GILLIAN TAYLOR

A Decision to Destock

BY GILLIAN TAYLOR

As for me, well my background in property management is based on 20 years of practicing the principals of Holistic Management in the Riverina of southern New South Wales. I trusted that the process worked and I had the ability to regenerate a stressed property. The goal was to build up a rural business that would be biologically, financially and sociably sustainable.

So over the last 13 years we planted over 60,000 trees on about 23% of the property, turned 23 paddocks into 65 paddocks, maintained 100% groundcover throughout the year and also applied the principals of natural sequence farming developed by Peter Andrews to repair eroded and scarred areas on the property. We are slowing the flow of water through the landscape and getting the water back into the flood plain and out of the scarred incisions.

The rainfall in the past 13 years has varied from 400mm (16 inches) to 1,050mm (41 inches). The past 12 months in 2019 was 460mm (20 inches) with an average rainfall of 750mm (30 inches). The spring rainfall did not come until November, which in my view was too late to build a bulk of feed. Although we had good January rainfall of 55 (2 inches) it did not provide the bulk of feed normally experienced from the summer perennials. The temperatures were all above average including higher winter temperatures, which encouraged reasonable growth during those cooler months.

At Bibbaringa the cattle are run in one mob of about 300 to 700 depending on the seasonal conditions. I vary the number according to pasture monitoring and based on a planned grazing management process developed by Allan Savory and Holistic Management.

In the past (2019) non-growing season the paddocks were grazed based on a 150-day to 180 days recovery period between grazes and about 90 to 120 days in the growing season (Spring). The property was destocked from January to June during 2019 because of lack of run off into dams.

During February 2016 the warning signs began. The cattle were needing to move faster than the plan and not leaving as much feed behind in the paddock as I would like, to maintain the 100% ground cover. So I sold the breeding herd of 300 cows.

I run the property on my own with the help of casual skilled cattlemen when cattle come into the yards. I have a well-designed set of Pratley cattle yards built in 2007. With holding yards we can easily process 800 head in one yarding and this is all done very quietly and smoothly.

In February/March the first draft of sale cattle included dry (not pregnant) and older cows and older steers retained to make up numbers. Usually I sell store weaners during November at 12 to 14 months of age but this year I retained them to make up numbers. The mob was reduced to 400 head including weaners, cows and heifers.

By the end of April I had one month’s feed of planned non growing grazing in front of me. This means the cattle had not grazed these areas since November 2015. However, the native pastures had not recovered to my satisfaction and I had other issues at hand. • Paddocks not recovering after 150-day rest • Soil moisture was non-existent. The soil profile needed good rains. • My dams were ok in the areas to be grazed. But not good enough for my comfort • The forecast was for late autumn rain and possibility of El Nino breaking down and La Nina developing into the winter months. I was not confident about this forecast as Bibbaringa had been missing many of the fronts coming through. • Cattle prices were good and if the dry continued the price could drop • (on the other hand) April/May is always a tough time and don’t lose heart. It will rain. • I was not set up to buy in feed and would have to involve neighbours • I did not want to sacrifice ground cover to hold cattle. • Temperature would soon drop which would limit grass growth

I have always viewed my cattle herd as a tool to build up the biodiversity and resilience of Bibbaringa. At this point of time my emphasis is on building diversity of soil and plants and re-energizing Bibbaringa. I also want to live a happy, healthy, stress free life. These were my options: • Sell all the cows • Sell the weaners • Sell everything • Buy in feed

As we all sat around the old homestead’s big wooden table, I put the decision to the group and we ran it through the Seven Testing Questions that lie at the heart of Holistic Management decision making. By the time we were at question six, which is the ‘gut feel’ question, I knew they all had to go.

That was on the Monday and by the end of week the cattle had been sold through Auctionplus, private sale and direct to meat processors.

I have not looked back since making the decision. The property now had time to rest and recover and I had an opportunity to travel and reenergize before planning for restocking later in the year.

With a grassed up canvas I had multiple options for re-entering the cattle business.

The money was in the bank, the grass began growing with the rains and I feel the decision was a win-win.