Helping grazing businesses become more profitable and drought resilient is the aim of a QDAF project funded by the Queensland Government’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program. Economic analyses are being conducted for a number of regions across Queensland. A range of management strategies and technologies aimed at making grazing businesses more profitable and drought resilient are being assessed. In addition, the project is examining options in the drought response and recovery phases. A report summarising results for the Fitzroy NRM region of central Queensland is now available for download. In this region assessment of alternative beef production strategies included:
- leucaena, other legumes, forage oats, feedlotting and HGPs for steers;
- better genetics for fertility, reducing foetal/calf loss, pestivirus management, inorganic supplements to address P deficiency, and feeding first calf heifers for breeders; and
- alternative markets such as organic beef, EU and Wagyu.
Other low cost strategies to improve drought resilience, as well as drought response and drought recovery strategies, were also assessed.
Download a copy of the Fitzroy beef production systems – preparing for, responding to, and recovering from drought (PDF, 3.5 MB).
DCAP-DAF6_Fitzroy_Management-strategies-for-drought-resilience_May-2019.pdf
