Flexible stocking and spelling are key to managing climate variability

Abstract

Rainfall variability is a major challenge to grazing land management in northern Australia. We present data from a long-term grazing trial near Charters Towers in Queensland comparing the performance of different stocking strategies over 27 years of highly variable rainfall. Strategies involved combinations of different stocking rates, fixed versus flexible stocking and wet season pasture spelling.
Total live weight gain (LWG)/ha was highest at heavy stocking rates, but gross margins lowest due to reduced product value and drought feeding costs. Heavy stocking was also unsustainable in the longer term. Individual LWG and product price were highest at moderate stocking rates applied with or without wet season spelling. However, all fixed stocking strategies required destocking in the 2022/23 drought because stocking rates were not aligned with declining forage supply. In contrast, long term flexible stocking was as profitable as fixed moderate stocking while avoiding the need to destock in drought years.