A View of Holistic Management Practices
by Greg and Carol Hoadley, “ Dunwoodie", Glenmorgan, QLD
Although originally
skeptical about some of the warm and fuzzy claims made by its
proponents, we had seen enough over the last 50 years to know that
none of the methods we were using to manage our country, were
totally successful.
The decline in grass
production, loss of fodder species, regrowth problems and siltation
of watercourses have always been put down to over stocking. This
doesn't ring true when you have very lightly stocked country going
backwards.
Holistic Management is
really a framework for decision-making in which logic prevails over
preconceptions. It is therefore useful in any enterprise. As it
applies to grazing livestock we have used it to increase the number
and size of plants in our pasture. The result, apart from more feed,
has been increased water retention through less runoff, better
infiltration and less evaporation.
One of the unexpected
benefits has been that cattle know when a white ute appears in the
paddock and the horn is sounded, all they have to do is follow it
and they will end up in a fresh paddock of good feed. Sometimes that
paddock is the stockyards, but they still follow. Mustering was
never like that in the good old days. As we have gotten older and
health has deteriorated, this ease of handling by itself would
justify the switch to Holistic Management.
Probably not everyone
will find this a suitable system but if you are not totally
satisfied with what you have done in the past, this has to be worth
a good hard look. Most Holistic solutions seem to require more brain
work than money to implement so that goes straight to the bottom
line.
Battling the drought
armed with a Holistic Management Grazing plan
by Peter and Narelle Campagnoni
Having done the Holistic Management
Course in 2000, we embarked on a subdivision plan for our property.
We then battled through the 2002 –
2003 drought; spent massive amounts of
money on feed and weaned the calves early. This resulted in far too
many poddy calves,
we became severely stressed but maintained our beloved breeders! But
at such a cost.
Of course, the seasons deteriorated
again. In March 2005, Peter went to a Holistic
Management event in Armidale. He came home determined to sell
and reduce our breeder numbers. There was much resistance from
Narelle! But eventually the decision was taken to sell about ¾ of
our beloved breeders – an emotional decision as we have an
80-year-old herd.
We were able to manage the dry years
following – with much less income but also with no expenditure on
feed and much less stress. We continued with our timed grazing
management, attending a refresher course with Inside
Outside Management in late 2005, early
2006.
It did eventually rain! Though the
rain was not a great amount – because the country had been allowed
to recover, there was a good growth in the grass which enabled us to
buy cows at a time when most people were still selling. We have
actually been able to buy back better quality cows – something we
thought was only a dream! Another paradigm!
There is now an
abundance of grass with the recent rains and we have enjoyed not
having to compete in the market to
restock, having replaced our breeders so much earlier.