21 st Century Pastoralism Project Andy Bubb Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

The DKCRC is committed to creating economic opportunities for desert people and a demonstrable difference for remote Indigenous communities, through the application of excellent research and training.

21 st Century Pastoralism 1.Engaging Aboriginal Pastoralists 2.Improving Economic Sustainability 3.Managing for a Variable Climate 4.Utilising Technology

Utilising Technology

The project’s monitoring covered costs, reliability, ease of use and benefits of the new equipment plus time and cost savings. The benefits include: lifestyle changes reducing the number of bore runs saving fuel, time and money. Future benefits expected: better control of Total Grazing Pressure and pastoral country condition stronger production results through better utilisation of available feed environmental gains through pasture regeneration

De Rose Hill Station A llan & Kylie Fuller own and manage the 180,000 hectare property located 50km south of the Northern Territory/South Australian border on the Stuart Highway, running around 2000 head of black angus cows.

Len & Joy Newton’s Mt Ive Station Mt Ive is a 85,250 hectare, wool growing property in the Gawler Ranges with saltbush flats that borders Lake Gardiner in the North.

New water point Telemetry Solar pump Evaporation control Mount Ive Station

SA Monitoring Results

The Alice Springs region Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries and Mines research Station covers 50,000 hectares of sandy Mulga country and open oatgrass plains. Old Man Plains Research Station

“Since installing the telemetry in January at the furtherest water point on the property, we have reduced our bore run from 3-4 times a week to just one saving around 200km weekly.” Debbie Roberts, manager

The North Australian Pastoral Company’s MONKIRA Station Located in western Queensland's channel country, the 373,000 hectare grower property for weaner steers is dominated by the mighty flood plains of the Diamantina River, which produce highly productive pastures of blue bush and native sorghum.

Telemetry Solar pump Liner Evap-cap Pump Controller

Future of WaterSmart Looking for further funding Roll out results of past work to WA and Western NSW Opportunity to test new equipment Would you like to be involved?

An interactive ‘clearing house’ of project information including: Water delivery (reticulation systems including guidance on design, pipe and valve information etc.) Water control and monitoring systems (telemetry) Water point location Evaporation management Information related to: ◦On-ground experiences ◦ Field trials ◦ Latest technologies ◦ Costs and benefits ◦ Field Days and demonstrations ◦ Manufacturers and suppliers ◦ Funding and subsidies available ◦ Industry links The page provides links to allow information sharing by landholders on what they have found to have worked, problems they have faced and overcome and the opportunity to have discussions around the country with other graziers, suppliers, manufacturers etc through an interactive forum

Wide Open Spaces Extensive pastoralism is built on low input/low output production systems Opportunity to collect data on animals once or twice per year Infrequent data collection results in little opportunity to use the data collected

Remote Livestock Management System Ability to individually manage animals Allow for intensive management to be adopted on extensive properties Increase the profitability of pastoral production

“Take opportunity to use a bio-security cost as a money making tool” Opportunity to: Automatically Wean Control Mate Track weight gains and loses Identify time of calving

Autodrafter at Napperby

Video of Autodrafter