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Innovations in Ag: Change in grazing techniques improves drought resilience in the rangeland

Kylie and Bill Burton run ‘Saltern Creek’, an 8,282ha red meat enterprise near Barcaldine. Nine years of drought, leading to total destocking, resulted in an evolution of the business from 100 percent beef cattle to a mixed sheep, goat and cattle enterprise, grazed using an adaptive, multi-species rotational system. As seen on satellite data and forage reports from Long Paddock, this move has led to an increase in groundcover to levels not seen in some areas of Saltern Creek during the last 30 years of imagery. While the growth is partially due to increased rainfall, the evolving grazing system has been a contributing factor, as shown in the Burtons data monitoring, which is used to support decision making and analyse the results of their pasture management. Kylie and Bill have also noticed positive effects on weed reduction and biodiversity by incorporating multiple species of livestock. Their goats have helped to reduce the woody weeds (in particular Prickly Acacia/Vachellia nilotica), and by rotating sheep, cattle and goats through previously unused areas, they have noticed a return of native grasses in those tracts of land, including, Mitchell Grasses (Astrebla lappacea, A. elymoides, and A. pectinata), and Flinders Grass (Iseilema sp.). With an El Nino likely on the horizon, Kylie is interested to see how better management of their improved ground cover, and ongoing data to support decision making, will support them to navigate through dry periods. Kylie and Bill are just one example of producers in Australia’s rangelands who are transforming their grazing techniques to improve the productivity and sustainability of their enterprise under the volatile conditions, including low or unreliable rainfall, in their area. Find out more in our Innovations in Agriculture series here: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/inno...