A central Queensland livestock producer is using animal nutrition as an alternative treatment for ticks, worms, and even vaccinations of cattle.
Traditionally, drenches are used to prevent tick and worm issues in cattle herds, while vaccines are currently a preferred choice by many livestock producers to prevent disease outbreaks.
But, Mick Alexander believes an organically-managed, healthy cattle herd eliminates the need to use chemical drenches, dips, and vaccines.
“We fixed the tick problem we were having with our cattle by balancing the herd’s nutritional needs, and now don‘t use drenches,” Mr Alexander said.
Mick and Noela Alexander and family run a certified organic beef cattle operation on their property, Bindaree at Garnant, situated 42 kilometres west of Rockhampton.
They run 200 to 300 head of cows with an 800-head total herd size on their 1400 hectare Fitzroy River frontage property.
“Noela's late father Trevor Jones instigated a rotational grazing property development program in 2004 to establish a reticulated watering system and initial four paddock rotation system,” he said.
Mr Alexander moved towards organic red meat three years ago, and started by analysing his property’s soils and identifying the minerals that were lacking.
“We then analysed our pastures and looked at what minerals are in the grasses compared to what’s in the soil,” he said.
“Our nutritionist has then used that information to work out exactly the licks and supplements we need to balance out what is lacking in our soils and pastures, and we have really come up with a great formula.”
The cattle operation’s main focus is on maintaining animals in a healthy condition.
“When you have an animal that is healthier it can utilise the feed a lot better,” Mr Alexander said.
“Ticks become a problem on animals that are lacking and nutritionally unbalanced.
“If you observe a cattle herd, the first beast to get ticks is the poorest ones.
“We found out that the reason we were having tick problems was because the animals weren’t healthy enough.
“We don’t want to be completely clean of ticks because our herd still needs some resistance, but we don’t have tick outbreaks anymore.”
Mr Alexander noted that worms aren’t a problem for his cattle either, attributing his herd’s good nutrition as the best method to reduce worm issues.
“Worms and ticks go hand-in-hand and every animal has some worms, but they never become an issue if the animal stays healthy,” he said.
“If an animal is showing signs of being affected by worms, then we isolate it and make sure it gets the extra nutrition it needs.”
A new and potentially controversial decision by Mr Alexander not to vaccinate later born weaners this season, in his closed cattle herd, is a risk he is now willing to take.
“We have vaccinated weaner cattle in the past, but now are considering if vaccinating is necessary,” he said.
“We have decided to trial not vaccinating the later born calves this year because some people believe we are over-using vaccinations.
“A lot of livestock producers are going into using these preventative vaccines, and it’s probably very strange for someone like me to say ‘what if we don’t do that!’.
“What if we focus on nutrition to produce a productive, healthy red meat animal.
“I feel we are doing the right thing by the animals and my family.”
Mr Alexander’s nutritional approach to his cattle operation is part of an entire biological methodology he applies to running the livestock operation.
“Some people in the livestock game tend to be driven by habit and fear because they are scared if a certain drench, dip, or product isn’t used the animals are going to suffer and they will loss their income,” he said.
“I even have a fear factor about not using vaccinations because of potential outside herd contamination and I realise what I’m choosing to do is currently outside the box.
“It’s a whole new way of thinking and really focused on maximising animal health.”
To balance the cattle’s nutritional needs, the family operation uses a certified organic biochar dry lick product.
“We have personally achieved better growth rates of our animals since starting this approach to our cattle operation,” Mr Alexander said.
“I believe our benefits for the future will be producing a clean, green product that meets a need in a niche red meat market.”
