Herd & Flock Management

Paraway focuses on improving efficiency at Burindi by closely aligning operations to the most productive use for pasture and optimising the genetic composition of the herd itself. Paraway also continues to monitor updates in methane-reducing feed supplements applicability to extensive grazing operations.

Pasture Management

Optimising pasture composition and livestock grazing rotations is important for both increasing animal performance and decreasing emissions intensity. Reflective of mixed landscapes at Burindi, cattle are selectively grazed on land matched to their feed requirements while optimising pasture utilisation. Breeders can be grazed on lower productivity and hilly country where they can still maintain a fertile and healthy condition, without unnecessary weight gain. Steers and heifers are grown on higher productivity pastures to maximise their weight gains, reducing days on farm for steers and days to joining for heifers.

Grazing at Burindi is also planned to maintain overall land condition and is supported by weed management. Both forage-crops and improved pastures are carefully selected to suit for the local climate and soil types while providing the nutritional quality to increase animal production per kilogram of dry matter intake.

Genetic Selection

Animal genetics is a key component of Paraway’s strategy to improve the long-term animal productivity and sustainability of its livestock business. At Burindi, Paraway invests to improve the genetic base of its cattle herd through selection of bulls and replacement heifers based on Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs). EBVs utilise genetic data to provide a prediction of an animal’s characteristics against productivity-linked traits within the same breed, facilitating accurate animal selection to drive performance.

At Burindi, breeding animals are selected for superior feed conversion (in addition to other characteristics) which results in reduced enteric methane output. More productive heifers should produce more calves with higher weaning rates and weight gains, reducing the emissions intensity of these animals by being able to sell the finished animals earlier.

Sexed Artificial Insemination Trial

Paraway invests in the use of artificial insemination reproductive technology to improve the outcomes of its breeding program. This provides the ability to isolate gendered semen for conception in order to selectively raise the ratio of male calves born with genetic traits for growth while concentrating heifers born with desirable traits. As male calves exhibit higher average daily growth (ADG), this should flow onto higher herd efficiency with reduction in emissions intensity estimated between 8-17% based on expected higher ADG.

In 2023, a trial sexed semen program was initiated at Burindi. The initial trial showed mixed conception success, but the gender of the calves born was in line with expectations. Further trialling at additional Paraway properties is commencing to further assess the technology.

Methane Reducing Feed Supplements and Pastures

Recent research has identified certain pasture species (such as lucerne, subterranean clover, chicory, plantain) and variants within species with demonstrated potential to directly reduce livestock enteric methane production. Further research is required, but this could provide opportunities to incorporate direct methane reductions into extensive pasture-based systems like Burindi. Paraway will continue to monitor progress in this area.