To help Burdekin graziers fine tune their livestock handling practices NQ Dry Tropics is hosting back-to-back schools, run by Australia’s leading experts, near Collinsville in September.
The focus of the schools is to refine the skills of producers to more efficiently move, manage and control livestock.
A two-day low stress stock handling school run by herd management expert Jim Lindsay is being held on Bristow and Ureisha Hughes’ property Strathalbyn Station, Collinsville, on 18 and 19 September. The school is supported by the Australian Government Reef Trust through the Queensland Government Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.
NQ Dry Tropics senior field officer Linda Anderson said the course would provide livestock producers advanced skills in recognising and working with animal instincts to produce low-stress outcomes.
“Graziers want to create calmer workplaces to reduce workplace incidents, better quality beef with less temperamental animals, and better economics to support a balanced business,” Ms Anderson said.
The advanced livestock movement and management, and working dog school, run by nationally renowned Neil McDonald, is being held at the Murphy family property, Tabletop Station, Collinsville, 20-22 September.
The three-day course, supported by the Queensland Government’s Grazing BMP program, includes weaner training and movement, creating a trainer mob, getting the most out of your current dogs, understanding mob structure and mentality, and the six key points to move livestock effectively.
Mr McDonald promotes efficient and regular movement of stock as the key to controlled grazing practices, that also benefits soil quality and ground cover.
“Behavioural training in animals results in lowered risk for WHS, improved profitability to the business through reduced bruising, shrinkage and dark cutters and improved animal welfare outcomes,” Mr McDonald said.
NQ Dry Tropics Grazing BMP Coordinator Lisa Hutchinson said the back-to-back schools was an opportunity not to be missed.
“The inclusion of dogs into the equation was a natural progression and one that graziers have been asking for,” Ms Hutchinson said.
“Training is only as valuable as the people delivering it and when it comes to understanding and working with animals they don’t come any better than Jim Lindsay and Neil McDonald,” she said.
To RSVP for one or both of these workshops please contact:
- Linda Anderson linda.anderson@nqdrytropics.com.au 0438 035 489 (LSS with Jim Lindsay).
- Lisa Hutchinson lisa.hutchinson@nqdrytropics.com.au 0427 594 192 (Neil Mcdonald – Advanced Livestock Movement and Management).
Main photo: Jim Lindsay (L); Neil McDonald (R).