Full course description
The Beef Fundamentals Course aims to support landholders that are new to the beef industry and/or have smaller herds.
The course will also benefit existing landholders running cattle, providing a refresher in one or more areas of beef production.
The Beef Fundamentals course has been developed by livestock experts, including veterinarians, livestock advisors and development officers from NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services, based on common questions they receive in-field.
Limited placements to complete the course at no cost are available for landholders across NSW.
The course content will cover:
Module 1: A snapshot of the beef herd
- An overview of the Australian beef herd
- An introduction to the common beef cattle breeds in Australia.
- An overview of the main classes of cattle.
- Common industry terminology.
Module 2: Cattle digestion and nutrition
- An overview of the digestive system of cattle and other ruminants.
- Meeting the nutritional needs of cattle.
- The concept of feed intake and the factors that affect it.
- The role of water in cattle health.
- Assessing cattle condition and matching feed availability to animal nutritional demand.
Module 3: Grazing and pasture management
- An introduction to pasture quality and quantity.
- The role of herbage mass and digestibility in maintaining cattle health.
- How to assess herbage mass and digestibility.
- An overview of the key grazing systems for beef production.
- Managing pastures throughout the seasons.
- The impact on extreme climatic conditions on feed availability.
- An overview of the role of supplementary feeding in a beef enterprise.
Module 4: The responsibilities of cattle ownership
- An introduction to on-farm biosecurity and developing an on-farm biosecurity plan.
- Notifiable diseases and what to do if you suspect your cattle are affected.
- Livestock traceability, documentation and regulation.
- An overview of cattle welfare and the industry standards and regulations that support the five domains of animal welfare.
- How to plan and prepare for extreme climatic events.
Module 5: Handling and transporting cattle
- An overview of the aspects that support a safe working environment on a beef cattle property.
- Insights into how farm layout, paddock and yard design can support low-stress stock handling.
- A reminder of the responsibility of containing cattle securely on your property.
- The key factors to consider, responsibilities and regulations when transporting cattle to and from your property.
Module 6: Herd health and genetics
- An overview of the annual calendar of operations for efficient use of resources.
- An overview of the essential tasks for routine husbandry and cattle health.
- An introduction to the common diseases and parasites affecting cattle health.
- The role of genetics and selection in a cattle operation.
- Key factors to consider when managing breeding heifers.
Module 7: Managing the herd
- An overview of the different pathways for selling cattle.
- An exploration of the different types of cattle operations and enterprises and the pros and cons of each.
- An explanation of how to calculate your cost of production and gross margin.
- An overview of how seasonal changes affect pasture growth and management decisions.
- A review of the ways to prepare for extreme climatic events, such as drought, bushfire or flood, to safeguard your operation.
- An overview of key agricultural technologies on the market to save you labour, time and money.