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Objective `Safe' Grazing Capacities for South-West Queensland Australia: Model Application and Evaluation

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Johnston, P. W., Tannock, P.R. and Beale, I. F. (1996) Objective `Safe' Grazing Capacities for South-West Queensland Australia: Model Application and Evaluation. The Rangeland Journal, 18 (2). pp. 259-269.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/RJ9960259

Publisher URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au

Abstract

This paper describes the employment of two experienced graziers as consultants to apply and evaluate a model for calculating 'safe' long-term grazing capacities of individual properties. The model was based on ecological principles and entailed estimates of average annual forage grown (kglha) on the different land systems on each property and the calculation of the number of livestock (dry sheep equivalents, DSE) required to 'safely' utilise this forage. The grazier consultants applied and evaluated the 'safe' grazing capacity model on 20 properties of their choosing. For evaluation, model results were compared with; (a) the Department of Lands rated carrying capacities for those properties and (b) the grazing capacity assessed independently by the owners of those properties. For the 20 properties, the average 'safe' grazing capacity calculated by the model (21.0 DSE/kmZ) was 8% lighter than the average of the owner assessed capacities (22.7 DSE/kmZ), which in tum was 37% lighter than the average of the pre-1989 Department of Lands rated carrying capacity (31.0 DSE/kmZ). The grazing land management and administrative implications of these results and the role graziers played as consultants are discussed.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Animal Science
Additional Information:© CSIRO
Keywords:Grazing capacities; ecological principles; livestock; forage; South West Queensland.
Subjects:Animal culture > Rangelands. Range management. Grazing
Agriculture > Agriculture (General) > Farm economics. Farm management. Agricultural mathematics
Live Archive:21 Nov 2011 05:46
Last Modified:30 Nov 2022 04:52

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