PowerPoint Presentation

Animals Behaving At Their BestStress Free StockmanshipSelf Herding1

A change for the betterLets take a walk on the mild side...... and get to some goldStress Free Stockmanship2

Animals Can ChangeThey can:Change what they eatChange where they goChange how long they do it

We can be an active part of that.We can change them to help the ecology and us.Stress Free Stockmanship3

Some guidance from the leading Animal Behaviouralist of our timeGary Larsen of course!Stress Free Stockmanship4

Labels for me.Stress Free Stockmanship5Husband, Father, 4th Generation Family FarmerCell grazer, holistic manager, No Kill Cropper, tree grower, shrub grower, Alley cropper, Carbon Farmer, Stress Free Stockmanship instructor, Self Herding instructor and farming systems analyst.

Where we liveOur farm called Willydah- 3700acres in central New South Wales.We grow Sheep, cattle, shrubs and trees.We have reinstated the ecological functions on our farm.Stress Free Stockmanship6

We practice what we preachStress Free Stockmanship7We have rebuilt the 3 landscape layers and planted in patterns inspired by Permaculture.

A Comparison of animal handling skillsYou Americans are very good!!Stress Free Stockmanship8

You are a bunch of predators!Humans cant stop being humans- your predatorial instincts are born into you!Stress Free Stockmanship9

Animals will go into difficult places- willinglyAs long as you actively de-stress themStress Free Stockmanship10

We can let animals eat weedsLET- not get or make them eat weeds!If you make them eat something they may reject it forever.Stress Free Stockmanship11

Weed EatingStress Free Stockmanship12You can expand their dietary choices.BUT we must do it by choice not by force.

Examples of Livestock eating problem plantsCattle and sheep eating tussocks and thistles.Stress Free Stockmanship13

How did we let the animals become weed eaters?Active De-stressing, getting them to the point where they had little anxiety then allowed them to experiment in company with many others with a new food.Stress Free Stockmanship14

Culture drives preferencesStress Free Stockmanship15

We can let them Self Herd- Rangeland Self HerdingStress Free Stockmanship16

This is being pioneered in Western Australia on large Cattle and Sheep Stations- 350,000 acres to 2.3 million acres.We are doing this with Behavioural principles.

7 RSH principlesHuman-animal interactions shape outcomesInternal feedback sets behavioursExperience reinforces behavioursDiet diversity animals seek itAdaptability required for change Individuals and groups influence each otherBroad consequences everything is connected

RSH ElementsUsing new approaches and some new parts we achieve results that magnify the elements.Stress Free Stockmanship18ApproachesMethodsCuesIngredients

Jigsaw CircuitsAtttractant HoppingAttractant CoathangerSalt

Rangeland RotationsAttractantLeapfroggingAttractant ClotheslineBruces BrewSkimmer BoxesWhistleMineral licksGuidance FencesAttractant troughsLoose LIckJackpotsMobile lick feedersLick blocksSuper JackpotsLouvre FencesLime/GypsumSpreader FencesMolassesTeaser TrianglesGrainsPelletsChaff, hay

By using various attractants.

Cued to Visual, Audio and physical signals

We can achieve a huge number of formerly impossible things

Relocation retentions (letting animals stay in a new place)Managed migrations (moving groups of animals across the landscape)Diversions (directing animals away from sensitive areas)Adaptations (ensuring animals adapt quickly to new surroundings)Discovery (finding the presence of animals in the landscape-ie predators)Rehabilitation (concentrating or dispersing animal impact for change of state)Woody plant encroachments (allowing animals to increase consumption)

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New water point

Aimed to retain cattle in this area of unburnt country

Cattle collected from various parts of the property and relocated to new water point

An example of relocating and retaining cattle in an unburnt area after a large fire

Animals using a new area- trap yards

Water point

FenceRiver permanent water

Water point

Fence

2 kmRiver permanent water

6 kmconventionalRangelands Self Herding

Low use spinifex (Pindan) area

High utilisation area

Stages of RSS12

etc.

AugustNovember

Collar 2Oct redNov yellowDec greenJan blueFeb purple

We can provide cues for the animals we manage so that they choose the result that we want.

RSH Planning Wheel

Global Grasslands can shape the globeStress Free Stockmanship36

It set a new record for a land-based carbon sink since high-resolution records began in 1958, in a remarkable example of ecosystems working to stabilise the Earths climate.And that had a global impact. While atmospheric carbon dioxide still rose in 2011, it grew at a much lower rate nearly 20% lower than the average growth over the previous decade.Almost 60% of the higher than normal carbon uptake that year, or 840m tonnes, happened in Australia. That was due to a combination of factors, including geography and a run of very dry years, followed by record-breaking rains in 2010-11.- Nature Journal, May 2014What we do with our animals affects the storage and emissions of the whole world.

The big ideasBy changing your animals behaviour you expand their range of area and diet. That changes their epigenetics which allows them to further expand their options and learn from mum and their peers.Stress Free Stockmanship37

The Big IdeasWe can further cue them to explore even more widely.This increases their adaptability and lessens their impact across the environment. This changes the whole globe.You guide all of these by changing our human behaviour.Stress Free Stockmanship38

As you goEnjoy PV2 and behave yourselves!!Stress Free Stockmanship39

Thats Gold!!See: regenerativefarming channel on YoutubeRead: stressfreestockmanship.comnokillcropping.com selfherding.comthelazyfarmer.comAsk: Ill be at the pavilion at 1pm each day

Bruces BrewStress Free Stockmanship40The cheapest mineral supplement in the world!You are only allowed to use it if you call it Bruces Brew!!