There were approximately the same amounts of high-input and low-input improved pasture on the properties (Table 52). Low-input improved pastures were produced by broadcasting seed into an uncultivated seedbed. pastures were produced by sowing into a prepared seedbed. Table 52. Areas of high-input and low-input improved pastures on properties (ha) Improved pasture type Average Range Median High input 2010 80 – 6000 2000 Low input 2000 50 – 8000 150 The types of improved pastures on properties are presented in Table 53. The majority of improved pastures on the majority of properties were grown under rain-fed conditions (not irrigated). Table 53. Type of improved pasture on properties (ha) Pasture type Properties Average Range Median Rain fed 18 2579 50 - 8200 2000 Hay crop 3 300 100 - 600 200 Irrigated 1 200 n/a n/a The largest areas of improved pastures were grass only pastures (Table 54) Table 54. Composition of improved pastures (ha) Pasture composition Properties Average Range Median Grass 16 2468 300 – 8,200 2,000 Legume 7 570 100 – 2,799 200 Mixed grass and legume 8 495 50 – 1,010 350 The improved pastures were mainly used to improve diet quality, for hay production and for special purpose paddocks, such as a horse paddock, holding paddock or weaner paddock (Figure 28). Most properties had more than one use for improved pastures. Figure 28. Uses of improved pastures Twelve grass cultivars were used (Table 55). The three most popular grasses were Tully, Jarra finger grass and Nixon sabi grass. Table 55. Pasture grasses used
Other enterprises on properties (percentage of properties) Element 2004 2010 Tourism 12 15 Crocodile egg collection 0 15 Properties employing permanent staff (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Employing staff 100 80 Average number of staff employed by properties Element 2004 2010 Permanent 5 2.6 Seasonal 3.3 4.5 Management practices Turnoff Location of market (% cattle) Element 2004 2010 Asia 93 87 Average weight of cattle turned off (kg) Element 2004 2010 Live export steers 321 303 Live export heifers 294 283 Cattle management Predominant breed of cattle (%) Element 2004 2010 Brahman 64 84 Brahman cross Shorthorn 28 0 Mustering method (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Helicopter plus bike 76 96 Breeding aims (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Crossbreed for performance 8 33 Concentrating on other areas of management 32 27 Selecting traits within breeds 28 13 Mustering rounds (% properties) Element 2004 2010 First round 100 100 Second round 44 60 Third round 12 0 Bulls Element 2004 2010 Average bull percentage 4 3.2 Use of EBVs to select bull (% properties sourcing bulls) Element 2004 2010 EBV use 38 46 EBV traits used to select bulls (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Fertility 100 100 Growth rates 100 33 Factors used for selecting bulls (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Temperament 77 100 Structure and confirmation 67 80 Polled 28 76 Estimated weaning percentage for cows Element 2004 2010 Cow weaning 70 62
Criteria for culling cows (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Age 23 63 Pregnancy 29 58 Temperament 27 32 Conformation 12 21 Segregation of cows (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Age 47 19 Pregnancy status 32 50 Cows pregnancy tested (% properties) Element 2004 2010 All cows 38 58 Dry cows 29 58 Use of artificial insemination (AI) Element 2004 2010 Number using AI 1 0 Producers segregating heifers (%) Element 2004 2010 Segregating heifers 71 60 Average estimated breeder mortality (%) Element 2004 2010 Breeders 2.7 4.2 Old cows 3.4 6.4 Weaning method (% producers) Element 2004 2010 Different weight according to seasonal conditions 41 61 Age 50 31 Feeding weaners (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Short-term feeding in yards with hay 67 81 Short-term feeding in yards with concentrate 20 68 Feeding mineral supplement to at least some cattle (% producers) Element 2004 2010 Feed mineral supplements 96 80 Main nutrient fed to cattle in the wet season (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Properties feeding phosphorus 70 75 Main nutrient fed to cattle in the dry season (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Properties feeding nitrogen 75 65 Average hay production per property (tonnes) Element 2004 2010 Hay produced 712 996 Animal health Botulism vaccine used (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Annual 0 61 Long acting 100 39 Other animal health treatments used (% properties) Element 2004 2010 3-day vaccination 6 0 Red water vaccination 12 6
Bull vaccination against vibriosis 20 6 Grazing management Estimated average carrying capacity of properties (AE) Element 2004 2010 2004 5791 N/A 2009 predicted in 2004 7883 N/A 2010 N/A 8155 2014 predicted in 2004 14 208 N/A 2015 predicted in 2010 N/A 8682 2020 predicted in 2010 N/A 8929 Grazing strategies (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Rotational grazing 52 80 Spelling 36 70 Continuous grazing 12 25 Time control grazing 4 20 Natural resource management Estimated proportion of property burnt by wildfire (%) Element 2004 2010 Burnt by wildfire 19 16 Producers noticing a build-up of native trees and shrubs (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Build up noticed 36 94 Pest animals with a high impact (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Pigs 52 60 Wild dogs 52 25 Wallabies 40 65 Business Sources of labour (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Word of mouth 64 85 Recruiting agencies 24 5 Use of benchmarks (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Financial benchmarks 56 80 Natural resources benchmarks 40 80 Sources of finance (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Major trading bank, NT branch 15 30 Major trading bank, interstate branch 5 20 Agribusiness 5 15 N/A 40 10 Priorities Biggest hurdles in managing their enterprise (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Marketing issues Low 35 Roads/wet season access 40 35 Staff availability 52 20 Government regulations and policies Low 15 Weeds 20 10 Cost of production 16 10 Issues affecting profitability (% properties) Element 2004 2010 Market access 13 100 Cost of production 34 28 Government regulations and policies 17 38 Weeds 11 6