with Macka’s Beef
Cultivating more sustainable pastures and productive herds using RAGT Custom Pasture Blends
A picture paints a thousand words. It’s a statement that more than adequately befits the Gloucester Valleys located on the mid-north coast of NSW. A collection of these stunning valleys and six individual properties, covering approximately 6,500 hectares, are the home of over 3,500 head of magnificent Australian Black Angus Cattle, the undeniable pearls in the Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef operation. For those lucky enough to set foot in any of these valleys, they are breathtaking.
On a perfect autumn day in May, Matt Duff (RAGT Territory Business Manager for Northern NSW) and Robert Mackenzie (Macka’s Black Angus Beef Pastoralist) took the time to have a conversation next to what is commonly known as the ‘landing strip’, perched in the middle of Macka’s Woko Station, located in one of these stunning valleys. As they chatted, it quickly become apparent that the highly productive and well managed pastures that surround them hold more than just the ability to produce class leading cattle and award winning beef.
Macka’s have been working in collaboration with RAGT and Agricore on how to offset on-farm greenhouse gas emissions through the sequestration of carbon into the soil. It works by planting mixes of companion forage species to lock away greater volumes of carbon. Many of Macka’s pastures now contain mixes of chicory, prairie grass, ryegrass, cocksfoot and clover, or as Robert likes to call them ‘Salad Bowl Blends’. These pastures enrich the soil and increase their carbon sequestration properties. The added carbon also supports water retention. For every 1% more carbon the pasture holds an additional 160,000 litres of water is retained in each hectare. This adds to the pastures potential productivity, as well as ensuring they can continue to be grazed through reduced rainfall periods or warm weather events, supporting the herd.
However, as Macka’s have found, these innovative pasture management efforts (along with the shift to more sustainable farming practises), which are grounded in aiming to achieve carbon neutrality, have greatly supported better animal health and liveweight gain. The ‘paddock to plate’ carbon neutrality that has been achieved, has indirectly benefitted their animal production program. The quality of the beef, the health of the animals and speed at which production targets can now be achieved has skyrocketed. It’s documenting a formula they hope can be rolled out with other producers, who can share in this success and move the red meat industry to that all important CN2030 target.
For a more in-depth understanding on how RAGT Custom Pasture Solutions and advice is supporting Macka’s Australian Black Angus pasture system and helping cultivate the operations ‘Paddock to Plate Carbon Neutrality Standing’, along with its delicious range of prime hinterland beef cuts watch the ‘Cultivating Conversation’ video above. You’ll learn how this innovative collaboration is trail blazing towards more sustainable agricultural production, and enhancing end product outcomes.