Drought-hit NT cattle seek relief walking Queensland's long paddock

Drover Brian Glendenning has 1500 head that originated from NT property Newcastle Waters in the Winton region at present, picking them up from trucks at Longreach a month ago.

He plans to take them in a big loop north to the Flinders Highway and back around to Longreach, with options to either return them home or sell them after that.

CPC CEO Troy Setter said their Barkly country was suffering from two failed wet seasons in a row, particularly at Ucharonidge, which joins Newcastle Waters.

"That means we've used all our reserve feed - that's what's happened to us and plenty of others there," he said.

To counteract the lack of cyclonic rain the company began proactively weaning in December last year.

It was a process made easier by having their cows separated into trimester groups, identified by preg testing.

Mr Setter said it made blanket early weaning much easier, with less double handling, and had allowed them to move dry cows and pregnant heifers to agistment round Katherine, and other cattle on the road in Queensland.

Related: CPC's Manbulloo Station sold

"Our strategy is to make sure we have as many pregnant cattle as we can when the drought breaks," he said.

Feeder and backgrounder cattle, plus some cull cows, have been moved to CPC's feedlots in Indonesia 30kg lighter than normal.

"That leaves more grass in Australia for the breeding herd," Mr Setter said. An extra 8000 head were moved north early.

The last time CPC experienced Northern Territory conditions this extreme was between 2006-08, Mr Setter said, adding that at least there wasn't the market failure of past years adding to challenges.

He said the beef industry was going through a very tough time at present, thanks to the double whammy of drought and the enormous losses in north west Queensland in February, and worried about the impact that both events would have on the national herd in coming years.

CPC lost 1450 head of cattle at Mimong, near Kynuna, in the February weather event and has since sold the property.

"We'll just see what the monsoon brings this year," Mr Setter said. "The cattle in Queensland will probably go back to Newcastle Waters but if there's a good option to sell, we'll consider that then."

Mr Glendenning said he'd brought the mob up the old Winton Road, which had patches with next to no feed, but on the whole were finding good feed all the way.

He said he knew of another big mob coming down from Julia Creek, plus a mob in front of them, on the other side of Winton.

"There's a couple coming behind us too," he said. "What feed is about won't be about for long really."

- courtesy Queensland Country Life.