Northern Breeding Business (NB2) producer group activities February 2022 update
22 February 2022
- Kimberley Group
- Indigenous/Animal Health Australia Group
- Burdekin Group
- Fitzroy Group
- Pastoral Company Group
- Katherine Group
Kimberley Group
The NB2 Kimberley Group held their first meeting on 28-29 October at a ‘terrible’ location in Broome (see photo below).
The group has grown from the original four stations to a group of five. One station dropped out due to unforeseen circumstances, however we picked up an additional two stations.
We had a successful first meeting which covered off on the herd, business and feedbase pillar foundational training sessions and a get-to-know-you group session.
Since then we’ve been in the process of forming a second Pilbara/Kimberley NB2 group who hope to cover off on their foundational training in late February/early March.
We are planning feedbase activities out in the field for March before the mustering season well and truly kicks off in April.
Business and herd flow data capture will start in late February for both groups.
Kimberley Group meeting in Broome.
Contact: Rebecca Butcher, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
E: rebecca.Butcher@dpird.wa.gov.au
T: 08 9651 0540 | M: 0438 200 677
Indigenous/Animal Health Australia Group
The Indigenous NB2 Group formed during the first half of 2021. Group formation was initiated with a number of on-property meetings. The group conducted two residential workshops in 2021 and has initiated data collection on three properties. Development of immersive technology (virtual and augmented reality) tools has been initiated and NB2 foundational training has commenced.
The workshops were conducted at ‘Malbon Downs’ at Mt Isa and ‘Mungalla’ at Ingham. These workshops followed a program of group discussion, identification of areas in which group members can work together and presentations from NB2 personnel and other specialists associated with the project.
Indigenous Group at Mungalla December 2021.
At this stage, eight Indigenous properties/cattle businesses have engaged with NB2 and they have all indicated a willingness to participate in further activities over the life of the NB2 project.
NB2 foundational training has commenced in the feedbase, herd management and financial management and analysis components of the NB2 program. Immersive technology development has been demonstrated and discussed, relevant applications identified and discussed.
Commitment to work together as a group of Indigenous cattlemen has been reinforced with an initial focus on cooperation in the area of staff management, exchange and training and intention to investigate further opportunities of co-operation across the group.
A component of sharing experiences with innovative management techniques and technologies has been initiated and will become a regular feature of these workshops. Staff exchange has commenced with Bulimba (Chillagoe) staff members participating in a horse training program at Foleyvale (Duaringa).
Group members have committed to attend the next workshop which will be conducted at ‘Delta Downs’ in March or April 2022.
Contact: Ian Perkins, LPM QLD
T: 07 4686 1198 | M: 0408 059 377
Burdekin Group
The Burdekin Group combined their one-day business training and half day feedbase training at the Ayr DAF Research Facility on 1–2 December. Excellent rain in the Clermont region meant two businesses were flooded in and had to attend the training virtually. Tim Carter from Bush Agribusiness started off with everyone focusing on what makes a good business. He worked through the cash flow template designed to enable beef business comparisons within the NB2 project.
Brainstorming on what makes a good business
Later in the day, everyone worked through the herd flow template with an example activity. We all met for a beer and tea at the Kalamia Hotel. Unfortunately, our online counterparts could not join in. On Thursday morning everyone was back for the introductory feedbase training with Dionne Walsh, who was also online. Participants were able to work through their individual climate data based on Bureau of Meteorology historical records. Most found their seasonal breaks around when they expected. Dionne emphasised the importance of having good infrastructure maps and budgeting forage requirements through to your production point, not just season break, to determine current carrying capacity.
Some of the Burdekin Group producers hard at it.
The day wrapped up with lunch before everyone headed home – it was too wet for the scheduled property visit. Feedback from the training was very positive.
Contact: Jim Fletcher, QDAF
E: Jim.Fletcher@daf.qld.gov.au
T: 07 4999 8554 | M: 0428 960 572
Contact: Roxanne Morgan, QDAF
E: roxanne.morgan@daf.qld.gov.au
T: 07 4999 8555 | M: 0436 826 211
Fitzroy Group
On 29–30 September, the Burdekin and Fitzroy NB2 producer groups came together in the same room for the first time to discuss the NB2 and Grazing Resilience & Sustainability Solutions (GRASS) programs. Overall, all of the producers in attendance left this workshop feeling confident and looking forward to NB2 and all its potential benefits to producers and the northern beef industry.
On 26 November, producers from the Fitzroy pilot group participated in the first stage of their NB2 foundational training held in Biloela. The first of the two-part business training delivered by Tim Carter of Bush Agribusiness, focused on understanding and completing the herd and finance templates that will be used to collect standardised data for the business analysis component of the program. Group participant Megan Dunne felt that the training was understood by participants at all levels and gave them ‘confidence and understanding in the process they will be undertaking’.
Some of the Fitzroy Group completing their herd and financial foundational training.
DAF facilitator Matt Brown also attended the day and presented on herd breeding objectives. Breeding objectives will be the theme of the first NB2 property visit to be held at the Dunne family’s property ‘Shawlands’, Biloela in February. Over the duration of the program each participant will host a themed property visit showcasing their business to the other group members.
Contact: Matt Brown, QDAF
T: 07 4843 2611 | M: 0428 104 248
Pastoral Company Group
The first face-to-face meeting of the Pastoral Company Group was held in Mt Isa on November 16. The focus of the group will be 'people, landscapes and profit' and consists of pastoral company breeding stations across the Barkly and Gulf regions. The event was an opportunity for everyone to meet each other and discuss the NB2 program, how the group will operate and the plan for 2022. The group also began looking at data on breeding business performance across the regions and what the drivers of performance were. The group will hold their first on-property meeting at ‘Brunette Downs’ in 2022.
The first meeting of the pastoral company group in Mt Isa.
Contact: Ian McLean, Bush Agribusiness
M: 0401 118 191
Katherine Group
An NB2 information Zoom session was held in late December 2021, which five producers attended. A face-to-face meeting mid to late February is planned to confirm the formation of the Katherine group. Rebecca Mohr-Bell from Argyle Consulting was nominated and has accepted the position as the group coordinator. Once membership of the producer group has been finalised, initial foundational training with Ian McLean of Bush Agribusiness and Dionne Walsh of RangeIQ will begin in March 2022.
Cattle on NT improved pasture.
Contact: Elle Fordyce, Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
T: 08 8973 9730 | M: 0456 752 319
