Livestock nutrition
Agistment of livestock during a dry season
Nicole Sallur, DPI&F
Why agist?
Agistment can be a useful management strategy during a dry season as it offers the benefits of:
- avoiding the need to sell livestock
- avoiding the need for supplementary feeding
- maintaining a breeding nucleus
- providing better feed for livestock
- spelling pastures, allowing them time to respond after the dry season.
Producers seeking agistment should consider the following:
- inspection
- agistment agreement
- costs
- stock numbers
- distance to agistment
- stock theft.
Inspection
Inspection of the agistment site by yourself or a trusted agent is essential. The following points should be considered.
Paddock conditions
Current feed supply and quality assessments will give an indication of how long feed will last and the possible requirements for supplementary feeding. Changes in pasture and top feed composition may initially affect livestock performance as they adapt.
Fencing, paddock size, timber, water supplies and general terrain also need to be assessed, as they will indicate how well livestock can be mustered and controlled. Adequate fences and gates will also prevent livestock from straying.
Water quality needs to be suitable for livestock consumption, with adequate supply. Weak livestock can perish in boggy watering points, especially if not adequately supervised.
Stock handling facilities
Obtain an assurance from the owner/manager allowing the use of the stock handling facilities. When assessing the facilities consider access, ease of working and suitability.
Presence of parasites, diseases and weeds
An appreciation of the likely parasites (ie lice, blowflies, worms), diseases and weeds at the agistment site is necessary. Adequate preventative and control measures should be taken to ensure the livestock are productive while on agistment.
Measures should also be taken to prevent any of these conditions being introduced to the home property when the stock return from agistment.
Supervision
Determine the level of supervision and observation that will be provided by the owner/manager. Check whether assistance will be available for mustering and other husbandry operations.
Successful agistment programs are usually associated with adequate supervision of agisted livestock by their owner and the owner/manager of the agistment site.
Agistment agreement
Agistment usually involves a verbal agreement between two parties seeking and granting agistment. Generally, very few guidelines are set as to the workings of the agreement.
It is recommended that all aspects of the agreement be discussed and agreed on and that a simple, but legally binding agreement be drawn up. This should help avoid any disputes and misunderstandings and help to maintain a good relationship between the two parties.
Costs
Seasonal conditions and demand will determine agistment fees.
Consider:
- quality of agistment
- nature of supervision
- provision of facilities
- method of payment
- duration of agreement and stock numbers involved
- distance from home property.
Payment is usually by monthly instalments in advance, however method of payment may be determined by the two parties and included in the written agreement.
Following are some example agistment rates:
|
Cattle (per head, per week) |
Sheep (per head, per week) |
||
|
Cow and calf, or bull |
$3.00 |
Ewe and lamb, or ram |
$0.45 |
|
Dry cow, steer or heifer |
$2.50 |
Dry ewe or wether |
$0.35 |
|
Calf (<6 months) |
$0.50 |
Lamb |
$0.07 |
|
Weaner (6 to 12 months) |
$1.50 |
Weaner |
$0.20 |
|
Yearling (12 to 24 months) |
$2.00 |
|
|
Note: Agistment costs will vary depending on the season (eg the drier it is the more you will have to pay for agistment).
Other costs that need to be considered include finding suitable agistment in the first place and inspection of the properties, plus freight of stock to and from agistment, overseeing trips (travel and accommodation), telephone costs, mustering costs (labour etc), stock losses and supplementary feeding.
Stock numbers
It is usual to set a range of stock numbers to be agisted. It is a good practice to have an independent counter, such as a local agent, to check stock onto and off the property. This will help to avoid disputes about numbers and payment, and contribute to maintaining a good relationship between the two parties.
It is also essential to establish whether or not other stock will have access to the paddock(s) agisted. If no other stock are wanted in the agistment area this should be agreed upon and written into the contract.
Distance to agistment
Long distances to agistment sites may cause travel fatigue, especially if livestock are in poor condition. Distance to agistment may also impact on the level of supervision and how the livestock adapt to the conditions.
Stock theft
Stock theft is often highlighted as a problem with agistment, however this can be minimised by adequate supervision, ensuring fences are sound, and that 100 per cent musters are possible. Also consider only agisting discrete lines of livestock, which can be clearly identified.
Further information
For further information contact the DPI&F Business Information Centre on 13 25 23 from anywhere within Queensland, on (07) 3404 6999 if calling from interstate, or e-mail callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au
An overview of the principles of livestock nutrition and management strategies are contained in the book Livestock nutrition in western Queensland available from the DPI Shop Online.
This DPI&F Note is also published on the PrimeNotes CD-ROM.
Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.
Revised November 2005
