2019 leading into 2020 has been a difficult season for many throughout Western Australia, with variable rainfall reducing production and profitability.
A range of Federal and State assistance measures are in place (see the Support services directory) with contacts and links to financial support measures, water support, regional counselling services and crisis care.
Seasonal update
Although much of the rangelands has experienced below average rainfall in 2019, industry are responding to the challenges with:
- increased water infrastructure being installed across the region
- a variety of agistment arrangements ensuring that available feed and water for livestock is optimised
- implementation of herd management plans.
DPIRD response program
DPIRD has initiated a dry season response program and is working with industry to identify and implement appropriate management actions to assist producers across the rangelands. As part of this program, we are examining a range of areas in relation to herd management, transport, agistment and feral animal control.
Recommended action
- Review climate outlooks
- Prepare a forage budget
- Determine carrying capacity vs. stocking rate
- Prepare a plan to reduce your stocking rate (if required)
Review climate outlooks
Late rainfall onset likely for much of northern Australia
The chance of an early northern rainfall onset for the 2019-20 season is low over large parts of northern Australia. Areas which have a less than 30% chance of an early rainfall onset include much of the Top End and central parts of the NT, Cape York Peninsula and eastern Queensland, and the far north Kimberley in WA. In other words, these areas have a greater than 70% chance of a late rainfall onset. Most of northern WA has roughly equal chances of an early or late rainfall onset.
The northern rainfall onset outlook gives an indication of whether the first significant rains after 1 September are likely to be earlier or later than normal.
Influences
The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is currently neutral, and forecasts indicate it is likely to remain neutral to at least the end of 2019. This means it is unlikely to be influencing the northern rainfall onset outlook towards either an earlier or later than average onset.
However, waters in the western tropical Pacific Ocean remain warmer than normal, while water temperatures around northern Australia are average to cooler than average. This pattern would typically favour cloud formation away from northern Australia.
The Indian Ocean sea surface temperature pattern remains consistent with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). This is expected to persist for the coming months. A positive IOD typically leads to drier than average conditions across northern Australia during the second half of the year. IOD events typically break down in early December, so this driver is unlikely to have a significant influence on rains beyond early December.
| Climate information | Details |
|---|---|
| Commentary on recent weather conditions across the north and links to tropical monitoring pages from the Bureau of Meteorology | |
| Details and charts of rainfall and temperature outlooks from the Bureau of Meteorology | |
| Additional seasonal information relevant to northern Australia, provided by the University of Southern Queensland | |
| Climate Mates
| Two regional ‘Climate Mates’ are available to assist pastoralists with climate information and tools via email, phone, webinar and on-station visits:
|
| Climate outlooks - The Long Paddock | A Queensland Government initiative that provides climate and pasture information to the grazing community, including access to rainfall and pasture outlooks and decision support tools to support land management decision making and planning. Some WA pastoralists may benefit from the tools on the site. |
Prepare a forage budget
Adjusting stocking rates to meet current feed supply; livestock feed intake and nutritional requirements; pasture utilisation; and ground cover targets is considered best management practice.
A forage budget will assist in decision-making:
- if it is safe to carry more stock;
- to carry the same number for longer; or
- or if there is not enough pasture to safely carry the number you have for the length of time you want.
Tools and information to support forage budgeting:
- Forage budgeting and pasture utilisation - video
- Forage budgeting – video series
- Break of season rules for forage budgets
Determine carrying capacity vs. stocking rate
- Dry season pasture budget: a guide for stocking rates
- Stocking rate calculator
- Feed demand calculator
- Stocktake: balancing supply and demand
- Cow and weaner management options
Plan to reduce your stocking rate
- Break of season rules for forage budgets
- MLA Drought Preparedness checklist
- Tips for a tough season: destocking strategies – northern Australia
- Decisions for drought affected producers - video
- Drought and the breeder herd - video
- Dry season management of a beef business - A guide to planning,
- Managing and supplementary feeding (PDF, 1.11MB)
- Making Livestock Decisions in Dry Times (PDF, 1.1MB)
Other resources
- Welfare decisions for beef cattle
- Is it fit to load? A national guide to selecting animals fit to transport: a PDF download (Meat and Livestock Australia)
- Animal welfare regulation newsletter: latest information on animal welfare policies and standards
Support services directory
A range of Federal and State assistance measures are in place to support farmers and pastoralists experiencing hardship, as a result of seasonal pressures.
The Support Services Directory harnesses a range of financial, water and welling support, as well as links to Regional Counselling Services and 24/7 crisis care.
Western Australia does not have a drought declaration system so no formal declaration needs to be made to access these services.
The Federal Government’s National Drought Policy and National Drought Agreement aims to build resilience to climate variability and dry season pressures, specifically through bolstering risk management practices and enhancing long-term preparedness. See the national On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.
Note: the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation administers the WA component of the On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme.
| SUPPORT SERVICES DIRECTORY | ||
|---|---|---|
| FINANCIAL SUPPORT | ||
| A website that harnesses information about Commonwealth and State/Territory assistance (includes Drought Loans, Farm Investment Loans, Farm Household Allowance) |
| |
| Assists farming families experiencing financial hardship with income to maintain their household | 13 23 16 or 1800 612 004 | |
| Low interest loans for businesses to improve the strength, resilience and profitability of their businesses (provided by the Regional Investment Corporation) | 1800 875 675 | |
| Free financial counselling service to assist primary producers | 1800 612 044 | |
| Assists farm and pastoral businesses and financial institutions to resolve disputes about business financial arrangements, through a low cost and non-legal form of mediation | 1800 198 231 | |
| Income support programs for farmers and rural small businesses | 13 23 16 | |
| Funds for household expenses | 9321 6041 | |
| WATER SUPPORT | ||
| National On-farm Emergency Water Infrastructure Rebate Scheme (WA) | Rebates of 25% up to a maximum of $25,000 for the purchase and installation of new water infrastructure and equipment to eligible commercial livestock farmers and pastoralists | 1800 780 300 |
| Farm Water Supply Planning Scheme (agricultural and pastoral regions) | Rebates of up to $1000 for commercial broadacre and pastoral farmers experiencing water shortages to fund an audit of farm water supply and potential improvements | 1800 780 300 |
| WELLBEING | ||
| 24 hour crisis support, suicide prevention and mental health support services | 13 11 14 | |
| Counselling for individuals, couples and families experiencing challenges to help them cope, improve wellbeing and identify options | ||
| Provides support and education services to regional men, communities and health services | 9690 2277 (office hours) | |
| Provides information and referrals regarding health, finances, legal matters, counselling and domestic crisis | 1800 199 174 | |
| OTHER INFORMATION | ||
| Western Australia’s rural health, financial & information services support directory | Contacts for a range of 24 hour support, financial and family counselling, health, emergency and ancillary services |
|
| Grant funding opportunity to manage pest animals and weeds
| The Australian Government is inviting local councils via a restricted competitive process to apply to deliver projects under the Communities Combating Pests and Weed Impacts During Drought Program - Biosecurity Management of Pests and Weeds - Round 2 in selected Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 2019–2021. | 1800 020 283 |
More information
For queries or information relating to cattle management during the season, please contact the department’s offices at Broome on +61 (0)8 9194 1400 or Kununurra on +61 (0)8 9166 4000.
Alternatively, contact one of the officers below:
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trevor Price | Broome office |
| Stephanie Coombes | Broome office |
| Matthew Fletcher | Kununurra office |
| Kath Ryan | Kununurra office |