Week 10 Rangelands

Question 1

Define a rangelands farming system

Answer 1

Semi-natural ecosystem in which a productive output is obtained by adding domestic stock
Consists of Herbs, grasses, shrubs and trees
Largely semi-arid to arid country
Very large properties 700000Ha
Low stocking rate
Low level management

Question 2

Generally describe the attributes of rangelands

Answer 2

Bounded by 275mm isohyet in Southern Aust where crops arent grown
Over 1/3 aust rainfall below 250mm
70% considered semi arid or arid, 26% too dry to farm, 9% for aborigianl reserves

Question 3

Describe the type of land tenure system that much of the rangelands are under and how that might impact on development

Answer 3

Mot under lease tenture
Involvement of various governments in determining the conditions of the lease
THis means little development has occured- eg frences, fert, inproved pasture etc
More than 80% of Australias land but supports only 3% of population
Large proportion of Indigenous communities

Question 4

Outline some of the values of the rangelands

Answer 4

Inherent (Aesthetics, tourism)
Production values
Biodiversity and Ecosystem services

Question 5

Outline the limitations of the rangelands

Answer 5

Vaiable rainfall
Low ability to fatten
 poor reproductive performance
Poor grazing management
Transport
Production and environmental concerns

Question 6

Describe some of the key characteristics of the northern rangelands

Answer 6

Dry and Wet seasons
Live Export
SUmmer dominate rainfall
Bos Indicus cattle (brahman background)
Breading operations and growing young stock out to 18-24 months

Question 7

Why export live

Answer 7

Originally due to lack of refrigeration
Lower cost labour in importing countries
Importing country self sufficiency

Question 8

Types of Nth rangelands

Answer 8

Tropical/Sub-tropical woodlands, high rainfall (cape york)

Hummock Grasslands Spinifex (sand dune country central and west)

Mitchell grassland
Naturally iccuring grassland with no tress (nth west nse, cw qld)

Arid Woodlands
Central aust

Question 9

Describe some of the key characteristics of the southern rangelands

Answer 9

Equiseasonal - winter dominat rainfall
Predominatley strong wool merino (15% of total sheep in aust)
Other stock - gcattle and goats
Increasingly more specialist meat sheep = dorpers

Question 10

Explain the drivers for feed supply in rangelands and describe the diversity of feed

Answer 10

Feed is highly variable within seasons and between seasons due to variable rainfall
Includes emphiral, annual and perennial species
Drought is common

Question 11

Describe the grazing management tools available to use in the rangelands and explain how they can be utilised

Answer 11

Commonly set stocked
Tools include
Fencing, distribution of water points, SR

Question 12

Fencing

Answer 12

Size of paddock affect utilisaiton with increased SR of 40-90%
Fence similar land classes
Cost benefit analysis

Question 13

Distribution of watering points

Answer 13

Radius of 5km
Watering points 6-10km apart
Can use for trapping of pests or mustering stock

Question 14

Describe what is meant by total grazing pressure in the rangelands and why it is important

Answer 14

Camels, goats, roos
Grazing animals include more than just domestic stock
3-30#% grazing pressure if goats
16-36% is roos

Question 15

outline the causes and effects of invasive native scrub

Answer 15

Increased woody weeds due to lack of fire events
Now controlled by fire, grazing, mechanical, chemical
Bulldozer, ploughing
Legislation makes it hard these days

Question 16

Goat industry

Answer 16

1.63million head
90% comes from rangelands
Now introducing better bloodlines- Boer