A recent NQ Dry Tropics event taught 10 graziers from seven properties across North Queensland how to conduct pregnancy tests – a critical skill to help them better manage their herds and pastures.
The Griffiths family, at Allandale Station, 60km west of Charters Towers, hosted the accredited training led by veterinarian and Emerald Agricultural College trainer, Dr David Peake. This grazier-led initiative was supported through NQ Dry Tropics’ Saving Our Soils Burdekin project.
Across the three day course, graziers took part in a series of classroom sessions on the theory of pregnancy testing and foetal ageing cattle, as well as shed demonstrations that gave them a visual and practical impression of the reproductive tract of different stages of pregnant cattle. They also learnt how to practically apply these techniques on 500 head of mixed-pregnancy cattle at the yards.
The Griffiths family undertook a huge amount of preparatory work prior to the course, making four shaded vet crushes available on the day for participants to safely preg test a range of different animals.
The multiple crush system set up by the Griffiths family at Allandale Station ensured graziers were able to safely test their new skills on a wide range of animals.
The animals were carefully handled throughout the course, which meant they remained stress free, and appeared unaffected by the process.
Linda Anderson, NQ Dry Tropics Project Officer, said: “The Saving Our Soils Burdekin project centres on increasing the skills and knowledge of graziers to improve business, cattle and grass management practices, through funding from the Australian Government Reef Trust through the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
“NQ Dry Tropics is helping graziers to implement changes that improve management practices and productivity, while reducing agricultural runoff into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. The new pregnancy testing skills will be implemented on property to cull consistently empty or non reproductive animals from herds, reducing grazing pressure on pastures.”
In addition to what they learnt, graziers used the opportunity to discuss how their new pregnancy testing skills will help them make more informed decisions on managing mobs of cattle, supplementation and increasing groundcover in paddocks.
All participants passed the theoretical component of the training, and 10 attendees passed the practical component, receiving their accreditation in pregnancy testing cattle.
Main photo: Mel Knuth , Jeanette and Amber Curtis, and Alice Bambling getting a first hand feel for the reproductive tract of female cattle at the recent preg testing school on Allandale Station