Indicative Stocking Rates – Northern Gulf & Upper Herbert

There is a large variation in land types across northern Australia and each land type has a different grazing value and carrying capacity. Indicative stocking rates for each land type can assist producers in matching stocking rate to carrying capacity.

The Northern Beef Team, including Bernie English, Joe Rolfe, Kev Shaw and Jimmy Kernot, have created a guide to stocking rates for the Northern Gulf and Upper Herbert Regions. These can be used in conjunction with local knowledge to match stocking rates to carrying capacity at a paddock level.

These stocking rates are based on land in A condition and 100% access.

• Land in A condition has all the following features:
  • Good coverage of 3P grasses (perennial, palatable and productive) for that land type with less than 30% bare ground
  • No significant weed infestations
  • Good soil surface condition and no erosion
  • No sign, or early signs, of woodland thickening
  • 100% long-term carrying capacity

• 100% access refers to a reasonable stock water distribution where the grazing range is 2-3km from water.

Table 1. Broad land types recognises across the Northern Gulf Region, grazing value of each land type in A condition and a guide to carrying capacity. The highest value land is rated 10 and other land types as a fraction of the best type. This carrying capacity guide is based on reasonable stock water distribution (2-3km grazing range from water).

Table 2. Land types recognised across the Upper Herbert Region and grazing value of each type in good condition. The highest value land is rated 10 and other land types rated as a fraction of the best type.