Beef property management in the comet area - based on producer experience

Summary

This report contains management guidelines for a beef property typical of the Calliope River Catchment area. The guidelines are for sustainable beef production. Sustainable production is defined as production which optimises profit with minimal degradation of the natural resources. The Calliope River Catchment area is located south-west of Gladstone which is in the Calliope Shire, Central Queensland (see map page 3).

This document contains a description of land-types in the Calliope River Catchment area, their vegetation, topography, soils, pastures, production capacity and condition. The report also describes suitable enterprises, cattle management and grazing-land management. Stocking rates and property sizes are suggested as guidelines for sustainable beef production. A list of common and scientific plant names is included as Addendum 1 to ensure accurate plant identification.

This information was provided in 1992 by a group of eight producers each of whom had at least 10 years experience of beef property management in the Calliope River Catchment area. These guidelines were developed by using a process called the Local Consensus Data (LCD) technique. This process involved discussing the best management practices fora hypothetical property typical of the Calliope River Catchment area. Participating producers agree that this report contains a range of practical, first hand information that contributes to identifying current best practices for local property management.