The popular Rangeland Management Courses are underway for 2022

The presumed end of the short-lived 2021-22 wet season in the Top End coincided with the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) team delivering Rangeland Management Courses across the Barkly Tableland in mid-March.

The lack of a decent wet season in some parts of the Territory was a stark reminder of the importance of the courses. The sessions help educate people who may go on and become the next generation of station head stockmen and women, managers and owners on managing rangelands for long-term sustainability and profitability. Introducing these staff to the environmental aspect of cattle management at early stages in their careers is vital for the future of the industry. This is particularly important with the increased public awareness on reversing environmental damage that may have been caused by drought or poorly managed grazing.

While senior and more seasoned staff can take part in the free Rangeland Management Courses, the one-day, on-property courses are aimed at less experienced station staff. The courses provide a basic knowledge and understanding of what influences the condition of rangelands and how to manage the rangeland and grazing animal interaction. The topics include pasture dynamics, land condition, cattle nutrition, weeds, poisonous plants, fire management and biodiversity.

The first stop of the trip was Lake Nash, set in beautiful and productive country near the Northern Territory and Queensland where the Barkly Tableland transforms into the Simpson Desert. Next was Rocklands Station, followed by Helen Springs on the Barkly Stock Route. Across the 3 courses, around 50 keen participants fired questions and actively involved themselves in discussion. The curiosity and eagerness on display by the first year station hands through to assistant managers was even more obvious during the paddock walks. During the pasture walks with DITT staff, participants identified different grasses and plants and their quality as cattle feed was discussed. Many were surprised to learn that a green paddock full of forage doesn’t always produce fat, productive cattle, and that poor grazing management over time can reduce pasture quality and health, degrading the natural asset and its capacity for production. The discussion around poisonous plants and the effect of toxins on livestock was also well received.

At the end of each course, DITT staff asked each participant for a take home message they learnt throughout the day. A standout answer from a fresh-faced ringer was “You can make management decisions that benefit both the cattle and the environment, because at the end of the day, [pastoralists and environmentalists] both have the same end goal – a healthy rangeland with lots of biodiversity.”

The DITT livestock team would like to extend a big thank you to the stations that saw the value of introducing rangeland management to their staff and hosted courses.

The team is available to deliver Rangeland Management Courses across the Territory, for more information contact:

Stacey Holzapfel- Stacey.holzapfel@nt.gov.au (08) 8973 9730

Georgia Glasson- Georgia.glasson@nt.gov.au (08) 8973 8601

More information

For more information about the livestock projects DITT is working on, head to: https://industry.nt.gov.au/industries/primary-industry/livestock-industries-project-listing