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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 50(6)

Temporal and spatial regional cattle farm turn-off patterns in eastern Australia

G. E. Donald A C , D. J. Miron A , T. Dyall A and M. G. Garner B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A CSIRO, Livestock Industries, Locked Bag 1, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.

B Department Agriculture Forest and Fisheries, Office for the Chief Veterinary Officer, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: graham.donald@csiro.au

Animal Production Science 50(6) 359-362 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09160
Submitted: 27 November 2009  Accepted: 11 January 2010   Published: 11 June 2010

Abstract

The introduction of the National Livestock Identification System served to provide a record of cattle movements by using an effective, electronic animal tracking system across Australia. The availability of an algorithm to simulate real-time and accurate movements of cattle is critical in the event of a major exotic disease outbreak. Such an algorithm could also be used for forecasting and formulation of policies to manage emerging disease threats. The National Livestock Identification System database will provide the basis for testing and verifying real-time and forecast cattle livestock turn-off patterns as a precursor to developing a real-time cattle movement simulation algorithm. The study demonstrated the major drivers and that real-time pasture information clearly needed to be incorporated into a movement model.

Additional keywords: pasture growth, satellite-derived normalised difference vegetation index.


Acknowledgements

The national model for emerging animal disease threats biosecurity project was funded by the Chief Veterinaries Office, Department of Agriculture, Forest and Fisheries, Canberra. The project researchers were grateful to MLA for providing the NLIS database and the NLRS for cattle prices. We thank the continued support of the individual State personnel who took extra time to provide additional information. We also thank the National Climate Centre of the Bureau of Meteorology for providing the weekly rainfall and rainfall decile grids.


References


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Dyall T (2009) A decision support tool for assessing and managing emerging animal disease threats: survey of beef cattle producers. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra.

Emelyanova IV, Donald GE, Miron DJ, Henry DA, Garner GM (2009) Probabilistic modelling of cattle farm distribution in Australia. Journal of Environmental Modeling and Assessment 14, 449–465.
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