Applied Pastoral Information Technology

Along with the introduction of the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) comes a good opportunity to assist producers to increase their herd efficiency and profitability whilst maintaining country in good condition.

In addition to tracing the movements of cattle, the NLIS provides a good base for the collection and analysis of herd performance information aimed at improving management decision making.

Using individual animal identification and a system for recording and retrieving information related to those animals, producers can more confidently eliminate the passengers in the herd and also select for those cattle that are performing well in the conditions on your property.

With ever increasing costs and decreasing margins it is essential that country is grazed as efficiency as possible to provide the best returns. We want to be grazing the cattle that are most productive and profitable for us and be able to do this whilst maintaining country in good condition into the future.

Known as the “Applied Pastoral Information Technology Project” this work is being led by the NT Cattlemen’s Association, with funding from the AG NLP NRIG funding stream, and is being delivered by Consolidated Pastoral Company and MB Consulting.

The project aims to:

• Develop and demonstrate systems for improved information management on extensive cattle properties,
• Increase the capacity of pastoralists to manage grazing, particularly the balance between cattle numbers and land condition, and
• Increase herd efficiency and enterprise profitability whilst maintaining good land condition.

Progress to date:

The trial was set up on Consolidated Pastoral Company’s, Auvergne Station near Timber Creek, Northern Territory, with four large paddocks representative of the variety of country on Auvergne and stocked with different age groups of cattle.

Two cattle mustering rounds have been completed and the recording systems and infrastructure modifications have been put through their paces.

Herd performance and grazing management information from first round is available through the Field Day Presentation.

Details of the performance of the recording systems and infrastructure are available through the Project Report.

More about the technologies used in these trials at:

www.aleis.com
www.tru-test.co.nz
www.livestockexchange.com.au
www.panasonic.com.au

Project Contact:

Matt Bolam
[P] (0408) 920 088 or
[E] matbolam@bigpond.net.au