BEEF producers wanting to know more about research being done to help prevent cattle being poisoned by toxic pimelea plants are encouraged to attend information sessions in Roma, Begonia and St George next week.
AgForce president Grant Maudsley said researchers from the University of Queensland and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries would be on hand to discuss how their work was progressing.
"Pimelea is a native toxic plant that occurs over one third of Australia's pastoral area across five states causing seasonal cattle deaths, reducing weight gain in surviving cattle and rendering large pasture areas too risky for grazing," Mr Maudsley said.
"With producers losing hundreds of cattle to pimelea poisoning in recent dry years and patches of pimelea emerging again in parts of southern and western Queensland this year, this national research project is vitally important.”
An initial six-month research project began in 2017 after producers pledged cash and in-kind support to leverage matching funding from Meat and Livestock Australia's Donor Company.
“We are pleased MLA followed up with an additional $1.5 million over three years to continue research into plant toxins,” Mr Maudsley said.
"These information sessions in southern Queensland will provide producers with an update on work being done to develop a rumen drench to break down or block the toxins as well as proposed work to reduce the impact and abundance of pimelea.
"AgForce is also looking for producers willing to share their learnings about pimelea management as case studies."
The information sessions will be held at: Roma Saleyards from 1pm-3pm on October 30; Begonia from 9.30am-11.30am on October 31; and St George Bowls Club from 3pm-5pm on October 31.
To RSVP contact Marie Vitelli, 0429 062 852, or Sharon Purcell, 0407 101 773. AgForce.
