Improving pastures, doubling carrying capacity

During the drought five years ago, grazier Trevor Myrea realised he needed to implement changes to improve the future of his property.

The changes he made then to improve and rejuvenate his land are now paying dividends and will continue into the future.

Trevor’s property, Manersley, located halfway between Gladstone and Biloela, is about 2226 hectares (5500 acres) and runs from the Calliope River blue gum river flats to undulating narrow and broadleaf ironbark and bloodwood country.  Manersley receives about 625mm - 875mm (25-35 inches) of rain per year.

"When it got very dry in 2019, I offloaded three quarters of my cattle and thought, I need to do things different," Mr Mylrea said.

With the productivity of the country and his breeding herd the backbone of the business, Trevor contacted the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF).

"I worked with DAF and implemented a fencing program to enable better grazing management," he said.

This move stemmed from his involvement in the Grazing Resilience and Sustainable Solutions (GRASS) program, designed to support beef producers in the Burdekin, Fitzroy and Burnett Mary regions.

GRASS coordinators work with producers to deliver one-on-one support and tailored land-management plans to address land in poor or degraded condition. The program has a range of financial incentives to assist landholders to undertake infrastructure improvements such as fencing, water troughs and erosion works.

Machinery has been vital in improving pastures and soil health, as well as water retention and in general to give more bang for buck in terms of grazing.

"I started with my old second-hand Massey 100hp tractor and a 24 offset disc plough and seemed to be getting nowhere, so I decided to get a 200hp John Deere and a 48 disc grizzly plough and started putting in improved pasture," Trevor said.

The results are shining through.

"Every year we try to do as much as possible as we've found we have doubled our carrying capacity on these paddocks," he said.

Trevor mainly breeds grey Brahmans and in the last couple of years he has purchased Charbray and Romagnola bulls to cross over the Brahman cows.

"We currently run 500 breeders plus replacement heifers and keep some steers to turn off at about 400-500kg."

Trevor has also taken stock of his water resources with a view of making every drop count. Ground water is accessed via bores equipped with solar pumps. To better manage grazing pressure water points have been strategically positioned about 1km apart.

With the Calliope River in mind, Trevor said taking care of the Great Barrier Reef had become a consideration.

``I've been doing the GRASS program with DAF, so we look after our environment and the Great Barrier Reef," he said.

“We have put in a lot of water retainment banks and planted grasses that grow best in the wetter areas."

The planting of figs, eucalypts and native flowering bottlebrush on riverbanks is also helping prevent erosion and revegetate selected areas.