Exclusion fencing credited with stable status of Qld goat industry

"We have gone from zero goat population to the point where processors have increased their kill of Queensland goats from 10 to 60 per cent," Ms Davies said.

"Queensland has become the poster child for the industry.

"Fencing for wild dogs results in completely different landscapes with an increase in biodiversity and total regeneration.

"There is also the comfort of knowing there are no wild dogs."

Ms Davies said exclusion fencing would underpin the goat industry strategic plan with continuity of supply, stabilising the price troughs and peaks.

Farmed goat numbers are forecast to reach 250,000 head by 2026 as traditional cattle and sheep producers seek to diversify their income, better match grazing systems to available feed and take advantage of record goat meat prices.

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In central western Queensland, meat sheep and rangeland goat enterprises produce the greatest rate of return on total capital, 3.85 and 3.74 per cent respectively.

According to researcher Maree Bowen and others, this analysis was based on the property already having protection from wild dogs with suitable fencing.

DAF extension officer Jed Sommerfield said large areas of Queensland were looking to restock and many producers were evaluating goats off the back of good seasons.

"For most, this opportunity is only available because they have a managed wild dog population as a result of an exclusion fence," he said.

"Opportunistic harvesting has evolved into managed and semi-managed flocks and as goats become managed it can lead to new challenges and learnings.

"Exclusion fencing is one of many wild dog management techniques available to producers.

"For effective management of the wild dog population, you need to use more than one tool in the toolbox. A combination of monitoring, baiting, fencing, trapping and shooting will deliver the best results."

That's been the experience of one Blackall couple, who as well as expanding their goat enterprise are finding that fencing is also resulting in long term pasture and biodiversity benefits.

Anita Dennis and Joe Taylor run a Kalahari and Aussie Red seedstock enterprise and rangeland herd of 8000 does behind 180km of exclusion fencing at Coolagh, west of Blackall.

Their first exclusion fence was laminated 1.5m onto an existing fence, plus a 30mm lap, and they have since incorporated a single barb on top to give it extra height.

"We were interested in land management and looked at our regrowth control so initially incorporated the goats as a land management tool," Ms Dennis said.

"We complete a return on assets on each of our enterprises annually and the goats looked more lucrative, so we have moved to a 100 per cent goat operation."

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While neighbouring properties have created an exclusion fencing cluster, Mr Taylor regularly monitors the fence line and carries out strategic trapping on Coolagh.

The couple is also looking at using Maremma dogs as a sustainable control option.

"Since completing the exclusion fencing one paddock, which was mainly buffel now contains 18 different grass species, multitudes of forbs, an increase in our ground-dwelling birds and small reptiles," Ms Dennis said.

"If we have a breach, the first 48 hours is the key as the wild dog will want to get out. After that time the dog starts making the new area its territory.

"Using the internal exclusion fencing, we isolate the dog back to one water point and deploy either trapping or shooting."

She encouraged landholders to embrace exclusion fencing and the huge potential within the goat industry but said it was a tool to be used in conjunction with trapping.

"Just because the fence is up, it does not mean you can walk away - there is still maintenance," she said.

"We are conscious of that and at least once every two to four weeks we do a maintenance run, especially after a rain event when holes can appear."

Ms Dennis's advice for anyone contemplating exclusion fencing would be to complete a budget on expected returns from their chosen category of livestock behind wire.

"Through good land management you will see the numbers you can sustainably run will slowly increase," she said.

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