Cluster groups talk legumes

In North Queensland’s seasonally dry country, beef graziers are always looking for an edge.

Long dry spells make it tough to keep stock gaining weight. One proven way to lift productivity is to introduce legumes into grass pastures, giving cattle a better-quality diet year-round.

According to Pastures To Prosperity agricultural and pastoral consultant Ross Newman, a simple first step is to set up a small pilot plot to trial legume–grass “production paddocks” across different land types.

These paddocks could be geared toward the nutrition needs of key classes of stock, like weaners or steers, so graziers grew the right feed at the right time.

“Done well, these mixed pastures can become highly productive and profitable systems over the long term,” Ross said.

“It’s all about being proactive with pasture nutrition, not reactive when the dry season bites,” he said.

Ross was a guest speaker at a grazing cluster group workshop at Flagstone Station, near Collinsville. The workshop focused on pasture productivity and woodland thickening, and practical, cost-effective ways to manage both.

The cluster group is part of the Landholders Driving Change (Phase 2) project, which helps graziers implement new practices to improve pasture management.

Flagstone Station grazier Brett Scott said the idea of pilot plots was particularly useful because small, low-cost areas to grow and multiply legumes created living seed banks which livestock spread across paddocks through manure.

“We’ve done aerial seeding in parts of the property to introduce species diversity and extend the grazing season,” Brett said.

“Ross’s advice on pilot plots has sparked ideas for how we could implement this here.”

Mt Pleasant grazier, Garlone Moulin agreed, highlighting the practicality of Ross’s recommendation to dedicate around 10 per cent of a paddock to a legume plot.

“It’s a manageable task that doesn’t take too much time or money, but the long-term gains are huge,” Garlone said. 

“Doing this could produce enough seed for redistribution over several years. Aiming for 40 percent legume biomass maximises carrying capacity and feed value.”

Grazier, Matthew Woodward said a key takeaway message was the importance of timing in pasture management.

“Talking through the key principles of effective forage management was really useful,”  Matthew said.

“Understanding how grasses grow is essential for keeping pastures healthy and productive.”

In his presentation, Ross said pasture grasses grew in cycles. By the time the third leaf emerged, the first leaf was already losing nutritional value, making that the ideal time to graze and capture peak energy for livestock.

Leaving pastures too long caused grasses to switch to seed production, slowing growth and reducing feed quality.

Regular, well-timed grazing kept grasses leafy and nutritious, encouraged deeper roots, improved water use, and ensured pastures continued growing through dry periods.

John Skinner, White Kangaroo, said understanding woodland thickening was a highlight. 

“There’s a lot of wattle and bloodwood in this country, and Ross explained why thickening occurs and how to manage it while rebuilding soil health and improving groundcover,” John said.

Ross described wattle and bloodwood as nature’s indicators. Wattle thrives in low-nitrogen, low-phosphorus soils, while bloodwood prefers acidic, low-phosphorus and calcium soils.

“Both signal declining fertility, shifts in soil biology, and reduced pasture competition,” Ross said.

“Even bare ground and fungal crusts indicate nutrient loss, showing a shift from bacterial to fungal dominant soils, which slows nutrient cycling and grass growth,” he said.

“The message is clear. Reversing woodland thickening isn’t just about clearing trees. It’s about rebuilding soil nutrients, improving groundcover, and promoting healthy soil biology. Proactive grazing and soil management is a long-term, cost-effective solution.”

The grazing cluster group will meet again in 2026 to share results of practice changes, discuss practical solutions, and connect with experts.

These gatherings help graziers learn from each other, explore new techniques, and stay up to date with research — all aimed at boosting pasture productivity, livestock health, and long-term land management.

Planning workshop at Bowen River

Soil workshop at White Kangaroo