 3 phases:

• Phase I: Pasture is very brusk (<3 cm) and root reserves are usually depression. The small foliage expanse limits the amount of energy that plants can obtain from the sunday, so growth is boring.
• Stage Two: there is enough leaf for plants to grow rapidly.
• Phase 3: growth slows downwardly and quality falls as the plants mature and prepare seed.

The shorter the pasture, the longer it volition stay in phase I when conditions improve. It is false economy to delay the start of hand feeding at the beginning of a drought, as this just means that your 'greenish drought' stage volition last longer when useful pelting finally falls.

In a normal flavour, keeping the pasture in its active growth phase (phase 2) will maximise both pasture and brute production. At some stage, yet, the pasture must be rested to allow it to mature and set seed, even though its quality will fall as a effect.

In that location may be other reasons why grazing pressure is increased or decreased at specific times — for example, heavy grazing when an undesirable species is setting seed, in order to control its spread.

Continuous stocking of pastures tin rarely be recommended. Some form of controlled grazing that includes periods of spelling that are timed to coincide with specific needs of the pasture is critical to productive, stable systems.

Effective nutritional direction of the herd relies on the establishment of productive stable pastures that preferably comprise at least 30% of a well-adapted legume. Where possible, and depending on the enterprise and market targets, backdrop should take a mix of pasture types (both native and introduced) to increase the options for grazing management.

In poor seasons, native pasture (existence meliorate adapted to Australia's unreliable rainfall and poor soils) may produce more than useful feed than volition introduced species, which give greater production in good seasons.

Using grazing direction to maintain or improve pasture quality has a distinct advantage over other direction methods — information technology can cost almost zilch. If grazing management is not practised or is inadequate, more expensive inputs such as fertiliser and herbicides, and more than frequent resowing of pasture, are likely to exist required.

Furnishings of stocking rate on pasture

There is no static optimum stocking rate, equally carrying chapters of a belongings varies from season to season and from one year to the next. Ideally, belongings stocking rates should reflect variation in carrying chapters through the timing of operations such equally calving and sales, and in enterprise flexibility. Management'due south values and attitude to risk will of course influence the arroyo.

There are usually higher returns per cow when stocking rates are low, but there are higher returns per hectare with higher stocking rates. At excessive stocking rates, the organisation may crash.

If a genetic comeback programme or change of brood increases the weight of breeders in the herd, the need to change stocking density or rotation length must be recognised. For instance, 100 Charolais cantankerous cows may swallow 20% more than 100 British bred cows, and then will run out of feed sooner if no adjustments are made.

Stocking rate as applied at the paddock level, often chosen stocking density, is a very powerful pasture direction tool. Information technology tin can be used to actively control the quality and quantity of feed on offer and the survival of desirable or undesirable plant species. For example, loftier-density grazing with dry out stock might exist used to remove bulky dead pasture in guild to prevent shading of new pasture growth. (Protein supplements for the cattle may be needed to encourage more complete employ of depression quality dry fodder, but shut monitoring is necessary to prevent overgrazing. See the section 'Maintaining ground cover'.)

Both low and loftier stocking rates accept the potential to substantially change pasture composition. Unlike plant species will respond differently to grazing pressure. Annual grasses tend to be more competitive, and they germinate and abound faster than exercise perennial species. Thus if loftier stocking rates are maintained for too long a period, overgrazing may allow annuals to dominate and displace perennials, resulting in a shortage of forage outside the annuals' growing flavor.

It also needs to be recognised that if the overall quality of the pasture is not loftier, beast production will suffer if stocking charge per unit is increased to the point where selection of the higher quality pasture components is no longer possible. On the other hand, at depression stocking densities, the opportunity to select the higher quality component of the pasture may maximise beast production, just the effect over time may be to allow the less desirable ungrazed plants to dominate. If stocking rate is not adjusted, the more desirable species may be lost, and the quality of the pasture overall volition autumn.

Successful/sustainable grazing direction requires skill and experience. The cardinal is flexibility — the rest period or rotation length needs to exist adapted depending on pasture growth rate and seasonal conditions.

Mixed farming gives greater productivity and flexibility

Pastures, particularly perennial pastures, are condign a vital part of many cropping rotation systems, in improver to their traditional use in state that is too marginal for cropping to be successful. We now recognise that continuous cropping of the aforementioned area is detrimental to soil structure, reduces soil organic matter and biodiversity, and is likely to be unsustainable unless at that place are extensive fertiliser inputs.

Enterprise diversification and the maintenance of biodiversity are becoming increasingly recognised as beneficial for the continuation of successful farming operations, partly considering they allow for greater flexibility and therefore some protection from climatic and economic variability.

Systems that combine grazing and cropping enterprises more readily permit the retention of stands of natural vegetation. Undisturbed areas of natural bushland or planted trees become a habitat for wildlife, including insectivorous birds which feed on pests such every bit aphids, midges, scarab beetles and heliothis caterpillars, and which provide the potential for reducing the need for chemical applications if given the opportunity to multiply adjacent to cropping lands. These undisturbed areas also allow the survival of earthworms and the microflora and microfauna that may otherwise exist destroyed in a continuous cropping organization.

Pasture rotation can besides interrupt the life cycles of annual weeds and other crop pests. If a legume such as lucerne is used, it can build soil nitrogen, which will reduce the need for external fertiliser inputs. Comparing the texture and composition of undisturbed soil with the soil backdrop of adjacent cropping country may be a valuable indicator as to whether cropping is damaging the soil.

Perennial pasture is a lower-cost and lower-risk functioning than enterprises which involve cropping, specially in areas with unreliable rainfall. Benefits include:

• maintenance of ground embrace, resulting in less erosion;
• undisturbed soil, providing a habitat for the huge range of microflora and microfauna necessary for salubrious soil;
• lower fuel costs than those for a cropping enterprise, which may get a more significant consideration in the future (see the section 'Minimising fuel consumption' below);
• greater h2o extraction from deeper soil layers, which volition better gainsay rising watertables and resultant salinity problems.

Soil direction

Avoiding soil compaction

Soil compaction, or 'soil pugging', due to the impact of cattle hooves, is inevitable with cattle production. The farthermost example of soil pugging is obvious, simply the effect of cattle just treading on the plants and soil is ofttimes non appreciated. In experimental trials, using typical commercial stocking rates, yield reductions of at least 20% have resulted.

Compaction severity varies with soil type, being worst on wet soil that has a high clay content. Every effort should be made to move cattle onto lighter soil when heavy rain is likely. Soil compaction results in resistance to root penetration, reduced water infiltration and reduced aeration.

In contrast, where there are sandier soil types and/or in more arid environments, 'hoof tillage' can be invaluable for burying seeds and so helping to establish and renovate pastures.

If cattle are creating tracks, such equally the route to the h2o trough, comport in mind that these can go channels for surface water flow, and may initiate more serious erosion. If this starts to occur, steps will need to be taken to prevent it. Rotational grazing practices are likely to be the best practical means of limiting treading damage.

In mixed-farming enterprises, it is common practice to graze cattle on sorghum stubble following harvest. Still, the compaction that results on cropping land is likely to exist more dissentious than that which results on established pasture, and will reduce the ability to apply the more than sustainable farming practices of reduced or 'no till' cropping. These factors should exist considered in the 'whole farm' plan. Further research is required to determine the best system in this situation.

Maintaining ground encompass

The amount of footing cover needed to prevent erosion varies with soil type, soil condition, location and gradient. For example, research has shown that, on the northern slopes of NSW, a ground cover of at least seventy% is needed on blood-red soils where there is a gradient of approximately 10%. The figure of 70% ground cover is often used as a expert generalisation; however, less cover may be adequate in plains country and more cover may be necessary on steeper basis.

Once run-off becomes excessive, less water soaks into the soil where it is needed, and pasture growth can be far below its potential every bit a result. Excessive run-off will create erosion bug.

Overgrazing occurs commonly over much of Australia because rainfall and therefore feed supplies are often erratic. These periods of brusk supply are a normal office of the bike, so producers should either plan alee past setting bated feed reserves to carry them through these times, or be willing to destock.

Supplementary feeding should outset before footing cover is adversely affected and before stock start to lose status, otherwise pasture growth rates will be affected. Poly peptide or urea supplements for the cattle will allow more complete utilise of poor quality paddock feed, but these can encourage serious overgrazing (to the point where cattle eat every blade of grass in the paddock) if pasture levels are not monitored and grazing pressure is non managed properly.

Once ground cover is getting downwardly to levels where there is an increased take a chance of erosion, animals should be removed past sale or agistment, or confined and fed a consummate ration. Animals should not be immune to go on to wander in search of scarce feed. This wastes the animals' energy, and hence increases the amount of feed required to maintain body weight or status, besides as increasing the run a risk of erosion and threatening the survival of pasture.

Fencing layout

Soil blazon, topography, aspect, pasture type and mob size should be taken into account equally much as possible when planning where fencing will exist located:

• Traditional 'square' paddocks may make direction more difficult if more than one soil type, or both sloping and apartment ground, are present inside the 1 paddock. For example, some pasture species may survive on southern slopes (which tend to be cooler and wetter) but not on northern slopes in areas marginal for their requirements.
• Different pasture growth rates due to aspect or changing soil types may demand to exist managed differently.
• Land that has uniform characteristics should be fenced and managed as a unit as far as practicable.
• Several modest paddocks allow greater flexibility in grazing management than do fewer larger paddocks.
• In mixed-farming situations, information technology may be worth constructing temporary electric fencing, which will assist to reduce fencing costs.

Thousand location

It is essential to consider soil type and drainage when choosing a site for new yards. Heavy clay soils bog up in wet weather condition and are slow to dry out. Light sandy soils may let effluent to percolate downwards and pollute hush-hush watertables; they also tend to be very dusty in dry conditions. If possible, choose a site that has loamy well-drained soil.

Where cattle are to be confined for prolonged periods, for example during yard weaning, it is preferable to have a layer of dirt below the surface to limit movement of effluent into hush-hush watertables.

Water management

Good quality water is perhaps the scarcest resource on this continent, and needs to be utilised as efficiently as possible. Availability of watering points volition influence paddock layout, and may limit the amount of subdivision possible on a grazing property. If watering points are too far apart, cattle volition overgraze shut to h2o and undergraze the rest of the paddock. Cattle that have to walk long distances to reach water will waste energy and make slower weight gains.

Provide water in troughs or ground tanks rather than allowing free access to watercourses. Cattle using natural streams tend to erode stream banks and foul water, leading to sedimentation and pollution, and mayhap algal blooms downstream. If yous cannot provide h2o in troughs, limit access to stream water to the within of bends, where the erosion potential is less.

Enquiry has shown that even if a watercourse is not fenced, cattle will prefer to drink at a trough if one is provided on their normal road to water. This data is useful, especially if funds are not available for fencing. (Annotation: Funds are often bachelor for such projects through Landcare groups or government natural resources direction programs.)

Fenced riparian zone (river bank) areas can be used as a drought reserve, or grazed for curt periods in a grazing rotation in gild to command weeds. For information on managing stock in riparian zones, see the publication Managing Stock (Consequence Sheet 6), which is part of the River Landscapes website, published by Land and Water Australia.

Information technology is as well preferable to fence off dams and to pipe dam h2o to troughs, considering cattle volition foul dams and reduce water quality, especially when the supply is low. Research has shown that animal performance is afflicted by foul water, presumably because animals that drink less volition as well eat less.

Fertiliser run-off

Intendance must be taken when using fertiliser to ensure that it does non contaminate watercourses. The spreading of fertiliser over or near watercourses or bare sloping country (which may be field of study to run-off during intense summertime storms) should be avoided.

Air direction

Minimising greenhouse gas emissions

Cattle and sheep contribute an estimated ten.eight% of Australia'southward greenhouse gas emissions, mainly as methane and carbon dioxide. On average, cattle produce an estimated 49 kg methyl hydride per head per year.

Methane is produced by microbes in the rumen. This is an undesirable loss to the fauna, as it represents a loss of free energy, part of the feed that the fauna has failed to employ. The coarser and more gristly the feed, the greater the proportion of digested free energy that is lost as methyl hydride. Pasture with loftier digestibility is more efficiently utilised. (For more information on the digestibility of pasture, encounter the Primefact Pasture assessment and livestock production.)

Several state and federal research teams are currently attempting to reduce methane product from ruminants by selectively altering the microflora and microfauna of the rumen population. Some reduction in marsh gas production may be possible, just it is unlikely that ruminant emissions will ever be methyl hydride-free.

Most beef producers already aim to finish cattle as young as possible, in an attempt to meliorate meat quality and obtain a better toll. An beast that reaches slaughter weight three months earlier than others will produce less methyl hydride in its lifetime, and hence less methane per kilogram of product. Thus past managing pasture to maintain high digestibility, and by selecting for more feed-efficient cattle and rapid growth, producers are already helping to reduce the greenhouse gases emitted from their herds!

Minimising fuel consumption

The burning of fossil fuels is a major source of greenhouse gases, and this fuel is also a non-renewable resource. The total consumption of resources in producing our food is an increasingly of import factor to be considered in the hereafter. Australian pasture-fed beefiness production is a relatively fuel-efficient organisation when compared with grain-fed beef production. The fuel costs, including environmental costs, involved in working the soil, sowing seed, and harvesting and transporting the grain are all avoided by raising cattle solely on pasture.

Fuel costs will rise substantially every bit readily attainable fuel reserves go depleted. The need for fuel will continue to increase with the expansion of the homo population. In the future we may not exist able to waste deficient fuel supplies on growing grain for cattle — the energy cost will be likewise high. We volition demand to feed all the grain directly to humans.

This long-term view must exist kept in heed before whatsoever 'improvements' involving high fuel usage are contemplated. Introduced pasture in marginal areas may non be economical if frequent re-sowing is necessary. Systems that crave the least fuel will be more sustainable in the long term. The value of minimal intervention, perhaps by fertilising existing native pasture, may well come up into its ain in the next decade.

Stock direction

Disease and pest direction

Disease control is a normal part of practiced farm management. Some diseases should exist controlled by vaccination, for example leptospirosis and vibriosis. For other diseases where controls are in place for market access, for example Johne's illness (JD), producers demand to take care to abide by legal requirements for trade between different JD zones of the state.

Affliction control is essential non only to improve the productivity of your own enterprise, but also to minimise the possibility of adversely affecting your neighbours' production. Fences should exist kept in skillful society, and bulls in particular should be prevented from straying, to avoid the possibility of disease spread between your stock and your neighbours' stock. Similarly, feral animals which may spread affliction, such equally pigs, should be controlled.

Weed command should also be undertaken in order to prevent deterioration of your pasture (and your neighbours' pastures, to which the seed from your pasture may spread).

Taking responsibility for animal welfare

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 states that 'A person in accuse of an animal shall not neglect to provide nutrient, drink or shelter ...'. Information technology is not adequate for animal owners to get out the animals in their care to fend for themselves during drought, extreme common cold, stress or natural disasters, since in confining their animals they have limited the animals' ability to take steps to help themselves.

The vast majority of people hold this attitude towards animals in their care. Pressure from the broader community must be brought to impact the few who do non, and who are bringing the whole manufacture into disrepute. If you know someone who is allowing animals to starve or is otherwise neglecting the welfare of their animals, say something to them nigh it. If nothing is washed to correct the situation, report it to the RSPCA or police.

Absentee stockowners have had disastrous losses from bloat, because pasture conditions accept changed without their knowledge. This is equally much a welfare upshot equally is a lack of feed or h2o. Arrangements should be made to accept cattle and paddock atmospheric condition inspected regularly by someone living locally.

Standards and Guidelines

The Australian Brute Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Cattle are available, and these are recommended reading. In many means, guidelines can be regarded as 'best practice' manuals. They can provide useful data; for example, they set out the infinite required per head of cattle when hand feeding in yards. Guidelines now accept some legal continuing, in that failure to comply with part of a guideline can exist used as evidence, usually in cases involving breaches of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Human activity 1979.

Minimising painful procedures

Animals have a right to be treated humanely and thoughtfully. In the past some painful management procedures have been condoned because at that place was no practical alternative. This is no longer the case. Producers should be looking for ways of reducing stress and pain in their animals as much as possible.

Animals accept a correct to be treated humanely and thoughtfully. In the past some painful management procedures take been condoned because there was no practical alternative. This is no longer the instance. Producers should be looking for means of reducing stress and hurting in their animals as much equally possible.

It should not be causeless that simply because something has always been done a certain style in the past, that it is right! Ask yourself whether the hurting and stress that you inflict upon cattle can exist reduced. Is the procedure actually necessary? Many producers have stopped branding cattle, equally the standard of fencing has improved, and alternative methods of identification are becoming more widespread.

In many breeds, polled bulls can be used to eliminate the need to dehorn. If this is not an selection, there are several methods of dehorning very young calves which are less traumatic than traditional methods.

Low stress handling

Sensation of the flight zone around cattle is essential to minimise stress. Usually the flight distance is about 2–iii body lengths, only this will vary depending on an creature'due south by feel with humans. If this space is invaded, cattle will effort to escape. While working cattle in yards, it is best not to invade this space until information technology is actually required.

Where yous stand up is disquisitional to where the cattle will move. At that place is a point of residual, about level with the shoulder, where the animal will motility neither forwards nor backwards if approached. If the animal is approached from in front of this point, it volition get backwards; if it is approached from slightly behind the shoulder, it will go forwards. For most experienced stockworkers, the utilise of the point of balance in this fashion is 2d nature.

Most producers cull animals that have an aggressive temperament, but it is also important to cull excessively timid, panicky animals. Inquiry has shown that these timid animals (in contrast to aggressive ones) often perform poorly in feedlots. They are too likely to be the ones that use up muscle glycogen and bruise themselves because they panic during loading and transport. This in plow results in dark, poor quality meat.

Aggressive animals may cause bruising in others, or 'stir up' during handling, with similar effects on meat quality as those that occur in the panicky cattle.

Consider natural behaviour in m pattern

The design of yards, including the way they confront in relation to the sun, and the management of slope, is extremely of import. If cattle will non move freely through your yards, take a serious expect at the k blueprint before reaching for the electric prodder!

Natural animate being behaviour should be taken into account in the positioning of yards; for example, cattle prefer to run uphill and towards the light. They tend to baulk at night shadows (meet Figure 8). Cattle may work well in the morning time but not in the afternoon because of the modify in shadow distribution.  The timing of husbandry operations may need to be planned accordingly. Including these considerations at the planning stage will make handling easier, and meliorate stock (and operator) welfare.

Provision of shade and shelter

In the by, trees take been seen as occupying space and taking up water and nutrients that would otherwise grow more than grass to feed more cattle. This attitude has left us with a legacy of ascension watertables leading to salinisation of large tracts of state, and increased levels of soil erosion.

The shade and shelter provided past copse and shrubs often more than compensates for the loss of bachelor surface area for growing grass. An beast'south energy requirements may more than double in cold weather, just to maintain the brute's body oestrus. (In full general, the smaller the animal, the greater the increase in requirement.) Shelter can reduce this requirement for actress feed past providing a warmer microclimate downwind of the shelter. It also improves the survival rate and welfare of newborn animals during agin atmospheric condition conditions.

CSIRO research has shown that during periods of cold stress, shelter increases both temperature and humidity, with the largest increase at a distance of about v windbreak heights from the windbreak, but this extends to a distance of nigh twelve windbreak heights downwind. That is, a much larger expanse benefits from the protection than is adversely affected past competition for water and nutrients in the root zone of the windbreak trees.

At the other extreme, cattle in hot climates are likely to accept a lower water requirement if they are provided with shade. Provision of shade may maintain soil moisture and extend the period of grazing available from more productive species of pasture plants that have been planted where their rainfall requirements are barely met. Clovers survive for longer in the shade, where they are protected from heat and moisture stress.

Responsible utilize of chemicals

Ever READ THE LABEL

Users of agronomical (or veterinary) chemical products must always read the label and any Allow earlier using the production, and strictly comply with the directions on the label and the weather of whatever Permit. Users are not absolved from compliance with the directions on the label or the weather of the Permit by reason of whatsoever statement made or not made in this publication.

Information technology is the responsibility of everyone who uses chemicals to ensure that chemical residues practice not remain. While cypher contamination of produce at all times is an unrealistic expectation, the public often does not distinguish between adequate residuum levels, which are well below those that pose whatsoever threat to human wellness, and unacceptable levels, which are a real business concern. To a growing number of consumers, the presence of whatever chemical whatever is perceived as unacceptable, if not unsafe. Whether justified or not, these concerns must be taken seriously, as they can profoundly influence markets. Thus there are two issues involved in the control of residues: safety and quality assurance.

Avoiding residues

When applying any chemicals or other treatments to animals, they should exist weighed to ensure that the right dose is administered. Skilful records must be kept to show which animals are treated and when they are treated, so that withholding periods (WHPs) can be observed. If cattle are to go for consign, then the export slaughter interval (ESI) must too exist observed. The ESI may be several times longer than the WHP.

Country that is to exist used for grazing cattle should be checked for its previous uses. If persistent chemicals such as organochlorines are suspected to have been used, then soil samples should be sent for analysis. The footing around quondam dip sites or similar areas should also exist sampled or should exist fenced off from livestock.

During drought, the hazard of unacceptable residues increases. Reasons for this include increased ingestion of contaminated soil when grazing close to the ground, and feeding of unusual feeds, especially if these are non normally fed to stock (e.one thousand. saccharide cane, grape marking, and, in the past, cotton trash, which is at present not supplied as stockfeed), as these may accept had chemicals applied to them.

Any chemical contaminant in feed, if nowadays in sufficient concentration, tin crusade unacceptable residues in livestock products. When purchasing any feed, the purchaser should inform the seller of the feed's intended use, and inquire if whatsoever chemicals take been applied to the feed, or if there may be any other sources of residues. Vendor declarations, such every bit the ane required past the Australian Lot Feeders' Association, should e'er exist sought. If in incertitude, the feed should be either tested or not purchased.

Cattlecare, the beef industry'southward on-farm quality assurance organization, requires written statements on purchased stockfeeds regarding chemical usage during the production of the feed. (For further information on rest risks in drought, run across the Primefact Drought increases residue risks.)

The time taken to articulate residues from animal tissues varies greatly, depending on factors such as:

• the chemical involved
• the level of intake
• the duration of feeding
• the changes in the creature's body weight and condition.

If it is suspected that animals may have been exposed to chemicals, information technology is preferable to accept biopsy samples taken past a veterinarian and tested for residues, rather than risk having the animal(southward) condemned at slaughter and placing marketplace access at risk.

Various programs are in place to minimise the take a chance of residues in meat products. These include:

• NORM - National Organochlorine Residue Management program
• NARM - National Antibacterial Rest Minimisation program.

Unintended victims - dung beetles, other native insects, microflora

While WHPs are designed to avoid unintentional exposure of humans to chemicals, in that location may be other victims non afforded this protection! There is growing awareness that chemicals we employ to control lice and worms in cattle can affect dung beetles and other insects.

Myriad tiny animals contribute to the maintenance of soil fertility and structure. If their numbers are significantly reduced, then soil quality, pasture and therefore fauna production are all likely to suffer. Recycling and burial of the nutrients in dung by dung beetles may significantly reduce wing problems in sheep and cattle enterprises, and distributes this natural fertiliser more completely through the soil.

For further information on dung beetles, encounter the Primefact Dung beetles - working for you.

Antibiotic resistance in humans

There is growing evidence that the apply of some antibiotics in animals can lead to the development of resistant strains of the bacteria that tin can bear on humans. The fact that veterinarians are required by police force to prescribe S4 drugs simply for specific weather is an attempt to reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics, and so reduce the risk of resistance developing.

Also of importance is the more immediate threat of the evolution of resistant animal pathogens. If at all possible, animals should exist accurately weighed before they are treated with antibiotics. If only an judge is fabricated of the weight of an animal, and the approximate is inaccurate, then underdosing or overdosing will occur. Underdosing or not completing the full course of antibiotics may lead to the survival of a few of the most resistant individuals. These will and so multiply, and the normal population volition become more than resistant to the antibiotic used. Many bacteria accept the ability to swap genes, thereby conferring resistance to antibiotics with other leaner. Overdosing may atomic number 82 to toxicity problems, especially in young animals.

The full course of antibiotics must be completed, even if the animal appears to have already recovered.

The use of low doses of selective antibiotics (e.g. Rumensin®, Lascalocid®, Avoparcin® and Eskalin®, which are used to change rumen function) is known to increment antibiotic resistance in gut flora. On the other hand, their use leads to greater rumen efficiency, less methane production and faster growth rates, which is environmentally friendly.

Resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics such as vancomycin is becoming more widespread in humans, and in that location is evidence that this is due at least in role to the use of Avoparcin®, too a glycopeptide, in beast feeds.

Producers must ensure that whatsoever antibiotics used for their livestock are absolutely necessary and are given at the right dose rate, and that WHPs and ESIs are observed.

Property management planning - matching the enterprise to the resources available

Property management planning involves planning the efficient, integrated use of all resources, including homo and fiscal resource as well as the concrete resources. Information technology involves the consideration and integration of the many factors that are discussed below. Property management planning is an ongoing process, and it assists producers to amend their profitability and attain more sustainable natural resource use. Producers and their families should place their personal and business objectives and and so develop plans to achieve those objectives. Monitoring is an important part of this planning process.

More information on property direction planning is available through CB Alexander Agronomical College ('Tocal'), or by contacting your local LLS part.

This Agfact focuses on the responsible use of concrete resources. Cartoon upwardly a physical farm plan will help with forward planning and clarifying priorities, so that the more than important changes are made kickoff. Information technology may be necessary to change the established layouts of some properties so that ecology factors and animal behaviour can be taken into account, now that these are improve understood.

The subcontract should besides be looked at in the context of the surrounding country, and possibly on a total catchment footing. Sometimes, changes to fencing or the position of contour banks, or changes to other aspects of the property, are ameliorate planned in conjunction with neighbours. This helps to ensure that what is done on one farm does not adversely impact adjacent property or those further down the catchment. Courses designed to help you depict upwardly a farm plan are bachelor through CB Alexander Agricultural College ('Tocal').

The enterprise mix called must be matched to the local environment. Information technology may exist more than cost-effective to modify your breed of cattle (or to cross breed) to a type that can finer use the forage that your land tin can economically produce, rather than trying to produce feed to support a item breed of cattle. Some breeds do better than others in tougher environments. For example, larger framed European breeds are harder to back up on marginal country or where rainfall is unreliable. On the other manus, it is important to ensure that the cattle–pasture interaction is sustainable. For example, some Bos indicus cattle might overgraze some species of desert plants that Bos taurus cattle would graze only sparingly.

Not all pastures are suited to finishing cattle. You lot must have a specific marketplace in mind which your cattle and other resources are capable of meeting, so that you tin can plan alee to meet the specifications of that market place. Long-term survival of an enterprise is unlikely for producers who simply grow out the cattle then attempt to find a market which suits them.

Risk management and enterprise flexibility

Farming in the Australian climate is a high-run a risk enterprise. It is prudent to assume that most years volition have less than ideal conditions, and to programme appropriately by conserving forage to 'tide y'all over'. A program of action in the event of persisting drought conditions should be worked out in advance. Make some rules virtually which stock would be sold first, and what the trigger would be for this activity. (For more information on coping with the agin conditions caused by drought, meet the Drought department of the website.)

It is preferable for there to exist flexibility in the type of stock run, so that stock tin be finished as vealers, yearling steers or Jap ox, depending on the availability of feed and which markets offer the best returns. Very early or very late maturing cattle tend to limit this flexibility.

Monitoring and record keeping

A skilful record-keeping system on the farm is essential. Just then will you be able to assess whether your farm plan is working, and whether the enterprise is financially and environmentally sustainable. Frequently, trends are apparent only when a continuous tape over several years has been kept.

Most farmers are familiar with the concepts of keeping records in relation to enterprise productivity and farm finances. All the same, with the growing awareness of ecology bug and the fragility of the natural resource base, information technology has get increasingly credible that the bear on of agriculture on the environs should too be monitored in social club to appraise the sustainability of an agronomical enterprise.

Monitoring financial and productivity performance

Many producers keep a diverseness of records, then fail to utilise them fully. There are now many first-class computer programs which solve this problem by making calculations like shooting fish in a barrel and enabling much more than thorough cess of productivity and business functioning.

Aspects that tin be monitored include:

• cows joined, pregnancy test results, and calves built-in, marked and weaned;
• breeding records, so that poor performers tin can be identified and culled, and the progeny of different bulls tin exist compared. (Private identification of cattle, then that these sorts of records tin exist kept, is strongly recommended);
• growth rates, so that genetic merit or feeding regimes tin can be compared;
• cattle numbers bought and sold;
• sale historic period, weight and price;
• production per hectare ('total weight of animals sold' divided by 'total hectares grazed');
• meat income per grazing hectare ('proceeds from animals sold' divided past 'total hectares grazed');
• any health problems in stock, crops and pasture;
• treatments (eastward.k. antibiotics, and lice and worm treatments), the dates these were administered to animals, whatsoever withholding periods (WHPs) or consign slaughter intervals (ESIs), and the results of treatment;
• paddock records, pasture growth, footing cover, dates stock went in and out etc.;
• dates of fertiliser or weedicide applications, insecticide sprays etc., and whatever WHPs;
• all costs, including treatment costs for animals, costs of crops and pasture, sowing costs, machinery maintenance costs, selling costs etc. (Classify all costs separately to different components of a mixed-farming enterprise so that you can check that each component is paying its way. For example, calculate fuel and machinery costs associated with sowing grazing oats separately from the costs involved with whatever cropping enterprise, since the grazing oats are part of the cattle enterprise.);
• water use, water quality etc.

Monitoring the condition of natural resources

Obtaining a mensurate of a farm's environmental sustainability is not straightforward, but there is some relatively simple monitoring that can be undertaken which will provide yous with a guide as to the wellness of your farm's natural resources.

With ecology monitoring, it is very of import to monitor over a period of time in order to notice a trend or change. Useful monitoring would include the following:

• Regular soil tests will requite an indication of failing soil fertility or if soil acidity problems are developing.
• Where salinity is a potential problem, monitoring groundwater levels will assess progress or otherwise of the steps existence taken to reduce the watertable level.
• The health of areas of native vegetation and the presence or absence of native fauna should be assessed. A range of species and of ages of species will improve the health of native vegetation and volition besides promote the presence of native creature.
• The health and multifariousness of vegetation on and within stream banks should be assessed.
• Observation of wildlife may give some indication as to whether the areas that have been set aside for copse and other native vegetation are large plenty.
• Monitoring the percentage ground cover (and pasture composition) will give an indication of erosion take chances.
• For irrigation evolution, water use efficiency should be monitored and compared against criterion levels. H2o use efficiency that is below criterion levels indicates water losses to the environment.

For specific areas of interest, information technology is a good idea to take photos in the aforementioned location in successive years to provide a pictorial record of modify over time. This is peculiarly useful in the monitoring of change in native vegetation health, country degradation, and the response to management practices that have been instigated to ameliorate land degradation problems.

Decision

To run a sustainable enterprise, producers need to:

• have a farm plan which includes clear business organization goals;
• ensure the enterprise is economically feasible;
• actively seek, translate and use advice and new information;
• have flexible management strategies to meet variations in climate and markets;
• ensure that their product meets marketplace requirements;
• ensure that their production organisation meets consumer expectations in terms of creature welfare and demonstrated care for the environment;
• have no visible signs of land degradation on their holding (or, if at that place are signs, be in the process of reversing whatever land degradation that has occurred);
• conserve areas of native vegetation on their property.

The producer's aim should be the profitable production, in the most humane and efficient fashion possible (best management practise), of a safe, consequent, high quality production, while maintaining or enhancing the quality of resource and conserving the natural environment.

Most beef producers would non knowingly do anything that would degrade the resources on which their livelihoods depend. Merely not everyone is aware of the possible long-term consequences of some management practices that were developed earlier we fully appreciated many of the issues raised higher up. For an agricultural system to be sustainable, it also needs to be adjustable and to be prepared for change.

However, responsible, sustainable beef production demand non be a daunting job. In many cases, there may be very little that needs to be changed, but the earlier the need for change is recognised, the better. The intention of the information in this Agfact is to increment awareness of all the bug involved, and then that future direction plans can take account of them. The most successful and profitable beefiness product system will exist one that is fully in tune with the environment and gild's expectations.

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Source: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/beef-cattle/husbandry/general-management/production

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