If you are like me and from a rural background, you have probably grown up being told that land had to be cleared for agriculture. Trees and grazing don’t go together- get rid of the trees and grow more grass (or crops). Our conventional thinking had us killing trees to make way for agriculture for over a century.
The National Library and QImagery have aerial photos beginning in 1946 showing the accelerating effect of Post War mechanisation and chemistry on landscapes across the Gympie region. Land clearing in the last century in this region has been prolific for not only agricultural pursuits but also mining & forestry (not to mention houses). Bigger machines, bigger fires and more poison make it easier than ever to wipe out bush.
With regard to Agriculture, the biggest defense land holders had as to the all-out assault on trees was that “people have to eat”. This implies that the environment needs to be traded off against food production – they can’t work together. Entire industries are built on this “control & conquer mentality”.
Travelling through conventional grain cropping areas in Central and Southern Qld recently, it’d be hard to make an argument that food production and a functioning ecosystem aren’t mutually exclusive; but new data in livestock at least shows a different story.
Livestock need shade and shelter for optimal production- no argument. Pastures need protection from the drying effects of wind, frost, heat and extremes of temperature. Sunlight in our area is not a limiting factor. Livestock and native animals can simultaneously graze the same pastures perhaps even improving performance of both via microbial transfer. Cow manure is “like fairy dust for fungi” according to John Kempf and beetles, bugs and worms thrive on the nutrition provided by ruminants.
To this end, CQU’s Dr. Chris O’Neil released research* through the FBA in 2022 showing the OPTIMAL conditions for grazing livestock was under 30-40% tree canopy cover! Weight gains under trees were significantly higher than in paddocks with fewer trees.
Add to this that RCS has quoted for decades that up to 1/3 of a cow’s diet is “non grass”. Trees, shrubs, forbes (weeds) are all providing vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to grazing animals that our shallow rooted tropical grasses don’t.
Jim Wade, a grazing nutritionist** presenting at a recent BMRG event quoted protein and micronutrient figures for Brigalow trees (13% Protein DM), Red Ash (11.75%) and Qinine in Northern Australia at 18.2%. In all cases, this exceeds most grasses in the paddock during winter- even leaves introduced species for dead.
Time-controlled grazing sees livestock increase intake of tree and shrub leaves in the first hours they are introduced into a new paddock. Tannins, the plants’ self-defense mechanism- takes time to be respond to “attack” allowing a more palatable browse initially with palatability decreasing as the tannins (sometimes toxic) are slowly exuded.
Animals will preferentially graze many of the plants considered “undesirable”, “noxious” or “toxic” in this early introduction time. As humans are the only species on earth that doesn’t intuitively know what food is good for them, this selection by animals could be a result of them seeking out nutrients those browse plants mine through deep tap roots rather than the grasses we see as beneficial. Proponents of set or fixed time grazing rotations don’t benefit from this phenomena hance often have to feed more supplements.
Assisting in developing farm plans for up to 40% tree cover, implementing NSF concepts around multiple layers of green leaf cover, using holistic planning concepts to ensure plans meet your context and even working this into carbon projects (many only requiring 20% cover) or the new ecological market projects- whilst building other environmental credentials and production capacity simultaneously- is Kandanga Farm Store’s jam.
Through events like Agvention 2024, farm consult work and the many seminars and field days we host, Kandanga Farm Store has had an unwavering emphasis on improving the diet’s of grazing animals (hence health of humans) and improving landscape functioning simultaneously.
* https://fba.org.au/tree-video-trilogy-turns-the-tables-on-grazing-paradigm/
** Jim Wade- Wade Agriculture Pty.Ltd.
by Tim Scott
