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Pastoral Pastoral Pastoral Pastoral Pastoral MEMOMEMOMEMOMEMOMEMOCopyright © Western Australian Agriculture Authority, 2008

Northern Pastoral RegionPO Box 19, Kununurra WA 6743 Phone: (08) 9166 4019 Email: [email protected]

December 2008 ISSN 1033-5757 Vol. 29, No. 4

EDITOR: Matthew Fletcher

Visit http://www.agric.wa.gov.au

CONTENTSChance of exceeding median rainfall—December 2008 to February 2009 ............................................... 2Long-term monitoring yields interesting results … .................................................................................. 3Message from the editor ......................................................................................................................... 6Bush Nurse ............................................................................................................................................ 7How important are female sales to business profitability? ....................................................................... 8Electrolytes and long distance transport .............................................................................................. 10Dehorning and movement of cattle ........................................................................................................ 12Date claimer ......................................................................................................................................... 12Lead residue risks on-farm for livestock ................................................................................................ 13Pilbara representative for NBIC and NABRC ......................................................................................... 14From the top of the windmill ................................................................................................................. 14Investigating priority Pilbara water resources to secure supply ............................................................. 16New project in the north ....................................................................................................................... 17A changing of the guard ........................................................................................................................ 18Ringers Rangeland Course ................................................................................................................... 19Grazing Land Management workshop .................................................................................................. 20Grazing Land Management workshop expression of interest ................................................................ 21Carbon capture project ......................................................................................................................... 22New DVD to help rural men .................................................................................................................. 23Australian Rangelands Conference—Charters Towers, Queensland ...................................................... 24Farewell to Bargie ................................................................................................................................ 26Rangelands 2008 – Taking the pulse .................................................................................................... 27EcoFire wins the WA Environment Award ............................................................................................. 28West Australian Wild Dog DNA Project ................................................................................................ 29Camels via satellite .............................................................................................................................. 30Cattle Market Update ........................................................................................................................... 31

2 http://www.agric.wa.gov.au

PASTORAL MEMO – NORTHERN PASTORAL REGION DECEMBER 2008

Front page photo courtesy of Don Hadden, Mt Barnett

CHANCE OF EXCEEDING MEDIAN RAINFALL—DECEMBER 2008 TO FEBRUARY 2009

http://www.agric.wa.gov.au 3


LONG-TERM MONITORING YIELDS INTERESTING RESULTS…[See page 5 for the full story]

Study site in June 1996, one year after fire (1670 kg/ha standing dry matter).Wet season rainfall at Halls Creek was 603 mm (Nov-Apr).

Study site in August 2008, one year after fire (2470 kg/ha standing dry matter).Wet season rainfall at Halls Creek was 619 mm.



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LONG-TERM MONITORING YIELDS INTERESTING RESULTS…Andrew Craig and David Hadden, Kununurra

BackgroundThis article discusses changes in pasture composition observed at a study site in open eucalyptsavanna near Halls Creek. The site was established in a recently burnt area (then part of MoolaBulla Station) in August 1995. It was one of a number of sites set up in consultation with Kimberleystation managers to investigate the effects of fire on different pasture types. Vegetation data havebeen collected from this site during the dry season in most years, although in 2001 and 2002 theresearchers were thwarted by early fires. The soil is a dark brown sandy loam with some quartzgravel at the surface.

The site is close to the highway and its fire history has been well documented, thanks to reportsfrom passing rangeland officers. Since 1995 the site has been completely or partially burnt on sixoccasions, four of which were late in the dry season. Seasonal conditions have been generallyfavourable, with wet season rainfall below the long-term average for only three of the last 13 wetseasons (Halls Creek: records since 1944). The average wet season rainfall since 1995 has beenabout 28% above the long-term average. There has been no significant grazing by stock during thestudy, with no accessible bores in operation. It appears likely that more grazing would haveoccurred in earlier years when the highway was unfenced, with two mapped bores within 5-6 km ofthe site.

Results to dateWhen first sampled in 1996 the site had a good coverage of short-lived grasses of low stature, inparticular nineawn (Enneapogon sp.) and bunched windgrass (Aristida contorta). There were veryfew tussocks of mid-height perennial grasses. The pasture seemed to fit the description of ‘AridShort Grass’, a pasture type frequently identified during the 1949-52 CSIRO survey of the Ord-Victoria region. As such its condition was rated good.

Since 1996 there has been a marked decline in the relative abundance of short grasses, withnineawn falling from an estimated 73% of the pasture dry matter in 1996 to levels below 12% since2004 (Figure 1). In contrast, perennial grasses have been increasing in importance. By 2008 whitegrass (Sehima nervosum) had increased from nil to an estimated 22%, black spear grass(Heteropogon contortus) from <1% to 12% and ribbon grass (Chrysopogon fallax) from 1% to 11%.

Observations to date suggest that the study area is capable of supporting a good stand of nativeperennial grasses, calling into question the correctness of the originally identified pasture type. Aplausible explanation for the change in pasture composition is that a reduction of grazing pressure,together with a run of mainly good seasons, has encouraged a gradual return to the more perennial-dominated state we now see. It is interesting to note that the changes seen have occurred in thecontext of a poorly controlled fire regime, with fires occurring at intervals of 1-3 years.

The futureThe surrounding land is no longer within the pastoral lease, but it is hoped that monitoring of thisimportant site can continue for some years to come. The results will contribute towards animproved understanding of pasture types in the East Kimberley, which should in turn lead to morereliable estimation of their carrying capacities when in good, fair and poor condition.

The present and previous managers of Moola Bulla Station are thanked for their cooperation duringthis study.

For further information contact:Andrew Craig, DAFWA, Kununurra. Phone: (08) 9166 4015; Email: [email protected]



MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR

I look forward to posting this Pastoral Memo to all readers—there is a feast of excellent articlesrelevant to the Pilbara and Kimberley. The feature article ‘Long term monitoring yieldsinteresting results…’. Check out what the grass mechanics have been up to—discussing thechanges in pasture species composition at a long-term study site near Halls Creek.

With the wet season hopefully upon us and hopefully a few cyclone influences there will be plenty oftime for readers to mull over the following articles. The first article, ‘How important are femalesales to business profitability?’, is a nuts and bolts discussion about managing female cattleherds better. Another article ‘Dehorning and movement of cattle’ reminds us of the importanceof a no tolerance approach to poor animal welfare and rangeland management practices inmaintaining the live export industry.

Unfortunately, Bush Nurse (Joy Motter) has decided to hang up the pen after contributing to thePastoral Memo for five years. Readers will miss the Bush Nurse’s informative articles adapted tolife in the Northern Rangelands. Thanks Joy for contributing to the Pastoral Memo over the past fiveyears—your articles and sense of humour will be missed.

Stress and depression is not often discussed in conversation, however, according to BeyondBlue, ‘depression affects one in six men’. For those wanting to know more about this topic itwould be recommended to read the article ‘New DVD to help rural men’ and call Sally to obtain yourcopy of the DVD. Even if you are comfortable with your health, watching this video will be veryworthwhile.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology the Western Australian outlook for total rainfall oversummer (December to February) shows a moderate tendency in the odds to favour higher thannormal totals over western to central WA. The chance of exceeding median rainfall this summer inthe south of the Pilbara is much better at between 60% and 70%. This means that for every 10years with ocean patterns like the present, about six or seven years are expected to be wetter thanaverage in these regions, while about three or four years are expected to be drier. The chance ofexceeding median rainfall this summer in the Kimberley is between 55% and 60%, meaning thatabove average falls are about equally likely as below average falls in these regions.

Happy reading

Matthew Fletcher

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DisclaimerThis material has been written for Western Australian conditions. Its availability does not imply suitabilityto other areas, and any interpretation or use is the responsibility of the user. Mention of product or tradenames does not imply recommendation, and any omissions are unintentional. Recommendations were

current at the time of preparation of the original publication.



BUSH NURSE

Joy Motter

Christmas and holiday time is almost upon us when we celebrate with family and friends. Due to alot of good cooks out there, who make tasty and delicious goodies, we tend to over eat.

Here are a few tips to help shed the weight gain and make your clothes feel looser.

EAT LESS—Use a small dinner plate, hopefully this ‘tricks’ your mind into thinking you’ve had aplateful.

A healthy meal looks like this on the plate:½ plate salad/veggies (fresh, frozen, tinned)¼ plate protein (lean meat, fish, lentils/baked beans)¼ plate carbohydrate (potato, rice, noodles, pasta)

No food/snacks after the evening meal—drink water or chew sugarless gum.

EXERCISE—Do you have a treadmill or exercise bike shoved away in the shed?

Pull it out and set it up in front of the TV. Watch your favourite show as you do 30 minutesexercise—helps keep your mind occupied as exercising can be boring—at least five days a week.

One for the ladies—loss of bone density is a problem as people get older. Resistance weight liftingcan help slow the process. Buy 2 x 500 g bags of rice and cover the plastic with an old stocking ormaterial. If using an exercise bike you can weight lift while cycling. Take a bag in each hand atshoulder level, slowly raise hands into air until arms are straight, count to five and slowly lower yourarms/hands to shoulder—repeat 5 to 10 times. When OK with that, try the two bags in one handand raise and lower arm.

Another similar exercise is to take a bag in each hand, extend arms sideways, slowly raise togetherto meet over your head and count to five and slowly lower, repeating 5 to 10 times.

Legs and knees—with feet together (done on a step or brick if large enough), using left foot first,step up then raise right foot to step. With left foot, step down followed by the right foot—do this fivetimes, then swap to the right foot first etc.

These exercises are also good for stiff joints but go slowly at first.

Wishing all readers a safe and happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year for 2009.



HOW IMPORTANT ARE FEMALE SALES TO BUSINESS

PROFITABILITY?Peter Smith, DAFWA, Karratha

There is an old saying across much of northern Australia that ‘male sales run the place and femalesales are the profit’. While this might not be strictly correct in all situations, it highlights the fact thatroughly 50% of the calves branded/marked each year are females but the number of females soldoften averages less than 40% of total sales.

The number of females sold as a percentage of total sales over a number of years (to average outsome of the ‘ups and downs’ herd build-up, etc.) is a good indication of female wastage. Theinformation to calculate this information can be accurately calculated from sale records. If thenumber of males and females sold is not recorded at the time sales are made it is usuallydocumented on the Account Sales document. The value of sale records is that they are ‘real’ anddo not include estimates like branding percentages often need to!

The relevance of historical female sales as a percentage of total sales is demonstrated in the tablebelow. The difference between 30% and 40% female sales indicates a difference of 20 head offemales that are still on the property for each 100 head of cattle sold over the years. If breedernumbers have not been increasing, these females are still on the property but as expensivefertiliser. The relevance of these numbers is even more apparent when it is multiplied across actualsale numbers, for example for each 1000 head sold some 200 females are still on the station.

Female sales percentage is a good indicator of female wastage in breeder herds. So what aresome options to reduce female wastage if it is a problem for your business?

The risk of losing females is usually highest around the time of their first calving and lactation andagain as their teeth start to break up as they age. The heifer/young breeder issue is about thenutrition available not being good enough to support the requirements for the heifer to grow itselfand feed a calf. With older cows with developing dental issues it is more about becomingincreasingly unable to chew feed adequately. This is certainly more serious towards the end of theyear when available feed is more fibrous and less nutritious.

Managing heifers and young breeders to improve their survival and productivity isrecognised as a problem across northern Australia.

Pastoralists, MLA and agriculture departments in WA, NT and Queensland have been involved inresearching this issue for a number of years. While a number of contributing causes of sub optimalperformance have been identified, most of the solutions are not feasible without control andsegregation of this group of animals within breeder herds to allow appropriately targetedmanagement.

Table 1 Example: Impact of 30% and 40% female sales/total sales for each 100 head sold

40% female sales 30% female sales

Males 60 head 70 head Females 40 head (40%) 30 head (30%) Calves branded to achieve these male sale numbers

120 (60 male:60 female) 140 (70 male:70 female)

Females not sold (compared to males) 20 head 40 head



Appropriate practices that might be considered for inclusion in a heifer and young breedermanagement program to improve survival and productivity include:

• control the time of calving to coincide with the ‘best bet’ time of having good nutrition frompastures

• pregnancy test and cull empty heifers that have not conceived after three months of mating• if unable to control mating/calving, conduct two weaning rounds and be prepared to manage the

smaller and younger weaners appropriately• consider supplementation during their first dry season as pregnant heifers—to ensure they calve

in better body condition and improve the probability of them conceiving again as lactating firstcalf cows.

Improving the productivity of young breeders means that more heifers will be surplus torequirements and can be sold to live export or possibly southern markets. It may be necessary toconsider spaying these surplus heifers to ensure they remain empty and marketable to the liveexport market.

What to do with aged cows is aperennial argument in many areas ofthe rangelands. From an animalwelfare and moral perspective it is nolonger acceptable to allow cows to ‘dieon the place’ because there is nomarket for them.

Management practices such asprogressively spaying cows fromabout 7-8 years of age or paddockingthem in areas where bulls can be keptout—rare indeed in the rangelands—will ensure that deaths are minimisedand female sales to live exportmarkets are possible.

If effective management options likethese are not possible the preferred option from a welfare perspective is to ‘humanely destroy’these aged breeders before they become a welfare issue by becoming bogged at watering pointsor have difficulty in getting up, etc.

Conclusions:

• The number of females sold as a percentage of total sales averaged over a number of years is agood indicator of female wastage.

• Wastage usually occurs around the time of first calving and lactation and late in the dry seasonfor aged cows.

• Survival and productivity of heifers and young breeders can be improved but they must besegregated from the breeder herd to allow appropriate management.

• Sale numbers and values of older cows can be increased with appropriate management whichmay include spaying or segregation, etc.

• Increasing female turnoff numbers will improve the bottom line.

Heifers should be managed to calve in good conditionwhen nutrition is likely to be good.



ELECTROLYTES AND LONG DISTANCE TRANSPORT

Manus Stockdale and Rebecca Dray, DAFWA Karratha andRenata Paliskis-Bessell, WAMIA Perth

Cattle transported long distances by road can lose significant liveweight. This is particularly relevantto cattle being transported for sale as most cattle are traded on a liveweight basis. In earlySeptember DAFWA Karratha staff, together with the Western Australian Meat Industry Authority(WAMIA), conducted a trial to measure weight loss during transport from a Pilbara property toMidland saleyards and to investigate the effect of electrolytes in reducing weight loss betweenproperty and time of sale.

WAMIA run the Midland Sale Yards and are keen to make the saleyards a more attractivedestination for pastoral cattle. The use of electrolytes before and after transport is an option beinginvestigated that may reduce the loss of weight by cattle travelling long distances.

Top Stock was the electrolyte product used in this trial. The product has been used in the NorthernTerritory by the live export industry; apparently with good results. Top Stock can be administered asa drench or mixed with feed or water. The recommended dose for cattle mixed with water or feed is5-10 mL per head per day.

The electrolyte trial was carried out at Mt Florance Station in the west Pilbara using 126 steers andheifers with an average weight of 296 kg sold for delivery ‘over the scales’ at Midland.

The cattle had been mustered between late July and early August and put in a holding paddock withgood feed awaiting later sale. The cattle were yarded from a well grassed holding paddock onSunday afternoon and remained on water but off feed overnight. On the following day the mob wasdrafted and the sale cattle individually weighed and drafted into two groups for the trial.

One group was given electrolyte in their water trough and the other group had access to untreatedwater. Both groups were fed shipper pellets from a common trough between the two pens. Thecattle were on feed and water for 36 hours before being weighed again and loaded for transport toMidland to arrive Thursday morning.

On arrival at Midland the electrolyte treated animals were again given access to treated water. Allthe cattle were fed hay from arrival to the commencement of a 12-hour wet curfew prior to theirsale weighing on Saturday afternoon.

Results

The overall weight loss from the initial weight taken at Mt Florance to the sale weight at Midland wasrelatively low for both treatments at an average loss of 1.7% of live weight (5.1 kg/head). There waslittle difference between weight loss of the treated and control animals (Table 1). The sex of thecattle and their position on the truck had little effect on their weight loss. The Top Stock treatedanimals consumed significantly more water while at Midland but this did not translate into liveweight gain.

Table 1 Live weight loss of electrolyte treated and control cattlefrom time of drafting at Mt Florance to sale at Midland Sale Yards

Overall weight loss Treatment n

kg % Electrolyte 69 5 1.7 Control 57 6 1.9



While this trial did not demonstrate a response to electrolytes, the importance of the time ofweighing for sale was highlighted. The weight loss between loading at Mt Florance (full weight) andbeing sold at Midland averaged about 7.5% of live weight for both groups (Table 2). All weightchanges recorded during this trial are assumed to be due to changes in gut fill.

If cattle are sold on property with an agreed discount for weight loss during trucking the amount ofdiscount and the time of weighing for sale need to be carefully considered to ensure the terms arefair to both the seller and the buyer.

The trial raises a number of questions regarding pre-transport feeding and handling of cattle andsales opportunities. What is the ideal preparation for cattle prior to trucking? In what circumstancesare electrolytes most effective? What is the value in terms of transport weight loss of keeping cattlein holding paddocks reserved for the purpose for a period prior to transport? What is the real cost oftrucking cattle south for sale compared to trucking them shorter distances to live export ports?

Cattle that are quiet, well handled and prepared for transport with adequate feedand water lose little weight in the truck and recover well on feed and water after

reaching their destination.

Table 2 Weight loss for electrolyte treated and control cattlebetween time of leaving Mt Florance and being sold at Midland.Cattle were on feed up until trucking

Weight loss (pre trucking to sale) Treatment n

kg % Electrolyte 69 -23 -7.3 Control 57 -24 -7.6



DEHORNING AND MOVEMENT OF CATTLE

Matt Bullard, Veterinary Officer, BroomePeter Smith, DAFWA, Karratha

There have been some incidences of the inappropriate loading and transportation of recentlydehorned cattle that constituted welfare issues and probable prosecutions in relation to those cattle.

Loading and transportation of animals with an open wound or any ‘raw’ surface for any reason, be itfor export, slaughter, to saleyards or to any other location or property, should be avoided. This is ofspecial importance for cattle that may be subject to further processing such as dipping for tickcontrol or as a movement condition. The penetration of open dehorning wounds by the (oftenheavily contaminated) dipping agents can cause severe side effects for that animal.

The MLA guide to best practice husbandry in beef cattle—branding, castration and dehorning(copies available at DAFWA offices)—advocates that after dehorning and/or castration, cattle bereturned to a clean, dust-free environment (i.e. the paddock) as soon as possible.

The guide also states that cattle should be dehorned at their first muster and preferablybefore they are six months of age. While this is not always feasible, dehorning—or in thecase of older animals, tipping—should always be undertaken at the first opportunity tominimise welfare issues at the time of sale.

Where cattle are to be transported to another property or another area within the same property,such procedures should be carried out upon arrival at the destination, not before the journey. If thisis not practical, those animals should be allowed to sufficiently heal to allow the exposed areas todry and seal before transport at a lighter loading density to reduce the likelihood of secondarydamage.

The time taken for sufficient healing will vary according to the extent of the injury or wound. A lightlytipped horn may only require a few days compared to a severely dehorned animal with a significanthole into the frontal sinuses of the skull which may take several months. The rule of thumb shouldbe that the secondary rubbing of any area will not result in exposed tissues or bleeding.

It should also be pointed out that the exposure of such practices to the public during transportationand subsequent sale should be avoided if the industry is to further develop its positive public imagein relation to animal welfare. Not only must the industry make every effort to do the right thing itmust be seen to be doing the right thing!

To quote one transport operator: ‘There are around two million would-be animal welfareinspectors in WA—the general public.’

DATE CLAIMERThe 2009 PGA Kimberley Division Bull Sale will be held at the Fitzroy Crossing Rodeo Yardson Friday, 21 August—please enter the date in your 2009 diary.

For further information please contact:Edgar Richardson (PGA Perth) — 0409 945 430Jim Motter — 9191 7141Keith Anderson — 9191 4748



LEAD RESIDUE RISKS ON-FARM FOR LIVESTOCK

Anita Drage, Animal Health, Perth

Old lead batteries are the most common cause of lead poisoning in livestock. Battery casesbecome brittle over time and are easily broken by inquisitive cattle. The lead and lead salts that theycontain are easily accessed and readily eaten by livestock. A cattle property in Albany had livestockdeaths directly related to calves accessing a burnt pile of batteries. The ash and plastic eaten bythe calves resulted in toxic levels of lead and several calves died before the source wasdetermined.

Dispose of old lead batteries appropriately. Contact your local shire office to determine what wastefacilities are available for disposal of old batteries.

Other causes of lead poisoning in stock include:• licking and eating lead based paint from old paint tins• buildings and other painted materials• eating ashes left after burning old painted materials• eating linoleum• drinking sump oil• silage contaminated with lead shot• automotive grease and oil filters• caulking, putty• even access to leadlight windows have also caused fatal lead poisoning of stock.Recently several different lines of sheep at the abattoirs have been detected with lead residues.Upon traceback and investigation to the properties concerned all sheep had been chewing shedsand buildings that had been painted in previous years with lead based paint. Sheep were nowchewing the paint off these buildings located in the paddocks; as lead is sweet tasting it provided adelightful addition to grazing.

All farming properties across thestate would have these buildingsas risks. To determine iflivestock are chewing the paintoff, check for teeth marks andscraping of paint. All riskbuildings should either beremoved or fenced off.

Under the Livestock ProductionAssurance program allproducers should haveconducted a residue riskassessment as part of theirrequirement to using and signingNational Vendor Declarations forlivestock sales. Ensuring that allresidue risks are eliminated on-farm is part of that program.



PILBARA REPRESENTATIVE FOR NBIC AND NABRCPeter Smith, DAFWA, Karratha

Pilbara pastoralists will soon receive a notice in the mail calling for nominations to represent thePilbara cattle industry on the Northern Beef Industry Committee (NBIC) and the North AustralianBeef Research Council (NABRC).

Murray Grey, the previous Pilbara representative on these groups tendered his resignation at theindustry consultation meeting held at Yalleen recently. An extract from his letter of resignation readsas follows: ‘This decision has not been made lightly as I feel privileged to have represented thePilbara beef industry at a national level’.

On behalf of the Pilbara cattle industry I would like to thank Murray for his efforts while in the positionand wish him well with his future in the northern cattle industry.

The role of the regional representatives includes supporting the development of research proposalstargeting issues of their local cattle industry and reviewing proposals from other areas of northernAustralia which may have relevance to their area. Representation on these groups helps ensurethat your research levy $’s are invested in activities of benefit to the northern WA cattle industry.

FROM THE TOP OF THE WINDMILL

Tom Vickers, Kununurra

Windmills

The number of working windmills across the Kimberley is slowly declining. Due to a lack ofservicing, e.g. checking oil levels and tightening loose blades, mills are breaking down and notbeing replaced. A windmill should be serviced every three months. When a problem occurs in thegear box of a windmill (the head) it is common for the station to use a crane to pull the whole gearbox off and lower it to the ground where it can be fixed—however crane hire can be very expensiveand difficult to get on site. Another method is to unbolt the gear box and lower it piece by piece tothe ground until the problem is fixed then lift the gear box back up piece by piece where it isreassembled. Expensive insurance premiums for staff working at heights and a lack of skilled staffavailable to repair and maintain windmills are major reasons why the number of working windmillsis decreasing and why many windmills are being replaced by submersible pumps.

Submersible pumps

Submersible pumps with poly pipe are relatively easy to pull up and put back down when required.A skilled team can pull up a submersible pump (100 m) in half an hour. This task would haveusually taken most of the day if traditional steel piping had been used.

When using a generator to create power for a submersible pump it is recommended that a fourpole alternator be used instead of a two pole alternator. Four pole alternators are better suited toworking long hours in hot conditions.



It is also important to have thegenerator running at theoptimum speed; for a two polealternator the generator will needto run at 3000 rpm and for a fourpole it will need to run at1500 rpm. This can be checkedusing a kilohertz and voltagemeter which plugs in betweenthe generator and thesubmersible pump; it is best tobe checked while pumpingwater. To confirm the rpm arecorrect, the kilohertz will read50—this is the same for allelectrical pumps. The throttle onthe motor can then be adjustedup or down to ensure the correctrevolutions per minute (rpm).

Remember, ‘anything that goes fast doesn’t last long’.

Tanks

Tanks filled using a solar pump should have a float switch in the tank. This simple device, whichcosts about $100, will prevent any wasted overflow and increase the life of the pump as it will berequired to pump less. If installed, the relatively cheap cost of a float switch could, over time, saveyou a considerable amount of maintenance on the pumping system.

Piping and trough maintenance

All pipes should be laid at least 300 mm underground. This can be achieved with the station graderby using the corner of the blade to form a trench and then back-filling once the pipe line is in place.When using two inch (50 mm) pipe it is not recommended that water be pumped more than7 kilometres as friction can pose a major problem. Elevation along the length of the line must alsobe taken into consideration as this will also impact on the distance water can be pushed.

The first 6-8 metres of piping from a trough should be steel and not poly pipe. As part of yearlystation maintenance, dirt scoured out from around troughs should be pushed back in so all ages ofstock have easy access to water. A more permanent cement apron should be built around heavilyused troughs where annual maintenance is not sufficient.

Other tips

• In sandy country around Kununurra it is common for underground streams to move.• Where possible, never push the bore more than 60% of the maximum flow rate—as

recommended by the driller. When you pump too hard sand, silt, clay and rock can be suckedinto the underground stream, reducing its ability to receive water. If this happens, the pump canstart sucking sand causing severe damage to the pump. It is better to pump at a slower rateover a longer period.

• It is recommended that stations assign a staff member to accompany and learn from an expertwhen he is working on a problem on their station.



INVESTIGATING PRIORITY PILBARA WATER

RESOURCES TO SECURE SUPPLY

Throughout the next three years the Department of Water will be looking at water resources andtheir management in the Pilbara. The key areas being investigated include the West Canning Basinand the alluvial aquifers associated with Millstream, lower Fortescue, lower Robe, Yule, De Greyand Turner rivers. Some work will also be undertaken to assess water available from alluvialaquifers underlying the Cane, Maitland and George rivers.

Staff from the department and contractors will be visiting these sites to assess how much water isavailable and how best to manage the water resources. Management of water resources aims toprotect water use for stock and domestic purposes, water for the environment and water to supportcultural and social values, as well as meet water needs for industry and town supplies.

Work you might see occurring locally will include relocating and, if necessary, rehabilitating existingbores, conducting water quality sampling and pump testing at some aquifers. These types of on-site activities will be combined with existing information from gauging stations and monitoring boresand some airborne mapping to build computer models of aquifers and rivers. These will help usunderstand what might occur if climate or water use patterns change.

Stations will be contacted prior to entering a lease to check that there will be no interference withstation operations such as mustering.

Funding for this work is, in part, provided by the Australian Government’s Water Smart Australiaprogram, and will help the department, community and industry to plan for and protect watersupplies, as well as identify opportunities for additional water use. These uses could include wateruse to support pastoral diversification (refer ‘Water management in the rangelands’ fact sheetwww.water.wa.gov.au) and meet the growing needs of industry.

These activities follow the recent release of the Pilbara Regional Plan. Two other documents due tobe released soon are: Pilbara Coast Water Study and Pilbara Water in Mining Guideline.

Management of demand for water from coastal groundwater sources in the Pilbara is increasinglyneeded due to growth from towns for public water supply, ports and mining operations. Somemines have been progressive and improved their water efficiency and the department encouragesthis conservative approach to water use by all.

Information from these studies, stakeholders and the community about economic, environmental,social and cultural water issues will be used for a water resource management plan that willinclude allocation limits and rules to better manage water abstraction for the long term and thewellbeing of the Pilbara community.

For further information about this project contact:

Mike BraimbridgeEmail [email protected] or phone 6364 6831



Pilbara WSA Project—Study AreasLegend1 Cane River 6 George River2 Robe River 7 Yule River3 Lower Fortescue 8 Turner River4 Maitland River 9 De Grey River5 Millstream 10 West Canning Basin

NEW PROJECT IN THE NORTH

Mark Alchin, Industry Development—Rangelands

A new project exploring the opportunities and risks of emissionstrading in the WA Rangelands has commenced (see this issue forfurther information). I am relocating from Meekatharra to Kununurrain late December and I will be continuing my work in leading theCarbon Capture Project. I will also be involved in various otherindustry development activities in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.I am originally from Queensland and I have been in Meekatharra foralmost five years where I have been involved in livestock productivityand grazing management projects. I am near the completion of apart-time PhD which investigated the impact of two different grazingsystems on two commercial businesses in the Lower Murchison. Ihave a Bachelor of Applied Science (Crops and Rangelands) withHonours from the University of Queensland. My wife and I arelooking forward to being based in the Kimberley and I encourage youto contact me if you are interested in or wish to provide input for the Carbon Capture project.



A CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Noel Wilson, Kununurra

Preparations for the gradual evolution of the long-running Kimberley Zone Control Authority (ZCA) toa more flexible structure with enhanced industry involvement and control, took another step closerwhen the Kimberley Rangelands Biosecurity Association was recently incorporated.

All Kimberley pastoralists had previously been contacted by direct letter to explain the changes,which will shortly see a total of 17 previously discrete but outmoded Acts replaced by the newBiosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 and its supporting suite of modernisedRegulations.

During the transitional period, the existing Zone Control Authority and the new incorporatedAssociation (to be known as a Recognised Biosecurity Group or RBG under the new legislativeframework) will operate in parallel for a short period.

It is hoped that everything will be ready for the RBG to assume full control by July 2009, at whichpoint the existing ZCA will be formally abolished.

An interim Management Committee has been appointed to guide the new Association until suchtime as a formal Annual General Meeting can be held. Well-known Kimberley identities Jim Motterand Jack Burton have agreed to act as Chair and Vice-Chair of the new Association respectively.Kununurra local Dick Pasfield (Ord Land & Water) accepted a nomination to act as interimSecretary/Treasurer. Other members of the existing ZCA have agreed to fill remaining positions onthe interim Management Committee until they can be ratified by the full membership of the newAssociation.

Chris Richardson, Chair of theAgriculture Protection Board and ofthe new Biosecurity Council, was onhand for the joint Kimberley ZCA andPGA Branch meeting in Broomerecently. During a lull in proceedings,Chris took the opportunity to presentJim Motter and Dick Pasfield with theCertificate of Incorporation for thenew Association, signifying a‘changing of the guard’ and a newera in relations between theKimberley pastoral industry and theWA Department of Agriculture andFood.

Chris urged all pastoralists acrossthe Region to embrace the newAssociation, and to make full use ofits new-found freedom to operate inaccordance with the industry’swishes.

Jim Motter and Dick Pasfield, Chair andSecretary/Treasurer of the newly formed Kimberley

Rangelands Biosecurity Association Inc., receive thegroup’s Certificate of Incorporation from Chris Richardson,

APB Chair, and Noel Wilson, Chair of the KimberleyZCA—Broome, October 2008.

[From left to right: Noel Wilson, Chris Richardson,Jim Motter, Dick Pasfield]



RINGERS RANGELAND COURSE

An introduction to property, pasture and cattle management in the KimberleyA hands-on practical course designed for people working in the cattle industry

Targeting stock camps and other station staff

• Free of charge• One-day course• Held on station at a time suited to your program• Can combine with other stations’ staff

Topics covered include:

• Pasture identification and dynamics including a field visit• Weed management• Fire management• Animal nutrition• Station infrastructure planning exercise

Please indicate your interest in running or being part of a workshop in your area.

Please fax to the Department of Agriculture and Food in Derby on 9191 0344.

For further information or to arrange a course, please contact Michael Jeffery orAnne Marie Huey, DAFWA, Derby on 9191 0333.

Station name

Interested in holding a course

Prefer to travel to another venue

Preferred dates/time of training

Number of staff likely to attend

Contact name and phone number



Grazing Land ManagementGrazing Land Management Workshops are proposed for:

• Halls Creek (24-26 March)• Derby/West Kimberley (30 March-1 April)• North Kimberley• Kununurra• Fitzroy Crossing.For more information about the Halls Creek workshop, please contact Mervyn Whortley (RubyPlains Station) on 9168 8915 or Anne Marie Huey (DAFWA, Derby) on 9191 0333.

Over the past year Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Department of Agriculture and Food andlocal pastoralists have been working together to develop a Grazing Land Management (GLM)package for the Kimberley. Similar GLM packages have been developed and presented toproducers across northern Australia with great success. A pilot run on Quanbun Station in early2008 made sure of its relevance to Kimberley pastoralists and now it is ready to be presentedacross the Kimberley.

Be sure to attend and see how some of your producer levies have been spent!

Strategies to increase profit and sustainability

Meat & Livestock Australia’s EDGEnetwork® Grazing Land Management (GLM) workshop will helpyou develop grazing management strategies to increase profit and sustainability.

Individual and local issues with follow-upadvice

The training involves a three-day workshop, with apreparation and introductory session, and a follow-up/refresher day six to nine months later to discussachievements and address any issues.

As a participant, you have ongoing access to thepresenters for advice and support, even after theworkshop ends.

Key workshop topics

1. Understanding the grazing ecosystem2. Managing grazing3. Managing with fire4. Balancing trees and grass5. Pasture improvement6. Managing weeds7. Developing a grazing management plan

The GLM workshop can help you answer these questions:

• What condition are my paddocks in?• Can I improve their carrying capacity?• If I am buying more land, how do I know what it is really worth?• What role should fire play in my property management?• How can I get the right balance of trees and pasture?• Which sown pastures are suited to my property and are they worth using?



Grazing Land ManagementTo express your interest in attending a Kimberley Grazing Land Management workshop,complete this form and fax back to:

Department of Agriculture and Food—Fax (08) 9191 0334

For more information contact:

Anne Marie Huey, Grazing Land Management Officer, DAFWA, DerbyPO Box 278, DERBY WA 6728Phone: (08) 9191 0333 Fax: (08) 9191 0334

Details

First name .............................................. Surname ...................................................................

Business trading name ..............................................................................................................

Address ......................................................................................................................................

Town/Suburb ................................................................................... Postcode ..........................

Telephone ( ) .................................................... Facsimile ( ) ...............................................

Email ..........................................................................................................................................

Privacy—The information you are providing may be personal information under the Privacy Act. It is collected forMLA’s business purposes only and will not be disclosed to any third party except in accordance with MLA’s privacypolicy. The privacy policy can be obtained directly from MLA by calling 1800 023 100, or from our websitewww.mla.com.au



CARBON CAPTURE PROJECT

Mark Alchin, Industry Development, Meekatharra

Agriculture is the second largest contributor to Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions (~16% oftotal). Therefore, any national policy measures taken to address climate change will undoubtedlyhave direct and indirect impacts on individual pastoral businesses throughout the WA Rangelands.The proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) is the centrepiece of theCommonwealth Government’s plan to meet its long-term emission reduction targets. Regardless ofwhether agriculture is directly included in the proposed CPRS, it may affect individual pastoralbusinesses in the following ways:1. Increase in the cost of fuel, particularly enterprises which currently rely heavily on aerial

mustering and are required to transport livestock long distances.2. Increased interest from corporate investment to acquire or sublease pastoral land for

biosequestration related activities (e.g. agroforestry, biofuel production, etc.).3. Enhanced financial impetus for existing land managers to improve production efficiency (e.g.

faster weight gains, higher calving percentages, rigorous culling of poor performers).4. Increased uptake of recommended sustainable grazing management practices (e.g. wet

season spelling, ~30% utilisation of perennial grasses, aligning stocking rate with seasonal feedsupply) by land managers in an attempt to improve rangeland condition.

5. Rationalisation of existing grazing area and sustainable intensification of more productive landtypes.

6. Incentive for existing land managers to transition enterprises to biosequestration relatedactivities (particularly in marginal grazing lands).

7. Uptake of new technology and products capable of reducing methane emissions of ruminants(anti-methanogen vaccines, feed additives).

8. Development of highly sophisticated prescribed burning regimes to mitigate excessiveemissions associated with severe, hot, late dry season fires.

9. If agriculture was included in the CPRS, businesses would have to pay the direct annual costfor permits for every tonne of CO2 equivalents they emit (sheep and cattle methane emissionswill be the primary factor determining business obligations).

10. Greater uptake of energy saving, low emissions technologies (e.g. remote water and yardmonitoring, remote recognition software and yard operation, virtual fencing, hybrid vehicles,solar power).

A new project initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Food, WA (DAFWA) and RangelandsNRM seeks to investigate the potential opportunities and impacts of the CPRS on pastoralbusinesses in the rangelands.

The project has three key outcomes:1. The project will estimate the net amount of greenhouse gases that a pastoral business emits

per year in the Kimberley–Pilbara region.2. Estimate how much carbon can be captured and stored by sustainable grazing management

and the level of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that can be achieved by reducing theincidence of intense wildfires.

3. Identify the economic thresholds and carbon price signals that may require pastoral businessesto make a shift to alternative management practices or enterprises.



The project will involve three commercial pastoral businesses in the Kimberley–Pilbara region. Thestudy will involve three primary activities:1. Audit existing business productivity, financial returns and greenhouse gas emissions for the

previous five years. Complete an environmental audit of the pastoral leases.2. Conduct a soil and vegetation carbon accounting survey across each of the three pastoral

businesses.3. Complete carbon and economic modelling to evaluate and discuss the most profitable, low-

emissions and environmentally sustainable enterprise and management practices for eachindividual business.

The project will be undertaken in close partnership with the Western Australian pastoral industryand is an initiative of the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia and RangelandsNRM Western Australia who have allocated a total of $692,809 to the project. The project willinvolve two full-time DAFWA researchers, collaboration with other state and federal R&D agenciesand the technical support of other DAFWA employees.

The project commences 1 November 2008 and will be completed on 30 June 2010.

For further information contact: Mark Alchin, Industry Development—Rangelands, DAFWAM: 0447 077 899; Email [email protected]

NEW DVD TO HELP RURAL MEN

Wheatbelt Men’s Health Inc. (WMH) and the Kondinin Group (a farmer-based support organisation)have joined forces to produce a high quality DVD to assist farmers and their families to understandthe issues created by excessive stress, depression and the need to seek professional help if underpressure.

The DVD focuses on the Working with Warriors program pioneered by Julian Krieg, SeniorEducator with WMH who believes that prevention starts with informing community members abouttheir responsibilities to look after themselves and their mates as the first line of defence inmanaging stress and depression health problems.

For the past six years Julian has been promoting the slogan‘…before it all gets too much – talk to a mate…’. He alsobelieves most men don’t stop long enough to identify whotheir real mates (people they can discuss things with) are.

The DVD focuses on four bush stories and captures theneed to watch out for extreme stress in our lives.

Copies of the DVD are available from Sally Naughton,Northam.

For further information contact:Sally Naughton, DAFWA, NorthamPhone (08) 9690 2277; Email [email protected]



AUSTRALIAN RANGELANDS CONFERENCE—CHARTERS

TOWERS, QUEENSLAND

Rebecca Dray, DAFWA, Karratha

The Australian Rangeland Society held their biennial conference from 28 September until 2 Octoberin Charters Towers, Queensland. The theme of the conference was ‘A Climate of Change’, not onlyregarding the current environmental concerns but also that times are changing in social andeconomic ways. About 200 delegates from all parts of Australia working in the rangelands attendedthe conference. Of those there were 15 from Western Australia, and included a mixture ofpastoralists, DAFWA staff and NRM coordinators. Topics discussed ranged from social issues,grazing land management, land condition, monitoring, biodiversity management, conservation,latest research developments, multiple rangeland uses, restoration in the rangelands and variousstudent presentations.

One of the field tours associated with the conference was to Wambiana Station to look at a grazingtrial that has been running over the past 11 years. The aim of the trial was to demonstrate thebenefits of sustainable grazing strategies for profit and improved land condition. Five grazingstrategies were trialled: heavy continuous stocking (4 ha/AE); moderate continuous stocking(8 ha/AE); rotational wet season spelling (each paddock spelled every three years); a variablestocking with rates adjusted mid year to leave a minimum of 1000 kg/ha of residual feed thebeginning of the wet season; and Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) variable stocking, where stocknumbers were adjusted in November based on available pasture and SOI seasonal forecast.

Live weight gains over the 11 years were highest in the moderate stocking rate (113 kg/hd/yr) andlowest in the heavy stocking rate (86 kg/hd/yr). Both of the variable stocking strategies performedwell with good animal growth and economic profitability, but were susceptible to drought risk. Heavystocking performed well early in the trial but animal production and land condition declined, withsupplementary feeding required in drier years. The moderate stocking rate produced the bestanimal growth and profitswith lower input costs,while at the same timeimproving land condition.The Wambiana trialdemonstrates thatsustainable landmanagement andprofitability can beachieved.

Wambiana also have aherd of 100 camels whichare used to controlParkinsonia and rubbervine. They are reported tobe doing quite a good jobof controlling the spreadof these weeds. Interested delegates listen to ‘results to date’ from the

Wambiana trial.



A distinct focus for the conference was placed on attracting and retaining bright young minds andsecuring a future for the rangelands. NAPCO, an employer of many of Australia’s youth, presentedthe statistics of youth joining and leaving the industry, and ways in which they try to retain youngpeople. The reasons why young people leave when questioned include lack of support, services,adequate remuneration and poor relationships with supervisors. Suggestions for improvementincluded selling a positive lifestyle, career opportunities and diversification in industries.

Brainstorming sessions and finding answers to this pressing matter of engaging and encouragingthe youth of today to become involved in the rangelands were at the top of the agenda. Onesuggestion was to run a series of ‘Rangelands: McLeod’s Daughters’ to entice young people to theindustry.

Many interesting papers were presented during the week of the conference, covering all topicsrelated to the rangelands. By far the most stimulating talks were by the student papers that werepresented, with their honest and to the point talks keeping all present on their toes and eagerlylistening. Examples of these hot topics included: Ecosystem response to cell grazing; Maintainingproduction and meeting conservation goals on grazing properties in the rangeland; andLandholders and kangaroos in the rangelands.

This conference was a great opportunity to meet and mingle with many of the great minds workingin the rangelands and to get to know their expertise, issues and successes in their time in therangelands.

Whilst in the past the society and conferences have predominantly held a strong science andresearch link to rangeland management, it does provide a great arena to ‘bring the science to theground’. Hopefully the next Australian Rangeland Society conference to be held in Burke, NSW in2010 will see a much stronger presence of on-ground Rangeland managers.

The next Australian Rangeland Society’s Conference in 2010 to be held in Burke will have manyexpectations and reputations to uphold when compared to the extraordinary organisation of theCharters Towers conference.

Finally, a few last words written and presented quite artistically by Kaz Johnson (DAFWAGeraldton) during the wrap-up of the conference.

Building relations through policy, finance and social adversity,

Working towards learning, conserving, Rangeland biodiversity.

The Students presentations were great to see energetic faces,

Committed to Rangelands and Research, you’re all sure to go places.

So, as we depart, we’ll each take a token

With memories and notes of what has been spoken.

Armed with a passion and equipped with new names,

We’ll take to our Rangelands on the new winds of change.



FAREWELL TO BARGIE

Karratha Office

After 20 years working for the Department of Agriculture and Food, Andrew Longbottom is leaving towork with Rio Tinto Pastoral Operations. Affectionately known as Bargie, Andrew is pretty much aninstitution in the Pilbara, known for his phenomenal memory, his broad knowledge of the pastoraland farming community of WA, his big brown hat—changed to black on occasion—and his love ofa good story. Andrew began working with the Agriculture Protection Board in October 1988 as atrainee at Harvey and Manjimup before taking up a district agricultural officer position atDumbleyung and then Gnowangerup. In May 1991 Andrew transferred to Onslow where heremained until the office closed in 1999. Since then he has been based in Karratha and undertakennumerous roles including biosecurity, stock inspection, animal welfare, pastoral lease inspectionand, since 2006, coordinating the Pilbara indigenous management support program.

Andrew has great organisational skills and planned and managed many aerial baiting programs andcontrol programs for invasive weeds during his years in the Pilbara. The success of theseprograms was due largely to his communication skills with pastoralists and attention to detail.Andrew received an award for his part in the eradication of cattle tick from the Pilbara in 2002.

A highlight of his career was his involvement in planning many aerial feral animal control programswhich he participated in with great enthusiasm. His position as an animal welfare officer andinsistence that staff involved were proficient marksmen ensured that these programs wereconducted to the highest standards of animal welfare.

One of Andrew’s ongoing legacies for rangelands staff will be the remote area operatingprocedures where, in his role as rangelands OHS representative, he had a large part in puttingthem together. He was a great man for the job as he had experienced a broad range of potentialsafety issues during his years ‘patrolling the Pilbara’.

I believe I speak on behalf of many Pilbara pastoralists and departmental staff in the Rangelands inwishing Andrew every success in his new role. He will no doubt still ‘be around’!

Bargie, complete with hat—‘a blast from the past’—demonstrating what not to do.



RANGELANDS 2008 – TAKING THE PULSE

Gary Bastin, ACRIS Coordinator, CSIRO, Alice Springs

The Australian Collaborative Rangelands Information System (ACRIS) recently released a majorreport on change in the rangelands. Rangelands 2008 – Taking the pulse describes change in anumber of environmental, economic and social themes (results for those themes most relevant tothe pastoral industry are briefly reported below). The reporting period is 1992 to 2005 and reportingis mostly by bioregion. There are 52 bioregions wholly or partly in the rangelands. (A bioregion is alarge geographically distinct area that has assemblages of landscapes, flora and fauna formingrecognisable patterns, e.g. the Mitchell Grass Downs.)

The Australian Government has provided substantial funding to assist ACRIS activity. This fundingis administered by the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre located in Alice Springs.The title of the report (‘taking the pulse’) derives from the dynamic but sometimes fragile nature ofthe rangelands, and the need to monitor the way in which this large part of Australia (81% of landarea) responds to human impacts. As medical staff take our pulse as a measure of our health, sowe take the ‘pulse’ of the rangelands to determine how they are changing through time. The analogyis strengthened by viewing satellite images of vegetation growth over a 10–20 year period. Thesequential images appear as a beating heart, as vegetation greens (and grows) each summer inthe monsoonal north, most winters in the south and irregularly in the arid interior.

The report and associated material is available at www.environment.gov.au/acris

Gary Bastin, ACRIS Coordinator, CSIROPO Box 2111, Alice Springs NT 0871Phone: (08) 8950 7137; Email: [email protected]



ECOFIRE WINS THE WA ENVIRONMENT AWARD

EcoFire has won the Overall Western Australia Environment Award 2008 and the Award forCommunity Achievement. The award ceremony was held in Perth on 11 October to honourindividuals, community groups and businesses who have shown outstanding achievement inprotecting Western Australia’s environment.

The EcoFire project is contracted by the Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group and managed bythe Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) at Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary in the centralKimberley. Partner organisations include Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Departmentof Environment and Conservation (DEC), Kimberley Land Council and the Department ofAgriculture and Food, WA.

EcoFire brings together pastoralists, indigenous communities, private and public conservationgroups and government agencies to deliver effective fire management in the central and northKimberley.

AWC was a finalist in three categories of the 2008 Western Australian Environment Awards: the‘Bush, Land and Waterways’ and ‘Community Group Achievement’ categories for EcoFire and the‘Biodiversity Conservation’ category for restoring the fauna of Faure Island Wildlife Sanctuary.

EcoFire was selected as the winning nomination above more than 100 high quality submissionsfrom across the state. The Honourable Donna Faragher, Minister for Environment, and DECDirector General Kieran McNamara, presented the awards to the EcoFire team.

The awards recognise EcoFire’s leadership, commitment and excellence in conservation. AWCpartners, community members and supporters attended the event at the Hyatt in Perth.

EcoFire Project Manager, Sarah Legge, said: ‘It’s very exciting to be part of a project that is bringingpeople with diverse interests together in a positive, outcome-focussed way to achieve somethinggreat for conservation. We hope this award will help increase awareness of the fire managementissues we face in the Kimberley, and demonstrate that with relatively modest funding, theKimberley community can improve the region’s fire patterns’.

AWC Chief Executive, Atticus Fleming, said: ‘The EcoFire project is a great example of the wayAWC, by working with neighbours and partners, is achieving conservation outcomes at regionalscales. It highlights the role that the private sector can make towards conservation in Australia’.

For further comment contact:

Joanna Axford at Mornington Wildlife SanctuaryPhone: (08) 9191 7014; Email: [email protected]



WEST AUSTRALIAN WILD DOG DNA PROJECT

Danielle Stephens, UWA School of Animal Biology

The West Australian Wild Dog DNA Project is on track to provide the largest study of wild dogecology ever undertaken in Australia. Thanks primarily to the assistance of landholders, landmanagers and government, we now have almost 700 wild dog DNA samples from a great variety oflocations across the state—we are well on our way to getting the 3000 samples that the project istargeting, but continued assistance is needed.

The aim of the project is to collect information on the movement, pack structure and degree ofhybridisation between dingoes and feral dogs using DNA data. This is possible due to thecontribution of DNA samples from people involved in wild dog management and the support of theRangelands NRM Coordinating Group, BHP Billiton, DAFWA, DEC, the University of WA and theInvasive Animals CRC. The results will be used to provide up-to-date, local data to inform futuremanagement decisions.

The DNA approach relies on generating unique ‘DNA fingerprints’ for individual wild dogs like thoseused in paternity testing or forensics, then mapping them onto the landscape. The genetic similaritybetween individual dogs provides an indication of how far the interbreeding groups extend. Thisapproach requires accurate information on where the dogs were caught, and the results can beoverlaid on landscape features, or different control regimes to determine their role in the structuringof dog populations. The same data can also beused to determine if a sample is a dingo, feraldomestic dog or a hybrid of the two.

Preliminary testing has shown that 60% of WAsamples are pure dingoes, which is in starkcontrast to the 5% pure dingoes found in south-eastern Australia. As the majority of previousdingo DNA studies have focused on NSW andVictoria, this highlights the value of expandingsampling across the continent to find out howwild dogs in central and western Australia differfrom the more intensively-studied populations inthe south-east.

The collection of samples will continue until July2009. To accurately study wild dog movementsand relationships among packs, we are seekingto include up to 2300 more samples in ourstudy.

If you are interested in providing samples tothe project, please contact DanielleStephens at the University of WesternAustralia ([email protected])or visit our web page atwww.wilddogdna.animals.uwa.edu.au.Alternatively, contact your DAFWABiosecurity Officer to arrange sampling kits.

Map of the samples received for the WA WildDog DNA Project so far. Triangles each

represent a single sample.



CAMELS VIA SATELLITE

Rob Parr, Vertebrate Pest Research, DAFWA, Forrestfield

In early November personnel from the Vertebrate Pest Research Section (VPRS) teamed up withPilbara Biosecurity staff, Jonathon Lee a consultant senior veterinarian from the AustralianBiosecurity CRC, Geoff Mills from Warrawagine Station and Victor Gleeson from Smoothy’sHelicopters to attach satellite collars to 10 feral camels.

The trial is jointly funded through the Rangelands NRM Coordinating Group, the Kimberley ZoneControl Authority and DAFWA and is expected to run for two years. One of the initial aims was toattach collars to 10 adult female camels from separate and discrete family groups that werelocated on and around the fringes of the pastoral country and the Great Sandy Desert. The targetedarea stretched from north-east of Yarrie Station in the west, around the eastern side of the OakoverRiver to the Telfer mine road, and east from there towards Telfer.

The attachment of the collars to these animals seeks to quantify overall and seasonal movement ofcamels, particularly where they inhabit the pastoral leases and adjacent desert areas. Thisinformation can then be compared to data that already exists for animals that solely occupy desertregions. Importantly the collars will gather data on the degree to which the ever increasing feralcamel population is encroaching and impacting on adjoining pastoral land. Satellite tracking will alsohelp to identify areas that are at high risk due to heavy utilisation by camels.

One of the aims of the trial is to determine if the control of camels via the Judas technique is aviable and feasible option. This technique involves the release of a radio collared animal (usually anadult female). Collared animals are subsequently tracked and all animals apart from the collaredanimal are shot. The remaining (collared) animals are left to hopefully find (or be found) by others ofher species. This system works well with donkeys but the potential for camels to travel enormousdistances in the lag time between tracking runs could rule it out as an option for camels. In thisregard the satellite collars shouldprovide the hard data on camelmovements on the pastoral leasedesert interface that we seek.

The satellite collars also have themore traditional VHF componentwhich will enable the tracking ofthe animals during the trial periodto visually establish what herdsizes they are in and how thesechange over season, time andaccording to other influences suchas climatic conditions andbreeding status. Herd size andpropensity to ‘mob up’ are alsocrucial elements in determining ifthe Judas technique is appropriatefor camel control.

The project team express their thanks to the funders of the project, all those involved in the collaringexercise to date and especially to Geoff and Linda Mills at Warrawagine Station.



CATTLE MARKET UPDATE—28 NOVEMBER 2008

Export numbers (Northern Ports 2008)

• 22 472 head of cattle left the Broome Port between September and the end of November 2008

• 8600 head of cattle left the Port Hedland Port between September and the end of November 2008

• 17 607 head of cattle left the Wyndham Port between September and the end of November in 2008