What to check before you restock
Before you restock, take time to assess your pastures, resources and business goals. The decisions you make now can affect your productivity, profitability and animal health for seasons to come. Use these checks to help guide your next steps.
Check what’s growing in your pastures
Look at which pasture species have recovered and how well they are established. Check:
- how much viable pasture you have
- how fast it is growing
- how long it is likely to last
- which weeds have established
Managing weeds helps protect animal health and gives your pastures a better chance to recover.
Your available resources
Your restocking strategy depends on your current resources. You might consider trading cattle. Making a profit through trading relies on livestock growth. Growth depends on pasture quality, the length of the growing season and how much weight animals need to gain.
Use gross margins to compare strategies like:
- buying more cattle
- agisting
- leasing land
- opportunity cropping
- breeding up.
Gross margin templates are available from Local Land Services or the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
New cattle genetics
Think about which cattle breeds best suit your environment and markets. You do not have to return to previous practices. If you choose new genetics, revise your budget. Your choice will affect your breeding herd for several years.
Manage the risks when introducing new animals
New livestock may bring pests, diseases or weed seeds. They might also need time to get used to your property. Reduce risks by:
- requesting an animal health statement
- keeping it with the correct National Vendor Declaration (NVD) or waybill in your Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) records.
Contact Local Land Services NSW
We welcome your enquiries, feedback and comments. Contact our team
Use the search function to find information or resources from Local Land Services.