Kimberley pastoralists gear up for grazing management workshopp

Kimberley pastoralists are gearing up to delve into the hot topic of grazing land management at a special forum in Broome in September. The two-day workshop aims to give those attending a thorough understanding of the grazing land environment of the area. Meat and Livestock Australia – which has co-ordinated the event – has promoted it as a way to give pastoralists and other landholders the knowledge to strategically manage grazing businesses. It is hoped the information will help “optimise land condition and productivity” in the long term. Range IQ founder Dionne Walsh will orchestrate the workshop, drawing on more than 25 years of experience in land management research and advisory services. She also holds a PhD in rangeland management, and her Northern-Territory based business offers livestock carrying capacity assessments, feed budgeting, property mapping, and rangeland condition monitoring. Topics covered include identifying key plant species, ecosystems underpinning productivity, the basic principles of effective grazing system, and forage budgeting, among others. The program has been co-ordinated through MLA’s EDGEnetwork, which provides tailored, comprehensive, practical learning opportunities in business management, breeding, grazing land management and nutrition through workshops across Australia. To find out more, visit the Meat and Livestock Australia website.