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Katherine Research Station PO Box 1346, Katherine NT 0851
Phone (08) 8973 9739 Fax (08) 8973 9777
ISSN 0394-9823 www.dpif.nt.gov.au
EDITION 318- April 2014
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 1
In this edition
Increasing reconception
rates in lactating heifers 1
From little things big things
grow—Malcolm Bennett:
a plant breeder’s career 3
Fertilisers for pastures—
How much do I need to
apply? 4
Forage budgeting—
matching what you’ve got
with what you’ll need 5
The value of grazed grass
pastures in the Katherine
region 6
Pastoral industry feed
advisory bulletin now
available 7
Irrigated fodder production
in the Tennant Creek region 9
AACo leaders’ forum 11
Emergency animal disease
recognition training 12
Exercise Odysseus—the
national livestock standstill
exercise program 13
New workplace health and
safety campaign to start in
May 13
New faces—Mook Crothers 14
Free WHS Act compliance
assistance available for NT
farmers and pastoralists 14
Round the region 16
Increasing reconception rates in lactating heifers
Whitney Dollemore, Pastoral Production Officer, Katherine
Most properties in the Katherine region sell young stock to the live export trade and so require as many calves as possible to be born and weaned each year.
Of the producers who participated in the 2010 survey, those in the Katherine region indicated that they kept on average 58% of their heifers as replacements. If replacement heifers are first joined at two years old, about 40% of the breeding herd consists of females below five years of age and are on their first or second lactation with a small percentage on their third lactation. Often in the Katherine/VRD region about 80% of maiden heifers conceive as two year olds but, around 20% lose their calves and often only around 20% re-conceive while lactating and so the majority of these heifers are only producing one calf in their first four years of life. This herd model is outlined in the MLA publication “Heifer management in Northern beef herds 2nd Edition” (www.mla.com.au/News-and-resources/Publication-details?pubid =5934). The economic modelling in this publication shows that in Katherine and VRD each 5% increase in reconception rate of the first calf heifer would increase herd gross margin by approximately $1.20 per AE (adult equivalent), i.e. about $26,000 per herd. CashCow data has shown that heifers in their first and second lactation have an average reconception rate within four months of calving 12.6% lower than cows that have raised two or more calves, see Table 1.
Table 1: Predicted percentage four months pregnant (P4M) by cow age class (McGowan, M, et al., 2014).
Cow age class
Mean percentage P4M * (%)
95% Confidence interval
Lower Upper
First-lactation cows
34.6A 28.2 41.0
Second-lactation cows
39.5B 32.1 46.9
Mature cows 47.2C 40.2 54.2
Aged cows 50.7D 43.3 58.2
*Means not sharing a common superscript letter are significantly different (P<0.05)
P a g e | 2 Katherine Rural Review
Analysis of the CashCow results also concluded that within each age group of females there was a significant difference in reconception rates between those animals with sufficient faecal phosphorus to metabolisable energy ratio (P:ME≥500mgP/MJME), and those below this threshold. For example, first lactation heifers below this threshold had a 24% lower reconception rate than those above. This highlights the requirement for P in all breeding animals–particularly lactating heifers.
If a heifer is first mated at two years of age she will have her first calf at three (first lactation heifer) and if she is then able to reconceive she will calve again at four years of age (second lactation heifer). If she fails to reconceive within four months of her first calf she should next calve at five however, by this age she is no longer classified as a second lactation heifer and is considered a breeder/mature cow. Animals are usually fully grown by this time, resulting in lower nutritional requirements for production of a weaner. Segregation of heifers up to this stage to allow targeted supplementation may assist in lifting reconception rates in lactating heifers.
“What do I mean by increased nutritional management?”
I am thinking about practices which lower the nutritional demands of the animal or a supplement that will help to alleviate the nutritional burden on these animals that are growing and reproducing. Examples are targeted supplementation and early weaning.
The importance of managing body condition score (BCS)
It has been shown that BCS has the greatest effect on heifer fertility. A BCS of three or more is a useful target, although it can be hard to achieve in young heifers in the Katherine region. In order to improve BCS, some strategies include:
stocking heifers at a conservative stocking rate on good native or improved pastures
heifer segregation for the first and second lactation from the main breeder herd
strategic supplementation including the supply of wet season phosphorus
mustering and weaning calves from heifers before the main breeder herd
weaning down to 100 kg (three months) or lower if heifer BCS is low
selection of heifers post joining, resulting in the selection of heifers for fertility traits.
Many producers in the Katherine region already implement a number of these strategies. In the 2010 Pastoral Industry Survey, BCS was ranked by 65% of producers as an indicator of when to wean calves from heifers. Heifer segregation occurs on 68% of surveyed properties however, most heifers are returned to the breeding herd after their first lactation. Also, 54% of breeding heifers and 45% of yearling heifers are being fed wet season supplements with phosphorus as the main nutrient. Fertility traits were ranked 5th in importance for the selection of replacement heifers, possibly as a result of 60% of producers making culling decisions on heifers prior to first joining.
As heifers make up a large proportion of the herd and the number of calves produced per cow mated is a major profit driver, it is extremely important to implement as many cost effective strategies as possible to maximise reconception rates in first and second lactation heifers. So, it is always a good idea to pencil on the calendar that heifer paddock as the first to be mustered for weaning, particularly if there has been limited grass growth over the wet season, and the heifers are starting to drop away in condition.
References: Schatz, TJ (2010) Understanding and improving heifer fertility in the Northern Territory. Final report Project NBP.339. Meat and Livestock Australia, North Sydney, NSW, 2059
McGowan, M, et al. (2014) North Australian Beef Fertility Project: Cash Cow. Final report Project NBP.0382. Meat and Livestock Australia, North Sydney, NSW, 2059
Cowley, TM (2014) 2010 Pastoral Industry Survey Northern Territory Wide, DPIF, Northern Territory Government
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 3
From little things big things grow
Malcolm Bennett: a plant breeder’s career
Hailing from north Queensland’s picturesque tableland region, Malcolm Bennett came to the Territory as a fresh-faced graduate. Mal’s career with the NT Government started in November 1982. He was employed as a Technical Officer at Douglas Daly Research Farm (DDRF) where he was assisting in wet season research into rain-fed peanut cropping.
After the 1984/85 wet season, Mal was promoted to a professional position at Katherine Research Station (KRS). Alan Garside was Mal’s agricultural mentor and for the next three years they worked alongside each other on the Crop by Environment Study (CES), searching for possible alternatives to maize, mungbeans, soybeans and sorghum.
These were the boom years of Australian agriculture, where opportunity knocked and anything was possible, particularly in the Northern Territory. The CES study was a detailed investigation into crops by environment, by variety. Fourteen crops from across the grass and legume families (guar, millet, pigeon pea and sesame) were trialled at KRS, DDRF and Sunday Creek Station, with three varieties per crop: early maturing, mid maturing and late maturing. This was Mal’s introduction to sesame and where his career as a plant breeder started.
In 1989 CES research started to focus on identifying potential crops for the future. Sesame was originally considered as an oil seed crop, however issues with fracturing seed prior to oil extraction shifted the focus of sesame production for from oil production to confectionary production. Research continued at KRS, in conjunction with CSIRO, driven by Don Beech, who believed in sesame as an emerging industry for Australia. External funding secured in 1993 by Col Martin ensured the continuation of the sesame breeding work which consisted of growing pure sesame lines and developing agronomic techniques.
The hard work paid off, with Mal organising the first Australian Sesame Workshop which was held in Darwin and Katherine in 1995. The workshop was well attended by all the major sesame players, including representatives from Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Israel and New South Wales. Twenty five papers were presented and during group discussions strategies were developed for the coordinated expansion of the Australian sesame industry.
Simultaneously other industries were emerging, thriving or declining. From1995–2005, for example, cotton research was underway with external funding. Meanwhile, the grain industry was in steady decline, with pastoralists taking over land, particularly in the Douglas Daly and Sturt Plateau regions.
In 1997 and1998 Mal acted as a consultant between the NT Government and the Japanese consortium operating out of NSW. The plan was to export 1,000 tonnes of sesame. Unfortunately several factors combined to put an end to the hopes and dreams of an industry: drought, lack of irrigation water, the Japanese financial crisis, and a lack of industry funding.
The late 1990s saw research being conducted in sesame seed cleaning with Terry Herman supplying some industry funding. By 2000, there were no sesame growers in the NT and the focus shifted to developing sesame lines for the east coast of Australia.
Several changes within the NT Government saw the amalgamation of the cropping and horticulture teams in 2005 which resulted in Mal directing agricultural research with peanuts and maize in conjunction with Peanut Company of Australia (PCA). As climate change awareness increased, Mal also developed research trials investigating the potential of commercial biofuel crops such as pongamia and cassava.
Unfortunately, the times were again changing and the last grain crop—a millet and maize rotation—was concluded at PCA, as the company folded and left the Katherine region in 2010.
P a g e | 4 Katherine Rural Review
Other work Mal recently contributed to includes trials involving rice varieties, investigating poppies, sesame seed multiplication and guar agronomics. He was also actively involved in the Action on the Ground project.
Much of Mal’s agricultural career has seen full cycles of change, and he too is completing a full cycle and returning home to the Atherton Tablelands. Mal’s modest nature and ready laugh is already sorely missed at KRS, however when asked (and elbowed in the ribs a few times), he stated that the four greatest achievements of his career were:
the release of four sesame cultivars: Edith and Giles for the Top End of Australia and Rakabe
and Rosemarie for the east coast
identification of pongamia and cassava as potential biofuel crops for NT
an integrated approach to the production of dry season maize, which involved cover crops, crop
rotation, zero till and use of environmentally friendly pesticides—which led to the production of
14 tonnes of maize
the opportunity to mentor new staff.
Through his sheer passion for the industry and constant outside-the-box thinking, Mal has inspired many who have worked with him. It’s that attitude that led Mal to extensively trial emerging crops and improving the sesame industry—as well as exploring the potential of biofuel crops in the NT.
It is on this note that the staff at KRS, in particular the Plant Industries Team, and the NT Government recognises their loss, while thanking Mal, the Champion of Sesame, for all his hard work. We wish Mal all the best in his retirement.
Fertilisers for pastures—how much do I need to apply?
Arthur Cameron, Principal Pastures and Extension Agronomist, Darwin
Based on a soil analysis result, it is possible to calculate how much of a particular nutrient needs to be applied to the soil to optimise plant growth, and with that, pasture yield or hay yield.
As a rule of thumb, it takes two kg of an element per hectare to raise the available soil level of that element by one part per million (ppm).
The adequate soil nutrient levels are presented in the table below together with a typical NT soil analysis, and the amount of nutrient element required to adequately raise each nutrient level
Element Adequate level (ppm)
Typical soil level (ppm)
Amount of element to raise soil level to
adequate (kg)
Phosphorus (P) 10 2.5 15
Potassium (K) 80 61 38
Sulphur (S) 10 5 10
Zinc (Zn) 2 .5 3
The amount of fertiliser to apply can be influenced by end use. It is particularly important to apply the full nutrient element requirement when growing hay as nutrient removal is high in hay crops.
Nitrogen is not presented in the table, as levels are extremely low in Top End soils, and the amount to be applied to grass pastures depends on the end use and yield required. For more information, please feel free to contact me, Arthur Cameron at [email protected] or phone 8999 2214.
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 5
Forage budgeting—matching what you’ve got with what you’ll need
Jodie Ward, Pastoral Production Officer, Katherine
Forage budgets allow the comparison of what feed is available in the paddock with how much the stock can be expected to eat over a fixed period of time. The best time to create a forage budget is after the pastures have finished growing and are heading towards the dormant stage of the growth cycle. This is usually between April and May. Creating a forage budget at this time also allows the adjustment of stocking rates during first round of mustering if the calculations suggest a paddock will be over or under stocked.
There are some amazing resources available online to help with forage budgeting as it is not always as straight forward as it would seem. FutureBeef has released a series of four comprehensive step-by-step instructional videos that can be found on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl-W_txoh0E). While it would be logical to think the process would be as easy as estimating how much pasture there is in the paddock, then subtracting how much you would expect the cattle to eat, this is not the case. There are a number of other factors that must be taken into consideration when estimating how much pasture can be ‘counted’ as available feed.
For example, there are some pasture species that cattle find undesirable, so these species shouldn’t be included in the estimation of available feed. Estimating what proportion of the pasture contains these undesirable species differs from site to site. The undesirable species commonly found in the Katherine and VRD regions include feathertop wiregrass (Aristida latifolia), fairy grass (Sporobolus australasicus), cane grass (Ophiuros exaltatus) and gulf wiregrass (Aristida pruinosa).
Also, it is well known that cattle are unlikely to utilise the entire paddock. The Pigeon Hole Project found that up to 90% of grazing in the Victoria River District occurs within three kilometres of a watering point, making only the pastures within these areas realistically available for grazing.
It is also important to leave a certain amount of pasture standing in the paddock. This figure is commonly set at 1,000 kg/ha of Dry Matter (DM) in the northern parts of the NT to ensure that the soil has enough coverage to prevent erosion and allow water infiltration during the following wet season. This is referred to as the residual. Leaving this amount of pasture uneaten also ensures a quick response to rainfall by the pasture.
An allowance also has to be made for leaf detachment. This figure accounts for plants that become trampled or lose leaf matter as the plant health deteriorates coming into the dry season.
Table 1. Adult equivalent (AE) conversion
On the cattle side of the equation, it is well established that each class of cattle consumes different amounts of feed. Calculating stocking rates in terms of Adult Equivalents (AE) establishes a base from which to compare different classes of stock. For example, a dry 450 kg cow is regarded as 1AE, whereas a cow with a calf at foot is given an AE rating of 1.35 to take into account the extra nutrition the cow requires to lactate.
Fortunately, a good forage budget allows for these factors to be taken into consideration. An example of such a document can be found on the Long Paddock website (www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/grasp/foragebudget.php). For more information or assistance with estimate pasture yields, be sure to contact me at [email protected] or phone 8973 9730.
Class of stock (AE)
Breeders (>three-years-old) 0.93
Calves 0.35
Weaners 0.54
Heifers (one-year-old) 0.68
Steers (one-year-old) 0.68
Two-year-old steers 0.93
Bulls 1.5
Spayed cows 1
P a g e | 6 Katherine Rural Review
The value of grazed grass pastures in the Katherine region
Arthur Cameron, Principal Pastures and Extension Agronomist & Dionne Walsh, Rangeland Program Manager, Pastoral Production
The value of a standing pasture will depend on the dry matter yield (biomass), and the amount of pasture which can be safely eaten by animals (utilisation rate) and still leave cover to allow regrowth the next wet season and to prevent erosion and soil loss. There will be a range of values. In the Katherine region, the value of a kilogram of feed consumed by livestock is equivalent to the value of a kilogram of good quality hay, which can range from $0.20 per kilogram ($200 per tonne) close to Katherine up to $0.30 per kilogram ($300 per tonne) towards the edges of the region.
In the Katherine Region, much of the native pastures are tropical tall grasses, with dry matter (DM) yields ranging from about 1,500 kg/ha to about 3,000 kg/ha. The safe utilisation rate on these native pastures is only 10%, so the amount consumed would be 150 and 300 kg, giving these types of native pastures a value of $30 and $60 per hectare, respectively, close to Katherine, and $45 and $90 per hectare, respectively, further from Katherine.
Better quality native pastures, which grow on loamy red earths, floodplains and black soils, have more of the palatable perennial grasses such as Kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra), Bluegrasses (Dichanthium species), Mitchell grasses (Astrebla species) and Plume sorghum (Sorghum plumosum) present. In these better pastures utilisation rates will be higher, i.e. 15 to 20%. A native pasture with 3,000 kg dry matter per hectare and a safe utilisation rate of 15% would provide feed valued at $90–$135 per hectare. A native pasture with 3,000 kg dry matter per hectare and a safe utilisation rate of 20% would provide feed valued at $120 per hectare close to Katherine and $180 further away.
Improved grass pastures such as Jarra (Digitaria milanjiana), Strickland (Digitaria milanjiana), Buffel (Cenchrus ciliaris) and Sabi grass (Urochloa mosambicensis) are generally higher yielding than native pastures, depending on how well they are fertilised. Unfertilised improved pasture would generally yield about 4,000 kg dry matter per hectare in most years in the Katherine region, while well fertilised improved grass pastures will yield about 8,000 kg dry matter per hectare.
Safe utilisation rates are much higher on the improved pasture at 70%, so 2,800 kg dry matter per hectare of an unfertilised improved pasture can be consumed, and 5,600 kg dry matter per hectare for a well fertilised pasture. This feed is valued at $560 and $1,120 per hectare, respectively, close to Katherine, and $840 and $1,680 further from Katherine.
Table 1. Pasture type values of the Katherine region in dollars per hectare ($/ha)
More information about important pasture types in the Katherine region can be found in the following Land Condition Guides:
www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/pi/GLM_VRD_web_june11.pdf
www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/pi/GLM_Sturt_web_10_08.pdf
Pasture type Grass yield kg DM/ha
Safe utilisation
rate %
Value of grass clos /ha
Value of grass far $/ha
Native, spinifex pastures 1,300 5 13 20
Native, tall grass pastures on various soil types
2,000 10–15 40–60 60–90
Native, black soil pastures 3,000 20 120 180
Improved grass, not fertilised 4,000 70 560 840
Improved grass, well fertilised 8,000 70 1,120 1,680
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 7
Pastoral Industry Feed Advisory Bulletin now available
Dionne Walsh, Rangeland Program Manager, Pastoral Production, Berrimah
The DPIF has a new information bulletin that summarises current feed supplies, seasonal conditions and fire risk for each of the 11 pastoral districts in the NT.
This bulletin is produced quarterly and the March 2014 bulletin is now available on our website as a pdf or MS Word document:
www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/pi/outlook/2014-03_NT_Pastoral_Feed_Outlook.pdf
www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/pi/outlook/2014-03_NT_Pastoral_Feed_Outlook.docx
If you would like to receive an email alert when a new bulletin is available, please contact [email protected].
Following are some examples of what can be found in the Bulletin.
Running total of median pasture growth in kilograms per hectare (kg/ha):
This graph shows that the long-term median pasture growth in the Katherine pastoral district is just over 2,000 kg/ha. The red line shows that 2013/14 pasture growth is tracking similarly to 2012/13 and has almost reached the long-term median this wet season
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
No
v
De
c
Jan
Feb
Ma
r
Apr
Ma
y
Jun
Median 2012/13 2013/14
P a g e | 8 Katherine Rural Review
Total 2013/14 pasture growth (July 2013–February 2014):
This map shows how much pasture has grown across the Katherine district this wet season. Most areas have received more than 1,000 kg/ha of growth.
Current estimated total Standing Dry Matter (as at end February 2014):
This map shows how much pasture is estimated to be standing in the Katherine district. Most areas have more than 1,000 kg/ha of standing pasture biomass, with some having very high levels above 3,000 kg/ha. [But see box below].
This is just a taste of what is in the Bulletin. The information can be used to:
see how this year compares to last year and to the long-term
identify whether you might have potential feed surpluses or deficits
assess fire risk
get an idea of whether there might be more growth this season.
Feedback on the Bulletin is welcome, please email [email protected] or [email protected]
The pasture and fire risk information in the Bulletin is derived from AussieGRASS. AussieGRASS is a
model that simulates pasture growth and standing biomass using climate data, vegetation mapping, fire
history and regional estimates of grazing pressure. Note that the model does not use stocking rate data
for individual properties. Where stock numbers are significantly higher or lower than typical for a district,
model estimates of total standing dry matter may be erroneous.
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 9
Irrigated fodder production in the Tennant Creek Region
Arthur Cameron, Principal Pastures and Extension Agronomist, Pastoral Production, Berrimah
There has been renewed interest in growing fodder under irrigation in the Tennant Creek Region.
A preliminary evaluation of irrigated fodder species was conducted on Helen Springs Station between 1999 and 2001 by Stanbroke Pastoral Company and departmental staff.
The demonstration consisted of ten single irrigated strips of forages and an unirrigated strip of Flinders grass (Table 1 below). Three fertiliser treatments were laid out across the forage strips, and a control strip was not fertilised.
Table 1. Forages sown
Cultivar Scientific name
Cavalcade Centrosema pascuorum
Maldonado Macroptilium gracile
Milgarra blue pea Clitoria ternatea
Sequel Medicago sativa
Jarra finger grass Digitaria milanjiana
Jumbo forage sorghum Sorghum sp
Nutrifeed Pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum
Red Flinders grass Iseilema vaginiflorum
Silk sorghum Sorghum sp
Sugargraze forage sorghum Sorghum sp
The plots were sown on 10 and 11 February 1999. Only five of the forages established. The plant populations and yields from the two harvests are presented in Table 2.
Table 2. Plant populations and harvest yields 1999
Cultivar Plant population
(plants/m2)
Harvest 1 28/4/99
(tonnes/ha)
Harvest 2 16/6/99
(tonnes/ha)
Total yield (tonnes/ha)
Jumbo 4 10.1 1.7 11.8
Sugargraze 10 8.9 1.6 10.5
Nutrifeed 11 7.2 1.1 8.3
Silk 2 5.1 D* 5.1
Milgarra 14 1.9 D* 1.9
D* Plots damaged by grasshoppers
All of the plots were replanted in the first week of December 1999. Establishment was acceptable for all except Jarra, Maldonado and Red Flinders grass.
The plots were irrigated by subsurface dripper irrigation. Fertilisers were applied in the irrigation water in 2000. The harvest yields for 2000 and 2001 are presented in Table 3.
P a g e | 10 Katherine Rural Review
Table 3. Yields of dry matter at harvest dates and total yields (tonnes/ha)
Cultivar Yield at harvest date Total
Yield 19/01/00 23/03/00 25/05/00 26/07/00 04/10/00 17/01/01
Sugargraze 11.0 3.1 2.9 9.0 9.9 35.7
Jumbo 8.9 2.8 2.6 3.3 6.0 5.4 29.0
Silk 8.6 3.6 2.4 6.6 7.0 28.2
Milgara 5.0* 1.9 1.6 1.9 10.3*
Sequel 1.3 2.0 4.1 7.3
Nutrifeed 3.5 3.0 6.5
Cavalcade 2.4 2.4
*Yield data for Milgara in March was lost. Yield was estimated at five tonnes/ha
Results and discussion
Wallabies and grasshoppers can cause significant damage to forages.
The forage sorghum lines produced high forage yields. Sugargraze is a sweet sorghum line and is more palatable than Jumbo and Silk. Milgara was the best legume in this demonstration.
As plant growth slows down during the June to August period, planting in August will allow establishment before temperatures get too hot in October. Opportunistic harvests can be carried out during breaks in the wet season, with a final harvest in June.
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 11
AACo leaders’ forum
By Whitney Dollemore, Pastoral Research Officer, Katherine Pastoral Production
Recently 20 up-and-coming leaders from Northern Territory AACo properties spent the afternoon at the Katherine Research Station (KRS). Leading hands, head stockmen and overseers visited KRS as part of AACo’s Northern Region Leaders forum, which ran over several days and included sessions on OH&S, leadership development, financial planning, and StockIT® training.
The afternoon at KRS aimed to lay the foundations for a communication highway between DPIF and aspiring AACo leaders, enabling continued extension of industry-relevant research directly to those on the ground. The aim of the afternoon was to provide an overview of DPIF cattle and rangelands research and development, with a focus on what the science meant practically, day to day for station staff.
One of the highlights of the afternoon was a bull selection activity using a few ‘bull-like’ specimens from the audience! This led to animated discussions about the strengths and flaws of each ‘bull’. Needless to say, after culling for conformation and deciding fertility was the top priority there was little competition.
The AACo young leaders were also taken on a tour of KRS, which included irrigated forage production and the newly developed research feeding pens. In the classroom, topics included tropical crossbreeding options, factors affecting fertility and calf loss in commercial beef herds in northern Australia, knowing your pasture species and other current rangelands research—all generated a great deal of discussion.
Overall the KRS visit was very well received by participants who stated that it was “really informative”, “directly relevant to their job,” and delivered by a “team that is very easy to understand and approach”. The Katherine Pastoral Production team look forward to watching the young AACo staff develop into progressive northern leaders.
P a g e | 12 Katherine Rural Review
Emergency animal disease recognition training
John Eccles, Veterinary Officer, Katherine Research Station
The Katherine Animal Biosecurity Staff recently attended an Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) recognition course, together with NT private veterinarians. The aim of the course was to ‘activate’ participants’ awareness so that early recognition of an emergency disease—including Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), rabies, or Australian bat lyssavirus—can be made should they be detected.
Early detection is the key to limiting the spread of any exotic disease, with the costs for eradication for FMD ranging from an estimated $10 billion for a limited infected area, to an astronomical $70 billion should the disease become widespread. We in the NT must regard ourselves as on the frontline in Australia’s early detection capacity.
Peter Saville (BPI Veterinarian Alice Springs) presented us with all the intricacies of establishing a ‘Livestock Standstill Exercise’. This would be the immediate reaction that would be imposed once a highly suspicious case of an exotic disease such as FMD was diagnosed. Live shipments, abattoirs and their products, sale yards, and any movement of cloven-hooved livestock would be affected. All movements would be subject to an immediate standstill. We simply can’t afford to ignore the fact that an invasion of a serious exotic disease may occur —it may not be if, but when.
Awareness and preparedness need to be our key objectives.
Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) Malcolm Anderson discussed the importance of reporting any notifiable disease, of which there are around 105 in the NT. These include the endemic diseases (ones we already have) as well as exotic and emerging diseases. Malcolm’s experience with the recent rabies outbreak in Bali alerted us all to just how close some of these major exotics are to Australia.
Veterinary pathologist Dr Cathy Shilton from the Berrimah Veterinary Laboratory gives BPI staff and NT private veterinarians an update on the human health risks relating to the Australian bat lyssavirus and the need for extreme caution in the handling of bats
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 13
Exercise Odysseus—the National Livestock Standstill Exercise Program
If Australia is ever unfortunate enough to have an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), a critical measure in limiting the spread will be to stop the movement of all susceptible livestock, initially for 72 hours. This is known as a National Livestock Standstill.
Later this year, the NT Animal Biosecurity Branch will be taking part in Exercise Odysseus—the National Livestock Standstill Exercise Program—which will test our capacity to implement a livestock standstill in the NT and nation-wide. Exercise Odysseus is aimed at enhancing government and industry preparedness for, and implementation of, a national livestock standstill in response to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
This will be a desktop exercise only, and will not involve stopping any livestock movements. Nationally, Exercise Odysseus is a series of discussions, exercises, and field-based activities will be held throughout 2014. The exercise scenario, which will be consistent across the program, is based on a hypothetical outbreak of FMD, which is initially detected in Queensland.
It must be noted that this is an exercise only and there is no FMD in Australia. The objectives of the exercise are to:
assess national, jurisdictional and industry arrangements for implementing and managing a
livestock standstill
assess mechanisms for communicating a national livestock standstill and their effectiveness
assess coordination within and between government and non-government agencies and
industry, prior to, and during a national livestock standstill.
A national planning team is in place for Exercise Odysseus, representing government agencies responsible for biosecurity, livestock and associated industries, and Animal Health Australia.
Discussions and exercises are planned for the NT on 30 July 2014 in Alice Springs and 13 August 2014 in Darwin. These will be preceded by regional workshops to familiarise stakeholders with the potential impact of foot-and-mouth disease, the purpose of a livestock standstill, and the roles of various agencies and stakeholders in the implementation of a standstill. These include industry, the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, stock agents, export and trucking yards, NT Department of Transport, and Darwin Port Corporation.
Invitations to the workshops and exercises will be circulated soon and we hope that this important activity will be supported by all concerned.
The NT Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries contacts for Exercise Odysseus are:
Darwin District Coordinator, Graham Schultz (8999 2206 / 0401 111 181)
Katherine District Coordinator, John Eccles (8973 9716 / 0437 527 372)
Tennant Creek Coordinator, Tom Haines (8962 4458 / 0401 113 445)
Alice Springs District Coordinator, Greg Crawford (8951 8125 / 0401 118 125)
Anyone requiring further information on the exercise or clarification please contact Exercise Coordinator, Peter Saville, on (08) 8951 8181 or 0401 118 181.
New Workplace Health & Safety campaign to start in May
The Northern Territory cattle industry will be the focus of a work health and safety (WHS) campaign scheduled for May 2014. The campaign will focus on providing information and assistance to cattle station owners and workers to help them understand their responsibility to provide a safe workplace under work health and safety legislation.
NT Worksafe workers’ compensation statistics shows that in the cattle industry between 2009 and 2013, there were several fatalities and 792 incidents resulting in workers’ compensation claims. Over five years, claims cost the industry $24,443,733.
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The top three causes of workplace incidents were: being hit by an animal (29% of claims); falls from a height (25% of claims); and vehicle incidents (17% of claims).
NT Worksafe Officers will commence workplace visits to selected cattle stations across the Territory from May to September 2014. The workplace visits will provide:
information to raise awareness of WHS operational roles and responsibilities of the station
owner, station managers, supervisors, workers and contractors
information on safety inductions for new workers and contractors
information on conducting risk assessments on workplace hazards including farm machinery
and equipment.
The campaign is part of a national initiative aimed at reducing the risk of death and injury associated with agriculture in Australia, with each jurisdiction focusing on different facets of the agriculture sector.
For additional information, visit www.worksafe.nt.gov.au
New faces: Mook Crothers
Mook Crothers
Born and raised: Gawler, SA
Position: Quarantine Officer of Biosecurity and Product Integrity
Backstory: Mook first came to Katherine in 1988 for a three month stint as a weeds officer with the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries. Mook enjoyed the community and the scenery so much, he has stayed for eight years.
Mook next became Landcare Co-ordinator for the Department of Lands Planning and Environment. After seven years there, Mook moved on to Greening Australia where he enjoyed participating in community projects. More recently, he worked with the Katherine Regional Group School, managing infrastructure, fleet repairs and maintenance.
Through his experiences, Mook has developed a strong passion for natural resource management and enjoys working with land managers in the Katherine Region to help them achieve their production goals.
Role at KRS: Mook’s current role with DPIF has him undertaking audits for Interstate Certification Assurance programs, and conducting banana freckle surveillance, fruit fly monitoring and myrtle rust monitoring.
Free WHS Act compliance assistance available for NT farmers and pastoralists
Primary Industries Safety Advice (PISAFE) is a project to address the high number of workers’ compensation claims from those working in primary industries. Organisations representing these industries include the NT Cattlemen’s Association, NT Seafood Council, and the NT Farmers’ Association. Each of the industries has a high incidence of muscular skeletal injuries, falls, and workers being hit by objects.
The project is funded by government and can offer free assistance for organisations to meet legal obligations under the WHS Act 2012. Resources include checklists for employers to use in managing their WHS system.
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 15
Work health and safety manuals contain generic WHS material, with industry-specific variations--avoiding mango sap burn for mango farmers, and cattle yard safety for pastoralists, for example.
Using a Safety Management System (SMS), the manager or owner of a cattle station, farm or seafood business can demonstrate they regularly maintain equipment and appraise with WHS in mind. The manuals will help in this regard when inducting new employees, for example—the employee’s signature verifies they have received the training.
The manual is user friendly and by working through it and making minor modifications,, the result is a record of management striving to improve awareness and access to work health and safety information.
Visits and workshops are offered by Rod Smith, the Project Officer on site. Materials will be monitored and updates will occur through the PITAC website at www.pitac.org.au. For more information about the PISAFE program, refer to NTCA, NTFA, and NTSC.
For further details, contact Rod Smith, WHS Project Officer, Primary Industries Safety Advice
Phone 8981 0055 or 0488 944 551, or email: [email protected]
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Why pastures matter:
what are the major pasture species?
why are certain species important for maintaining land condition and cattle condition?
how does pasture quantity and quality change throughout the year?
Weed management:
learn to identify various weeds and strategies for preventing, managing and controlling
weeds on station.
Fire management:
fire can be more than just a threat to livestock and infrastructure. If used properly, fire
can also be a valuable land management tool.
Animal nutrition:
learn more about the digestive system and nutritiional requirements of cattle, as well as
wet and dry season supplementation strategies.
Manager for a day:
in the paddock, discuss pasture types, pasture monitoring, requirements of cattle, and
stocking rates. Around the table, develop a station plan incorporating all the issues
discussed during the day.
For more details contact:
Katherine Research Station
Trisha Cowley Jodie Ward 08 8973 9770 08 8973 9730
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 17
Round the Region
Above left: Cows making the most of the phosphorus supplementation being fed out this wet season
Above right: Action on the Ground trial site. Grant and Johnny take soil samples for chemical analysis prior to treatment application
Left: No temperament issues here! Whitney Dollemore, Pastoral Production Officer, was asked for a scratch while checking on the Selected Brahman Herd earlier this month, preparing for the annual bull sale in September
Katherine Rural Review P a g e | 20
Katherine region events calendar Event Location Date
2014 AUSVEG National Convention, Trade Show and Awards for Excellence
Cairns 19–21 June www.ausveg.com.au
Kidman Springs Field Day VRD 13 August [email protected]
International Horticultural Congress Brisbane 17–22 August
www.ihc2014.org
NT Field Days Katherine Research Station
18–19 September
Please email us with updates of events happening in your area: [email protected]
.
Disclaimer
While all care has been taken to ensure that information contained in this publication is true and correct at the time of publication, the Northern Territory of Australia gives no warranty or assurance, and makes no representation as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in this publication, or that it is suitable for your intended use. No serious business or investment decisions should be made in reliance on this information without obtaining independent and professional advice or both in relation to your particular situation.
Reproduction of Rural Review articles
The Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (DPIF) welcomes the reproduction of articles appearing in this newsletter, but requests that the technical information be confirmed with the editor or author, prior to publication. The department also requests that acknowledgement be made for any original work sourced from the Katherine Rural Review.
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