ECONOMIC-EVALUATION OF DRYLAND PASTURE TECHNOLOGIES FOR BEEF-CATTLE PRODUCTION IN TROPICAL NORTHERN-QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

Twelve dryland experimental pasture improvement treatments were evaluated to determine their economic viability for adoption by graziers in the Thuringowa area of North Queensland, Australia. Only five of the 12 treatments were profitable; and of these, the Sabi grass-legume mix, the native grass-legume mix and the Rhodes grass-legume mix, all stocked at the high rate of 1.25 beasts ha-1, were the most profitable. The other profitable treatments were the Sabi grass-legume mix and the native grass-legume mix stocked at the moderate rate of 0.95 beast ha-1. All treatments at the low stocking rate of 0.65 beast ha-1 were not profitable. The key economic variables affecting the profitability of these pasture improvement treatments were the interest rate, finished and store cattle prices. Modest adverse changes in these three economic variables led to the most promising treatments becoming unprofitable.