Reproductive performance of northern Australia beef herds. 1. Survey of nutritional, breeding and herd health management practices and of the environment
K. D. McCosker
A G H , S. Jephcott B , B. M. Burns C , D. R. Smith D , G. Fordyce E , P. K. O’Rourke F and M. R. McGowan G
A Department of Primary Industry and Resources, PO Box 1346, Katherine, NT 0851, Australia.
B PO Box 11, Surat, Qld 4417, Australia.
C Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 25 Yeppoon Road, Rockhampton, Qld 4702, Australia.
D Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, 1–5 Prior Street, Charters Towers, Qld 4820, Australia.
E The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, Carmody Road, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
F Queensland Institute of Medical Research, 300 Herston Road, Herston, Qld 4006, Australia.
G The University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Warrego Highway, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
H Corresponding author. Email: kieren.mccosker@bigpond.com
Animal Production Science 63(4) 301-310 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN17494
Submitted: 20 July 2017 Accepted: 20 May 2019 Published: 24 November 2020
Abstract
Data concerning the practices and policies of collaborating properties for nutritional, breeding and health management of herds were captured by survey of herd owners/managers (n = 78) at the commencement of a large observational study conducted across northern Australia to identify and quantify the effect of major animal-, management group- and property-level risk factors on measures of reproductive performance. The cooperating herds in this study were considered to be broadly representative of north Australian beef breeding enterprises in terms of geography, size and ownership. Using four broad regional categories, this paper presents descriptive summaries of the management practices and nutritional conditions of cooperating herds in what was known as the Cash Cow project. Property sizes were largest within the Northern Downs and Northern Forest, and smallest within the Southern Forest. The expected average annual growth of yearling steers was >50 kg less in the Northern Forest, compared with the other country types, which also appeared to be associated with the identified production system and turnoff animal. Despite the exacerbated nutrition and environmental challenges and likely increased time required for new managers within the Northern Forest to attain an in depth understanding of the cattle and property dynamics, this region had the greatest incidence of management changes. The nutritional information summarised in this study highlights that available phosphorus during the wet season, as indicated by faecal levels in proportion to dietary energy, was likely to limit animal production within the Northern Downs and Northern Forest. During the dry season, pasture digestibilty and protein levels were likely to be approaching maintenance for cows on ~50% of properties in each country type and that responses to rumen degradable protein were also likely on 50% of properties. Despite this finding, low use of dry season supplements was observed for the Northern Downs, which was partially explained by the high incidence of the management systems based on segregating cows on lactation status and pregnancy. In all country types, the ratio of bulls to cows was higher than the 2.5% recommended for extensively managed situations, while limited use of vaccines to control infectious causes of reproductive loss was also observed. The major conclusion of this study is that there was marked variation in the adaption of interventions to specific businesses, indicating considerable opportunity exists for further adaptation in the region.
Keywords: beef cattle, north Australia, production systems.
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