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Join an Expanding Industry With a Beef Cattle Farming Course

Cattle farmers today collectively run over 28 million animals over 200 million hectares, and the industry has changed a great deal over recent decades. Ideal for beef cattle producers, beef cattle managers and farm hands, this beef cattle farming course will give you the knowledge to develop your career prospects, better manage beef cattle or improve your farm operations.

The Certificate of Beef Cattle will give you insights into the role of beef cattle in agriculture, beef cattle breeds and production systems, and beef cattle diseases, nutrition and breeding. You will also study commercial herd, feed lot and stud herd management, and marketing and economics in the beef cattle industry.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a beef cattle farming course include:

  • Learning about beef cattle, beef cattle breeds and the role of beef cattle in agriculture
  • Exploring scientific classification, examples of breeds worldwide including British breeds – Angus, Hereford, South Devon, Sussex and Red Poll
  • Gaining an understanding of US developed beef breeds – Santa Gertrudis, American Brahman, Amerifax and Beefmaster
  • Studying European Beef breeds – Salers, Charolais, Simmental and Gelbvieh
  • Examining Australian Beef breeds – Braford, Beefmaster, Droughtmaster, Murray Grey and Australian Lowline
  • Understanding South African Beef Breeds – Salorn, Tswana, Tuli and Africkander
  • Attaining knowledge of breed selection considerations – horned vs poll, colour, gestation length, birth weight, mothering ability, post weaning growth, meat quality etc.
  • Gaining insights into various systems of production (extensive, intensive and semi-intensive) and how to choose a suitable system – considerations include size, climate, soils, transport, markets etc.
  • Learning about cattle handling facilities and materials used in cattle handling
  • Exploring cattle identification (branding, ear marking, tattooing, ear tags) and de-horning (chemical and mechanical methods)
  • Gaining an understanding of castrations, dips and dipping and injecting cattle
  • Studying beef cattle breeding including heritability, performance testing, progeny testing and selection, pure versus cross breeding, calving percentage and management factors to improve calving percentage
  • Gaining an understanding of vitamins, water for farm animals and protein
  • Studying commercial herd management, the breeding herd and production systems
  • Examining cow-calf herd and beef production systems using dairy stock
  • Understanding lot feeding – types of feedlot
  • Attaining knowledge of managing cattle in a feedlot
  • Gaining insights into feedlot records
  • Learning about pen feeding in South Africa
  • Exploring stud herd management
  • Gaining an understanding of calving time, feeding and fertility
  • Studying indicators of fertility in cows and bulls
  • Examining management, economics and marketing
  • Understanding profitability
  • Attaining knowledge of the factors affecting gross output and variable costs

And more!

Australia’s Beef Industry – Fast Facts

Here are some interesting beef cattle farming statistics published in 2020 in a report by Meat & Livestock Australia.

  • The domestic expenditure plus export value including live export of the Australian beef industry was approximately $20.2 billion in 2019.
  • There are over 45,000 agricultural businesses involved in the cattle industry.
  • There were over 24.7 million head of cattle in Australia as of June 2019.
  • There were over 11.7 million head of heifers and beef cows aged over a year in the 2018 to 2019 period.
  • Over 189,000 people are employed in the red meat industry, including in the areas of retail, processing and on-farm production.
  • In 2018 to 2019, Australia produced approximately 2.4 million tonnes of carcass weight (cwt) of beef and veal produced.
  • In 2019, three million grained cattle were marketed.
  • The gross value of Australian cattle and calf production in 2019 to 2020 was over $15 billion.
  • Cattle are estimated to have contributed 23 per cent of total farm value of $66.5 billion in 2019 to 2020.
  • Domestic expenditure on beef was approximately $7.8 billion in 2019.
  • Australians ate over 25 kilograms of beef per person in 2018 to 2019.
  • National cattle numbers as of June 2019 were 11.3 million in Queensland, 4 million in New South Wales, 3.6 million in Victoria, 2.1 million in the Northern Territory, 2 million in Western Australia, 1 million in South Australia and 0.7 million in Tasmania.
  • Australian beef and veal production figures in terms of percentage are Queensland (58 per cent), New South Wales (26 per cent), Victoria (seven per cent), Western Australia (five per cent) and South Australia (four per cent).
  • Australian lofted cattle turn-off in terms of percentages are Queensland (58 per cent), New South Wales (26 per cent), Victoria (seven per cent), Western Australia (five per cent) and South Australia (four per cent).
  • In 2019, Australia exported 76 per cent of its total beef and veal production.
  • The value of total beef and veal exports in 2019 was over $10.8 billion.
  • Australian live cattle exports were valued at $1.6 billion in 2018 to 2019 with 1.3 million exported.
  • Australia top five beef and veal exports are China (27 per cent), Japan (23 per cent), the US (21 per cent), South Korea (13 per cent) and Indonesia (five per cent).
  • Australian top live cattle exports (including dairy cattle) are Indonesia (52 per cent), Vietnam (21 per cent), China (12 per cent), Israel (six per cent) and Russia (three per cent).
  • Australia has approximately two per cent of the world’s cattle herd and is the second largest beef exporter in the world behind Brazil.

Cattle Breeds

The beef cattle industry has changed a great deal over recent decades. Quality beef is increasing in demand and the way beef is raised and marketed is continually changing. Anyone involved in beef cattle farming needs to be aware of changes in the industry, but also about the different cattle breeds.

Different breeds have different characteristics, and depending upon what the cattle will be used for, there will different benefits with different breeds. Today, cow breeds can be broken up into four main purpose types — beef (meat), dairy, draft, and multi-purpose (beef-draft, dairy-draft, beef-dairy and beef-dairy-draft).

Many of the older breeds were bred as duel-purpose or multi-purpose cattle. However, today most of the newer breeds are used for one purpose. And they are more efficient at this specific purpose, for example, beef cow breeds still produce milk but they are nowhere near as efficient as the dairy cow breeds. Some breeds also tolerate certain conditions better than others, while other breeds are more desirable because of the characteristics that are found in the milk or meat.

Most people assume that the naming of cattle species and breeds is a single system, which every cattle expert in the world will subscribe to. But this is not the case. There are, in fact, many different authorities around the world who manage the naming of cattle, and these different “experts” don’t always agree with each other.

Commercial breeders and farmers also manage a range of systems for classifying and registering breeds of cattle. These systems attempt to keep records of the parentage of progeny and assign names to breeds. These breed registries are at times also known as a “herd books” or “stud books”. They may be managed by government or industry bodies; and may or may not work together with other breed registries across regional or international borders. Sometimes the same breeds may end up being known by different names in different countries and sometimes new breeds are developed, but may not be formally registered.

Most developed countries tend to have widely-accepted authorities for registering breeds of cattle in their country, and as a result, the naming of breeds tends to be relatively consistent at least within that country. Sometimes a breed known by one name in one developed country though, may be known by a different name in another developed country. Despite seeming confusing, the use of both may be valid, depending upon the country you are using the name in. Good breed registries will commonly issue registration papers showing details of the animal’s parentage and there are over 800 credible breeds of cattle registered around the world.

 

Understand the principles and practices of beef cattle husbandry and be able to make informed decisions about the management requirements of beef cattle with a beef cattle farming course like our  Certificate of Beef Cattle.

Balance Plant and Animal Life With a Permaculture Farming Course

Ideal for those who have completed a basic permaculture course, farmers looking to diversify the use of their land, or those who are passionate about self-sufficiency and sustainability, our Certificate of Animal Permaculture will teach you how to grow the right plants alongside the right animals in a balanced ecosystem.

In this permaculture farming course, you will learn how the benefits of permaculture systems can be maximised through design and cultural management decisions. You will gain insights into how a variety of animals can enhance a permaculture environment, including insects, bees, poultry, grazing animals like goats, sheep rabbits and pigs, and larger wildlife and livestock.

You will also study how to plan and prepare garden ‘zones’, the role of aquaculture production systems in permaculture, and the range of aquatic species suitable for permaculture systems.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a permaculture farming course include:

  • Learning about how to locate and integrate animals into a permaculture system
  • Exploring how to maintain a balance in the permaculture system
  • Gaining an understanding of intensive animals, small livestock and free-range animals
  • Studying the functions of animals in the system including birds in permaculture
  • Gaining insights into fodder trees
  • Examining the role of insects and other small animals
  • Understanding ecosystem components and ecological concepts
  • Learning about the web of life
  • Exploring insects and their classification, control and feeding habits
  • Studying snail farming and earthworm and red worms
  • Gaining insights into controlling pests, applied insect control and pollutants in the ecosystem
  • Examining the role of poultry in permaculture
  • Learning about chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese
  • Exploring how to hatch chicks
  • Studying poultry products and uses
  • Gaining insights into poultry forage and useful plant species
  • Understanding bees, bee hives, lids, supers, bases, excluders, and to bar hives (TBHs)
  • Learning about frames, foundations and spur wheel embedder
  • Exploring bee brushes, emlocks, bee smokers and hive tools
  • Studying how to locate a hive and buy an established hive
  • Gaining insights into swarms
  • Examining nucleus hives
  • Understanding grazing animals – sheep, goats, pigs and rabbits
  • Learning about the advantages and disadvantages of working off grass
  • Exploring paddock size, types of fencing, water supply, production systems and shelters
  • Studying environmental controls
  • Gaining insights into rearing and management systems
  • Understanding how to manage larger livestock and wildlife
  • Learning about deer, alpacas, horses, llamas and beef and dairy cattle
  • Exploring how to choose your dairy breed

And more!

13 Organisations Transforming Australia’s Food System

Australian businesses, government projects and non-profit organisations continue to transform our food systems. These include introducing new ways to engage with food, farmers and communities in need. From food rescue groups to permaculture farmingtraining institutes and courses, here are thirteen organisations working towards a more ethical, sustainable and equitable Australia … through food!

  1. Aboriginal Carbon Foundation (AbCF)

The AbCF aims to build viable economies on Aboriginal lands through savanna fires, land and livestock management and carbon-storing farming practices. In 2018, it launched a Reducing Carbon Building Communities program to support rural farming and Indigenous communities.

  1. Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

ACIAR encourages agricultural scientists to use their skills to benefit Australia and other developing countries. It focuses on agribusiness, crops, livestock, soil and horticulture to help farmers and policymakers deal with agricultural challenges.

  1. Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance

This is a farmer-led advocacy network that strives for better preserved waterways and soils, enhanced livelihoods for farmers and food security for all Australians. It also campaigns to raise awareness on the importance of ethical and sustainable food systems.

  1.  Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)

This is Australia’s national science agency, and is uses research to solve issues on the planet to secure a better future for communities. This includes research to transform farming techniques, animal breeding and agricultural innovations and technologies. In 2019, it launched software combining machine learning, AI and geospatial technology to monitor and assess rural land to advise farmers on data ranging from rainfall to productivity.

  1.  Food Frontier

This organisation uses advocacy, consulting and research and development to support protein alternatives like cell-based and plant-based meats to Australian entrepreneurs, businesses, scientists, governments and communities.

  1.  Foodswell

Foodswell is a non-profit organisation that focuses on food insecurity in Australia. They design edible landscapes and other novel food strategies for remote and indigenous settlements across the country, and provide customised tools for healthy, affordable food.

  1.  OzHarvest

This is Australia’s leading food rescue organisation that transports food that businesses typically waste to over 1000 charities. It also delivers more than 100 million meals and saves 35,000 tons of food from landfill. Its education programs increase connectedness, enhance life skills and improve the nutrition and health of vulnerable communities.

  1. Regrarians

Regenerative Agrarians work with farmers and producers to create profitable agricultural landscapes. The organisation has trained over 15,000 farmers in all aspects of regenerative farming from farming practices to design and business management.

  1.  SecondBite

SecondBite redistributes surplus fresh food from wholesalers, farmers, markets, caterers, supermarkets and events to community food programs that support people in need. It works with over 1300 community food programs and aims to erase the gap between the amount of food wasted and those that go hungry.

  1.  The Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC)

The ILC invests in agribusinesses that improve the lives of Indigenous Australians by supporting Indigenous landholders. It also considers itself an equity partner, creating connections between Indigenous groups, business partners and investors.

  1.  The Orana Foundation

This organisation recognises the richness of Indigenous food culture and the value of the relationship that Indigenous people have with the land. With a Native Australian Foods Database and an Innovation and Enterprise Hub that promotes research and development of Australian ingredients, it aims to explore new gastronomical trends and supports Indigenous communities to research and innovate in the food enterprise space.

  1. Youth Food Movement Australia (YFM)

YFM aims to increase millennial food literacy levels and participation in the food system. Since 2011, it has delivered more than 40 projects and harnessed more than 60,000 volunteer hours to address food issues such as soil degradation, food waste and the ageing farming population. Their current program, Upstart, connects young people across Australia for project development and training to co-create community food projects.

  1. Permaculture Research Institute

The Permaculture Research Center uses a demonstration site to conduct education and worldwide training programs. It strives to expand the knowledge and practices of sustainable agriculture using permaculture design by equipping people with the tools they need to serve their communities.

Tips for a Backyard Permaculture Garden

When it comes to backyard permaculture farming, it can take many forms. In essence, it is a practical approach to finding creative solutions to living a more sustainable life by reducing energy consumption, recycling waste, growing organic food, and creating habitats for the animals in our environment. Here are some features of a backyard permaculture garden.

Preparation

Observe and note the prevailing winds, winter and summer sun angles, any views you want to keep or screen out, and the degree of slope on your block. When you prepare a plan, you want to show access ways, vegetation and existing structures to create its framework. You then want to plant windbreaks to shield strong winds and shade out hot summer sun while allowing in warm winter light.

A Vege Garden

Pick a spot that gets good sun all year round. Ideally you want to allow for crop rotation and around a half a metre of access path between each bed. You’ll also need rich soil, so and blood and bone, organic mineral fertiliser and bentonite can assist with this. Polypipes can be used to drip line irrigation off. You should then continue to build the soil by adding generous layers of lucern, sheep manure, more blood and bone and then more sheep manure at regular intervals.

A Hen House

Chickens are a fantastic animal for a backyard permaculture garden (although check with  your local council in terms of regulations). They are a great source of manure, clean up fallen fruit and weeds, and the best bit … convert food scraps to eggs! A permanent chicken house is vital for the safety and comfort of your chooks. It should have sunken barriers to keep the chickens in and hazards like dogs and snakes out. Wood-chip is a great option for litter that chickens can scratch around in. It is relatively cheap and when it needs replacing, it can go onto your compost heap.

Grey Water

Using grey water is an environmentally friendly thing to do, and is quite safe to use on watering plants and trees. This includes grey water from the laundry and bathroom, however not kitchen waste water. This is because it often contains a range of fats and greases which can damage the integrity of soil. There is also a risk of bacteria and diseases if it’s used on your veggie patch.

Compost

Compost bins are the ideal way of getting rid of kitchen scraps, but so are worms. Setting up a worm farm will also provide you their castings which you can turn into liquid feed which is a super-food for your garden! It’s a great example of the beneficial circular nature of permaculture farming.

Develop your ability to integrate animals and their resources – from insects and aquatic organisations to grazing animals and livestock – into a viable design with a permaculture farming course like our Certificate of Animal Permaculture.

Organic Farming Course Enhances Sustainability

Organic farming is essentially farming without the addition of artificial chemicals, and demand for organic produce has boomed over recent years. Many retailers now devote significant shelf space to organic produce … because consumers are demanding it! But organic farming benefits producers as well. In fact, it can be more profitable than mainstream agriculture.

Ideal for consultants, farmers or hobby farmers, the Certificate of Organic Farming explores the benefits to the consumer and the environment and the viable economic gains of organic farming. In this organic farming course, you will learn about the history, scope and types of organic farming, and how to handle organic management issues, from marketing and promotion to certification and environmental concerns.

You will also discover integrated farm management systems for organic farming, including biodynamics, rotation design, waste management systems and how to manage weeds, pests, pasture, soil, livestock and crops.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking an organic farming course include:

  • Learning about the nature, scope and history of organic farming
  • Exploring the types of organic farming
  • Gaining an understanding of integrated farm management systems
  • Studying rotation design
  • Gaining insights into cash crops
  • Examining how to manage waste
  • Understanding permaculture
  • Learning about polyculture
  • Exploring biodynamics
  • Studying organic management issues
  • Gaining insights into certification
  • Examining environmental concerns
  • Understanding marketing and PR
  • Learning about organic soil management and crop nutrition
  • Exploring composting
  • Studying mulching
  • Gaining insights into green manuring
  • Examining cover crops
  • Understanding organic fertilisers
  • Learning about weed management
  • Exploring how to select the appropriate techniques of control
  • Studying weed identification

And more!

Types of Organic Farming

As you’ll learn in our organic farming course, organic farming works with nature, rather than against it. It recognises that nature has many complex processes that interact to control diseases and weeds and regulate the growth of plants. Organic farmers don’t use any chemical herbicides at all, and all kinds of agricultural products are produced organically. These range from fruit, vegetables, dairy and meat to eggs, grains and fibres such as wool and cotton. Here are some of the most effective and widely used organic farming methods.

Poly-culture

When several different animals and/or plants are growing together, the nutrients used by one may be replenished by the activity of another, and the waste products of one will often be used by another. Some poly-culture options include:

  • Agro-forestry – This is where trees are grown in paddocks to provide shade for animals. Eventually, trees can be harvested and sold for timber, firewood or woodchip.
  • Animals grazing in orchards – Free-range poultry, sheep, cows and deer can all be grazed below nut or fruit trees. Farmers can also increase the efficiency of their land by diversifying harvestable product. They just need to ensure that the plants aren’t toxic to the animals and the animals don’t eat or destroy them. For example, poultry and pecans are both harvestable. The trees also provide shelter for birds and the birds eat insects and pests and fertilise the pecan trees.
  • Inter-row cropping – This involves establishing the principal crop in rows then planting another crop between them. For example, long-term fruit tree crops can be planted with vegetables between the rows.

Biodynamic Farming

Biodynamic farming views the farm as a “total” organism and attempts to develop a sustainable system where all of the components of the living system have a respected and proper place. Some of the principles include:

  • Understanding the interrelation of animal and plant production. For example, manure from animals feeds plants and plant growth feeds animals.
  • Considering the underlying cause of problems and attempting to deal with the causes rather than dealing with superficial ways of treating problems.
  • Produce is better quality when it is “in touch” with all aspects of a natural ecosystem.
  • Considering the available human skills and other resources that affect what is chosen to be grown.
  • Conservation and environmental awareness.
  • Soil quality is maintained by paying attention to fertility and soil life.
  • Maintaining botanical diversity leads to reduced problems.
  • Crop rotation is important.
  • Plant selection is vital, in particular ensuring the seed that has been chosen is well adapted to the site.
  • Moon planting is often considered as many growers believe better results can be achieved if consideration is given to lunar cycles.

Permaculture Systems

Permaculture is a system of agriculture based on perennial plant and animal species. The nine key guiding principles of permaculture design are:

  1. Relative location – placing the components of a design in a position that achieves the desired relationship between them. Everything is connected to everything else.
  2. Multiple functions – a designer must deal with several different components that influence a function, make distinct decisions about each of the components, and consider that every function is supported by many elements.
  3. Multiple elements – a design must include many elements (like earth, plants, buildings and water) and every element should serve many functions.
  4. Elevational planning – The design must be on a three-dimensional basis, with consideration given to it width, length and height and their energy impacts.
  5. Biological resources – The priority is to use renewable biological resources (like wood for fuel) rather than non-renewable resources (like fossil fuels).
  6. Energy recycling – Energy use should be minimised, waste energy harvested and the system should be designed to optimise the collection of energy by animals and plants.
  7. Natural succession – Animal and plant life should always be enriched by ensuring new organisms emerge as old ones die.
  8. Maximise edges – The edge of two different areas in a system has more things influencing it than other parts of the system.
  9. Diversity – The design should be a poly-culture (a system where a greater number of species are growing together).

Crop Rotations

Crop rotation consists of growing different crops in succession in the same field, and it interrupts pest life cycles and keeps their populations in check. In crop rotation cycles, farmers can also sow crops that actually enrich the soil with nutrients, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilisers.

 

Industry Certification

An important element you will learn about in our organic farming course is the area of certification. In Australia, an industry organisation must be accredited by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) before it can certify organic operations. There are seven organisations currently certified with AQIS.

  1. National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA)

NASAA certifies producers from small and intermediate to extremely large operations throughout Australia. This includes over 500 operators involved in broadacre, horticulture, mixed farms and livestock. It is one of the few certification agencies worldwide to achieve IFOAM accreditation and is currently the only one in Australia to do so.

 

  1. Australian Organic

Formerly known as the Biological Farmers of Australia (BF) which was formed in 1987, Australian Organic’s objective is to bring together processors and farmers who have a common interest in organic and bio-dynamic systems and production as a means of conserving resources and processing food without the use of synthesised chemicals.

 

  1. Bio-Dynamic Research Institute (BDRI)

The Demeter trademark has been used in Australia since 1953 to symbolise produce produced using the biodynamic agricultural method. When a certain standard of biodynamic development has been established, farmers may apply to the Bio-Dynamic Research Institute to become certified users of the trademark.

 

  1. Organic Herb Growers of Australia (OHGA)

The OHGA was established in 1986 to promote the growing and processing of herbs and herbal products. Its members include organic manufacturers, fruit and vegetable growers, mixed farmers and wild harvesters.

  1. Organic Vignerons Association of Australia (OVAA)

The OVAA was established in 1992 following an increasing demand for organic wine, particularly from overseas. It was formed specifically to promote the growing of grapes organically and the production of wine from those grapes.

 

  1. Organic Food Chain (OFC)

The OFC began through the cooperation of a small group of commercial organic farmers who wanted an organised, highly accountable system of product differentiation and organic accreditation. The OFC includes wholesalers, retailers, brokers, processors and organic farmers.

 

  1. Tasmanian Organic-Dynamic Producers (TOP)

The TOP Co-operative was formed in the early 1990s in response to calls from Tasmania’s rural sector for a body to support and represent organic growers. Current grower members include producers of grains, dairy products, wine, herbs, fruit and vegetables.

 

Enhance your ability to create and market a successful agricultural enterprise with an organic farming course like our Certificate of Organic Farming.

Create a Greener Globe With a Sustainable Agriculture Course

Sustainability has become increasingly important in the agricultural sector, as it is no longer enough to be financially productive — environmental resources need to be robust for farms to survive. This course an ideal for anyone working in the agricultural industry, from farmers and farm services businesses to consultants and educators.

Our Certificate of Sustainable Agriculture will give you insights into “whole farm” planning, and how to make a farm more sustainable – both environmentally and economically. In this sustainable agriculture course, you will study the economic rules that apply to farm enterprise, and explore land management programs like permaculture, organic farming and biodynamics. You will also learn how to avoid serious soil and water degradation, undertake sustainable crop management techniques and evaluate the viability and potential of animal enterprises.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a sustainable agriculture course include:

  • Learning about whole farm planning
  • Exploring land management programs
  • Gaining an understanding of sustainable ways of farming
  • Studying natural and organic farming
  • Gaining insights into permaculture
  • Examining no-dig techniques
  • Understanding biodynamics
  • Learning about soils and growing media
  • Exploring soil problems, erosion and soil structural decline
  • Studying salinity and acidification and phytotoxicity
  • Gaining insights into soil improvements
  • Examining how to add organic matter to soils
  • Understanding conservation tillage and cultivation techniques
  • Learning about plant nutrition, soil life and cover crops
  • Exploring water and the types of water storage
  • Studying livestock water requirements
  • Gaining insights into water problems and water quality
  • Examining reed beds
  • Understanding water-saving measures
  • Learning about recycling
  • Exploring swales and keylines
  • Studying irrigation systems
  • Gaining insights into land care
  • Examining weed and tree management
  • Understanding preventative measures
  • Learning about timber lots and plantations
  • Exploring windbreaks
  • Studying wildlife corridors and habitats
  • Gaining insights into pests and diseases
  • Examining financial sustainability
  • Understanding economic principles
  • Learning how to develop a Farm Business Plan
  • Exploring financial plans and how to control growth
  • Gaining an understanding of value-adding
  • Studying the enterprise mix
  • Gaining insights into eco-tourism
  • Examining broad management strategies
  • Understanding better planning
  • Learning about land care or land management
  • Exploring new enterprises

And more!

Farming Trends On The Rise in 2021

Making the most of what we grow is one of the biggest focuses for the future of the agricultural industry. Here are some of the predicted trends that will give you plenty of inspiration for undertaking our sustainable agriculture course.

Better Reporting

On the back of Australia’s “clean-green” image, agricultural exports have captured a range of lucrative markets overseas. But there is growing demand to align this with more “granular” sustainability reporting in our own domestic markets.

This mirrors the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, declaring they will aim for zero-emission targets by 2040, and the European Green Deal, which proposes to make the continent climate neutral by 2050 via new laws for farming, recycling and biodiversity.

As a spokesperson for AgriFutures Australia commented, “We are going to have to align with these new international benchmarks. We know we are pretty efficient but we can’t share the real story because we don’t know how much carbon we are sequestering, or how much water and topsoil we’re using. We’re going to have to start measuring all of this to meet global expectations.”

Vertical Farming

Vertical farming essentially involves crops that are organised in tower formations inside climate-controlled greenhouses. A range of Australian businesses are taking vertical farming to the next level by combining it with hydroponic technology, including the Costa Group located in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales.

Here, truss tomato seeds are planted in balsa rock, sealed in insulation pads, and set on gutters that hang from the ceilings of glass houses. The result? Seventy kilograms of tomatoes per square metre – around six times more than the best farmers in Australia can grow on soil.

As their spokesman commented, “Everything we do is about resource efficiency — how to grow more food using less land and less water. If you consider we will have to figure out how to feed 10 billion people by 2050, it’s one of the most important jobs in the world.”

Drone Technology

Drones are becoming a “must-have” for many farmers, as many traditional methods of managing and evaluating farm environments can be costly, time-consuming and resource-intensive. Operating a drone takes specialist training, including knowledge of Civil Aviation Safety Authority regulations, and drone technology can assist with:

  • Crop monitoring. Satellite imagery offered the most advanced form of monitoring before the use of drones, but there were serious limitations. Images had to be ordered in advance and could only be taken once a day. The process was also costly and images were often inaccurate. Today, drone animations can reveal production inefficiencies and show the precise development of crops in “real” time at a fraction of the cost.
  • Field and soil analysis. Drones can be instrumental in the successful start of a successful crop cycle, as, with the appropriate sensors, precise 3D maps can be generated. They can be valuable for the soil profile analysis that’s essential for planning seed planting patterns. After planting, they can also provide data for nitrogen-level management and irrigation strategies.
  • Crop spraying. By integrating distance-measuring equipment, drones have the ability to rapidly adjust their altitude as the geography and topography varies. This means they can scan the ground and spray the correct amount of liquid at the right distance for even coverage, thus reducing the volume of chemicals penetrating groundwater.
  • Health assessment. Drones integrated with the appropriate sensors can scan crops and identify the vigour and health of plants. Images can also indicate plants’ growth characteristics and monitor changes.

Seaweed Farming

Currently, there is only one commercial seaweed farm in Australia and it is located on New South Wales’ south coast. But with a range of seaweed-based applications currently in development, researchers believe we are well-positioned to make inroads into a global market that’s set to be worth billions by 2024.

One of the more promising applications is a methane-reducing additive for animal feed. CSIRO studies have shown that adding a small amount of a form of seaweed — Asparagopsis taxiformis — reduces the methane production of cattle by over 80 per cent. This is good news for the environment as, surprisingly, direct livestock emissions account for around ten per cent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions!

Alternative Proteins

Concerns over animal welfare, the environment and health are boosting the demand for alternative protein markets, and the CSIRO estimates it will have a combined value of over $7 billion by 2030. This includes crops like faba beans, lupins, chickpeas and lentils, as well as more unusual sources like algae and insects.

In fact, there are already more than fifty insect farmers across the country! Insect-based feed can be eaten by poultry, pigs and most household pets, and some manufacturers are even using insect protein to make energy bars and pasta for human consumption.

Native Flora

Australian native plants have been part of medicines and indigenous diets for thousands of years. Now, they are also tapping into locally sustainable food movements. Kakadu plums and wattleseed are already big sellers domestically, while lemon myrtle and finger limes have become lucrative export crops. Studies have also shown that plants like panicum (also known as native millet), can be turned into gluten-free flour that’s easier to grow and even more nutritious than wheat.

 

Undertake strategic agricultural planning processes to meet your desired sustainability goals with a sustainable agriculture course like our Certificate of Sustainable Agriculture.

Gain Improved Pasture With Our Forage Management Course

Forage management benefits livestock and other animals and helps generate sustainable environmental systems on farms and other natural landscapes. Our Certificate of Forage Management is ideal for farm hands, farm managers, land or produce agents or anyone involved in the agricultural industry.

This professional development course will teach you how to establish forage plant environments, and provide year-round grazing and foraging by managing soil, irrigation, pests, diseases and weeds. You will also learn about forage quality, fodder resources, ecosystems and grasslands, animal-related forage disorders and how to preserve forage as silage and hay.

Learning Outcomes

Outcomes achieved by undertaking a course that can help with improved pasture include:

  • Learning about the scope and nature of forage resources
  • Exploring forage management terminology and the types of forage and forage lands
  • Studying what different animals eat including avian, monogastric, ruminants and pseudo ruminants
  • Gaining insights into managing forage ecosystems
  • Understanding over-grazing, continuous and rotational grazing
  • Learning about ecosystem health
  • Exploring weed types and populations
  • Studying grassland species and ecosystems
  • Gaining insights into different ways to feed animals
  • Understanding fodder systems and fodder plants including grasses, legumes, roots, wildflowers and forbs
  • Learning about fodder trees and shrubs including definitions
  • Exploring their advantages and disadvantages
  • Studying how to use fodder trees
  • Gaining insights into harvesting foliage — pollarding, coppicing, browse blocks, leaf fall and silvopasture systems
  • Understanding the criteria for plant selection
  • Learning about financial considerations
  • Exploring tree species — Acacias, Bamboos, Beech, Black locust, Carob, Honey Locust, Pome Fruits and many more
  • Studying forage establishment
  • Gaining insights into natural area grazing
  • Examining seeding and soil — soil biome, rhizosphere and autotoxicity
  • Understanding weed management
  • Learning about biodiversity — riparian zones and birds
  • Exploring regenerative grazing management
  • Studying strategies for soil improvement — crop rotation, tillage, zero tillage, fertility testing, soil compaction and soil cover
  • Gaining insights into fertiliser and irrigation management
  • Understanding NPK and how to use legumes
  • Learning about animal access management – hedges, wire, barbed wire, electric fence, stone walls, banks, rises, gates and digital fencing technology

And more!

The Differences Between Fodder and Forage

Those who own livestock have two basic categories of livestock feed from which to choose — forage and fodder — that can lead to improved pasture that is sustainable, both environmentally and economically. The choice between forage and fodder or a combination of both depends on a number of factors, including cost, land availability and the animals that are to be fed. They also serve essentially the same purpose but thrive in different environments and require different levels of care. But what are some of their differences?

 

Forage Crops

These are crops that animals graze independently on or have purposes other than just for animal feed. Legumes and grasses make up the two broad sources of forage livestock feed, and suit grazing livestock like horses and cows. Forage crops can reduce weed population, aid in land conservation and prevent soil erosion. However, these types of crops often require maintenance upon implementation before plants becomes established, including testing the soil’s pH levels. They also better suit larger growing areas.

 

Fodder Crops

These include crops that serve as livestock feed and enable livestock owners to regulate their animals’ food intake. They typically include corn, oats, wheat and some grasses, and are ideal for smaller animals like pigs, poultry and goats. One of their main advantages is their ability to survive with less water, so they often work well in arid environments and in drought conditions. However, cereal crops are prone to mould development if they’re not properly maintained, and fodder crops also work best on smaller farms.

 

What Makes a Good Fodder Plant?

A study done by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation cites there are hundreds of thousands of hectares of cultivated forage shrubs and trees grown across Australia. The vast majority of these areas are planted with species including Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus), Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and Saltbush (Atriplex). Their use can lead to improved pasture, and plants with potential should:

  • Show optimal growth characteristics.
  • Cause minimal soil disturbance — fodder trees generally need no soil disturbance after they are established.
  • Prevent nutrient loss from the soil— fodder trees do this because of their permanence.
  • Have little or no need for irrigation — they can tap into deep water tables out of reach of shorter-rooted pastures.
  • Provide yields of edible components compared to pastures — they also have yields that are several times higher.
  • Have the ability to fix nitrogen to reduce the dependence on artificial fertilisers — legumes in particular fix nitrogen by using bacteria and converting them into nitrates.
  • Have a high protein content in their edible portions — legumes for example often have around 20 to 25 per cent.
  • Provide their feed in a short time — the possible yields from fodder shrubs and trees can be up to five times the yield per year compared to pastures.
  • Be fuel-efficient and require little input in terms of fossil fuels — once established they are permanent farm features and should require minimal ploughing of the soil.

 

Endophyte-related Disorders

There are a number of factors that impact the quality and quantity of forage. But in order to understand how to manage improved pasture, those who own stock should also understand some of disorders that can affect it, including those caused by endophytes.

An endophyte is a fungus or bacterium that lives within a plant for at least part of its life cycle without causing apparent disease. Some may enhance nutrient acquisition and improve a plant’s ability to tolerate conditions such as salinity and drought and enhance their resistance to insects and pathogens. Not all endophytes are toxic to animals, however those that are, can cause livestock health issues, including:

Fescue Toxicosis

Epichloe coenophiala is a seed-transmissible endophyte of tall fescue, which is a grass endemic to North Africa and Eurasial but widely naturalised in Australia. This endophyte has been identified as the cause of the fescue toxicosis sometimes suffered by livestock that graze on the infected grass. These toxins constrict blood vessels and reduce circulation to body extremities. Symptoms include poor weight gain, elevated body temperature, reduced fertility, rough hair coats, and “summer slump” in hot weather and “fescue foot” in cold weather.

Summer Slump

An elevated body temperature is the key issue associated with this condition. Animals spend less time grazing and more time standing in shade or water in an attempt to stay cool. Other clinical signs include poor weight gain, decreased milk production, a lower pregnancy rate and a reduced food intake.

Fescue Foot

This disorder is characterized by lameness, swelling in the legs, and dry, dead tissue in the extremities. After a few weeks, animals can also lose the tips of their ears or tails and develop sloughing of the hooves. In winter, frostbite can occur.

Ryegrass Staggers

Ryegrass staggers in animals are caused by toxins in perennial ryegrass, and can cause tremors, spasms and muscle weakness. Many affected animals show no clinical signs unless they become excited, and when they run, may experience severe incoordination, trembling and/or fall. Others symptoms include weight loss and a decrease in milk production.

Horse Oedema

In Australia, a new syndrome has been reported in horses grazing certain tall fescue varieties that causes them to be infected with a specific strain of endophyte. Cattle and sheep are not affected. Horses develop fluid retention under the skin throughout their body, especially in the neck, head and chest. Other clinical signs include weakness, lethargy and loss of appetite.

Gain a solid understanding of how to promote natural ecosystems with foraging principles to achieve improved pasture and more sustainable environments with our Certificate of Forage Management.

 

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