Who's New in the Zoo?
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• Who’s New in the Zoo? • TC & District Show • Barkly Beef Dinner • Bluebush = LWG • Note from A/RD • KRS Open Day • We want your thoughts • Barkly Course • BRAC Update • NGS Project • Rubberbush Debate • Water Belly • HGP Hygiene • Forage Budgeting • Aussie Grass Update • Brunette 100 Years • Parkinsonia Dieback • Learn your plants • Rangelands Conference • Athel Pine Control • Media Releases • Around the traps • Notices/Reminders • PD Courses • In the Spotlight/TOTT • What, When & Where • Pastoral Market Update ISSN: 1325-9539 MARCH 2010 WHO’S NEW IN THE ZOO? On 22 February, the Tennant Creek Department of Resources (DoR) office welcomed new Livestock Biosecurity Officer, Greg Maguire. Greg is originally from Grafton, northern NSW, and after leaving school at the end of 1994, worked on a local cattle station for 4 years. After a taste of the beef industry, he then set off north and spent 6 years working on Mt Sanford in the VRD, 4 of these as Headstockman. At the end of 2004, Greg then transferred to Moolooloo Station where he worked for 18 months, again as Headstockman. He then decided to return to his homeland and for 12 months, was the Assistant Manager on a smaller place near Grafton. In 2007 Greg broadened his horizons and took on 4 months of work in America working on a ranch and a Thoroughbred Stud. On his return to Australia, Greg went back to Moolooloo as the bore runner/mechanic until the end of the season in 2007. Previous Mt Sanford Manager, Paul Stone, then asked Greg to return to Mt Sanford to run the camp for the 2008 and 2009 season. Greg has settled into town life well so far but is also looking forward to getting out and seeing the Barkly first-hand. Hopefully he didn’t become too attached to trees during his time in the VRD! DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES BARKLY BEEF www.nt.gov.au/dor 2 BLUEBUSH PADDOCK ON THE BARKLY PRODUCES DRY-SEASON WEIGHT GAINS Sarah Streeter, Beef Research Officer, DoR Tennant Creek Bluebush (Chenopodium auricomum), is an upright, soft-wooded shrub that grows in the heavy clay soils of the Barkly, usually on flood plains or low-lying areas. It may be known as Northern, Swamp or Queensland Bluebush, and is of the same plant family as the saltbushes. It is highly nutritious, with crude protein levels as high as 20%, and is readily grazed by stock. A mob of 2009 weaner steers recorded average dry-season weight-gains of 0.31kg/day, grazing a paddock with a mix of Mitchell grass (Astrebla spp.) and bluebush with no supplementation. The paddock contains approximately 18% of the Sylvester landsystem, which grows bluebush. The weight gains by far exceed 0.06kg/day recorded on a second Barkly Figure 1: Bluebush growing in amongst Mitchell mob (supplemented) and -0.11kg/day in a third mob grass tussocks on the Barkly (unsupplemented), all grazing predominantly Mitchell grass paddocks, containing no Bluebush, on other properties. Diet quality of the steers was determined by collecting mob faecal samples over the dry season months, which have been analysed using F.NIRS (faecal near infrared reflectance spectroscopy). Figure 3 shows the results for crude protein (%) and non-grass (%) of the steers over these months. The bluebush component of the diet is represented in the non-grass results (including other forbs) (red line on graph), which reached as high as 64% of the diet. We can see that the crude protein content of the diet follows these levels closely. The protein intake of the animals remained above maintenance requirements (shown by the reference line) over this time. While there may be Figure 2: Project animals in forward condition in other property factors affecting weight gain of this mob October compared to other Barkly properties, the F.NIRS results demonstrate that a positive plane of nutrition was in effect. 13 70 12 65 60 This information was 11 collected as part of the NT 55 10 Liveweight Gain Project, a 50 collaborative project 9 45 between DoR and Meat and Livestock Australia. 8 40 For more information, 7 35 non-grass(%) please contact Sarah crude(%)protein Streeter on (08) 8962 6 30 4487 or 25 5 [email protected] Crude protein (%) 20 non-grass (%) 4 15 Crude protein (%) Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct maintenance requirement Figure 3: Dietary crude protein (%) and non-grass (%), and crude protein maintenance requirements (%) of a group of weaner steers grazing a Mitchell grass/bluebush pasture in the Barkly Region. The Sylvester landsystem, which grows bluebush, follows the ‘blacksoil plains’ area through the centre of the Barkly. It is a valuable component of a mixed native pasture, and this data shows that it can sustain a considerable level of animal production during the dry season when pasture grasses lack nutritional value. DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES BARKLY BEEF www.nt.gov.au/dor 3 A NOTE FROM THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR (ACTING) Neil McDonald, Tennant Creek A/Regional Director, DoR Katherine I hope all our Barkly Beef readers are enjoying some There are some other changes within the Pastoral rain. It is certainly pouring today in Tennant Creek. I see Production Division and Primary Industries Group which that the forecast for March is for good pasture growth should provide additional support to the team in so that by the end of the wet it should have been an Tennant Creek. Tim Schatz has been appointed to lead average or above average season over most of the cattle research across the Territory and to provide Barkly. I hope the Bureau have got it right. Many parts guidance to local staff. Many will know Tim from his of the region do not seem to have got their fair share so work on heifer performance which has had an impact far. across many parts of the North Australian cattle industry. Ted Martin is still laid up with his injured leg but tells me that it is getting better. He has the cast off and is Dionne Walsh has become the coordinator of the starting to put more weight on it. He should be able to Department’s rangelands program across the NT. start getting around more in a few weeks, though full Dionne has only recently joined the Government but recovery will be a slow business. has had extensive experience in both Central Australia and the Katherine Region in private enterprise and as a I would like to warmly welcome Greg Maguire who has member of the Centralian Land Management joined us as a biosecurity officer specifically to address Association. the current tick outbreak. Many will know Greg as he Sarah Streeter is expected to move to Katherine in the has worked on NT stations for many years. I remember next few months. Although located in Katherine Sarah him well from Mt Sanford and other VRD properties. will still play a significant role across the Barkly. Scott Wauchope has given an update on the senior I will remain as Katherine Regional Director and will Pastoral Production position for the region. Our last also be taking on a broader role to oversee and lead attempt at advertising did not attract any suitable research across the Primary Industries Group. candidates. This has led to a re-think about how the Department can best service the Barkly industry and Finally I would like to add my thanks to Geoff Murrell for support our staff in Tennant Creek. With the support of being such an active chairman of the Barkly Region industry, the decision has been made to move the P3 Advisory Committee (BRAC). In this role Geoff has position to Alice Springs to increase the chance of raised the profile and reputation of the Barkly industry, getting a suitable applicant. This new position will also and has been a great source of advice for us. I am not manage and lead the Alice Springs team, providing sure how he manages to balance all his different better integration and cooperation between the teams of responsibilities, but I am glad that he has been both centres. prepared to devote so much energy to the BRAC chairmanship. Meanwhile recruitment to fill Ken Scott’s position in Tennant Creek is in progress. There were some good I warmly welcome Di Sorley from Lake Nash to the role applicants and we are confident that we can appoint a of BRAC chairman. suitable team member. Neil MacDonald Regional Director Katherine DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES BARKLY BEEF www.nt.gov.au/dor 4 DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCES BARKLY BEEF www.nt.gov.au/dor 5 Resignation of Geoff Murrell as Chairman Geoff Murrell (Helen Springs station) has completed his tenure of four years as BRAC Chairman, since recently taking on the role as branch Chairman for NTCA. The region has been very fortunate to have someone with Geoff’s passion and progressiveness ensuring that our region has input into the direction of MLA funding for RD&E across northern Australia. One such example of this is Geoff’s perseverance with pushing Rubberbush invasiveness on pastoral lands as a regional priority, which has seen MLA accept a preliminary proposal to fund in excess of $600 000 in research in this area^. Holding up to four committee meetings per year, and attending biannual Northern Beef Industry Committee (NBIC) and North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC) meetings, Geoff has put in a considerable amount of his time fulfilling the Chairperson duties. On behalf of the local industry and DoR, I would like to thank Geoff for the dedication he has shown in the position. [^ See page 8 for further details of recent planning in Rubberbush research] Introducing Di Sorley as new BRAC Chairperson Di brings to the BRAC Chairperson position an impressive breadth of relevant experience and technical knowledge.