Now Loading

Economic comparison of management strategy options for beef businesses

Page published: December 2, 2024 | Page reviewed: August 21, 2025

Queensland Department of Primary Industries staff are investigating a range of management strategies and technologies aimed at making our grazing businesses more profitable and drought resilient. This work was initially funded by the Queensland Government’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program (2017-2021) with ongoing work continuing supported by the GrazingFutures Livestock Business Resilience Project (2022 – present).

Economic analyses have been conducted to assess strategies and technologies relevant to grazing regions across Queensland. In addition, various fact sheets have been developed to support decision-making during response and recovery stages of drought.

The regions below include:

  • Northern Gulf
  • Maranoa
  • Northern Downs
  • Mulga Lands

Further analyses are currently in progress or being finalised for the Burdekin, Central West, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary regions. It will be added to this page once available.

Northern Gulf NRM region of Queensland

In this region, the economic assessment included the following beef production strategies:

  • addressing a decline in land condition through a reduction in stocking rates and systematic wet season spelling;
  • adequate wet season phosphorus supplements for all cattle;
  • stylos, leucaena, production feeding, silage, agistment and changing age of turnoff for steers; and
  • better genetics for fertility, home-bred bulls, reducing foetal/calf loss, and feeding first calf heifers for breeders.

Lower cost strategies to improve drought resilience, as well as drought response and drought recovery strategies, were also assessed.

Printable fact sheets (available below) were developed to summarise key findings for different scenarios.

A report with results for the Northern Gulf NRM region is also available for download: Northern Gulf beef production systems – preparing for, responding to and recovering from drought (PDF, 4.5 MB)

Maranoa region of Queensland

In this region, the economic assessment included the following beef production strategies:

  • Optimising steer sale age and female culling.
  • Turning off weaner steers.
  • Feeding supplements to steers.
  • Grazing weaner steers on forage oats.
  • Trading and backgrounding steers.

In addition, the value of growing 400ha of wheat as a cash crop was investigated.

Printable fact sheets (available below) were developed to summarise key findings for different scenarios.

A full report analysing results for the Maranoa region of Queensland is also available for download: Maranoa beef production systems – Analysing management strategies to build resilience (PDF, 1 MB)

Northern Downs region of Queensland

In this region, the economic assessment included the following beef production strategies:

  • increasing age of steer turnoff, and optimising cow and heifer culling age;
  • HGPs, and molasses production mix for steers;
  • home-bred bulls, better genetics for fertility, reducing foetal/calf loss, first mating heifers as yearlings, and supplementing first-calf yearling heifers;
  • converting from breeding to steer turnover, transferring steers from a Northern Gulf property to the Northern Downs property when both were owned within the same business, purchasing a Northern Gulf breeding property, and purchasing a steer growing and finishing property in the Dawson-Callide; and
  • managing prickly acacia.

Printable fact sheets (available below) were developed to summarise key findings for different scenarios.

A full report with results for the Northern Downs region of Queensland is also available for download: Northern Downs beef production systems – preparing for, responding to and recovering from drought (PDF, 2.7 MB).

Mulga Lands of south west Queensland

In this region, the economic assessment included the following beef production strategies:

    • implementing the safe carrying capacity through a reduction in stocking rate;
    • weaning, pregnancy-testing and basic vaccinations;
    • increasing the age of steer turnoff from yearling steers to 18 months;
    • inorganic supplements in the dry period (S, P, N) and/or growing period (S, P);
    • converting from breeding to steer turnover;
    • controlled mating;
    • feeding whole cottonseed to the breeder herd
    • buffel paddock development; and
    • destocking in response to dry periods through a) livestock sales or b) sending breeders on agistment.

In addition, the alternative investment options of rangeland goat production and carbon farming were assessed.

Printable fact sheets (available below) were developed to summarise key findings for the different scenarios.

A full report with results for the Mulga Lands region is also available for download: Mulga lands production systems preparing for, responding to and recovering from drought. (PDF, 3 MB)

Additional support available

We recommend seeking exploring your individual situation and seeking further advice before making any significant business decisions.

Did you know that Queensland beef producers can take advantage of a free service of personalised economic analyses conducted, specific to their business?  This service is provided by the DPI team of beef economists and extension officers. The story of what one family has gained from utilising this service for their beef operation can be read here.

Email the beef team at breedcow@dpi.qld.gov.au if you would like us to visit your property or call 13 25 23.

For more information about this topic or any others please email us at 

Topics Projects Economics Economics of production systems