While rainfall events nationally have prompted a response in pasture growth, there is still a time lag between rainfall events and useful pasture growth for graziers. Nationally Total Standing Dry Matter continues to average below 900kg/DM/Ha, a decline of around 300kg/DM/Ha. The national averages are impacted by the removal of biomass including harvested crops in southern NSW, Victoria, and South Australia. Additional losses have been incurred through the North Queensland Dry Tropics, Tasmania and through the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Although growth is occurring as a result of rainfall events, the availability of Green Standing Dry Matter levels remain very low in most regions with the exception of the lower Hunter Valley in NSW and the Gippsland region of Victoria where levels of Green Dry Standing Matter are now averaging above 1500kg/DM/Ha. For the remainder of the continent the green proportion of the total available biomass remains below 500kg/DM/Ha.

National Ground Cover levels (30-day rolling average) have started to change with an increase in bare area in the eastern Kimberley as well as increase to existing areas where ground cover is less than 50% in the Gascoyne and Pilbara regions. The areas impacted by fire on the Barkley Tablelands of the Northern Territory and Southern Gulf of Queensland are still noticeable, again reflecting the time lag between rainfall events and significant biomass response.

Maturing winter crops in southeast NSW and into Victoria and South Australia are contributing to the higher levels of Dead Standing Dry Matter noticeable in the current images. There has been a significant increase in the total amount of Dead Standing Dry Matter in these regions since the update of November 15, 2023. A similar trend is also noticeable in the southeast and wheatbelt of Western Australia. In the northern portion of NSW, and into Queensland and the Northern Territory there is a noticeable decline in levels of Dead Standing Dry Matter, reflecting dry matter loss from grazing and from detachment as the result of weather conditions, including rainfall events.

The seasonal comparison of Total Standing Dry Matter continues to be significantly unchanged from the 15 November 2023 update. An expansion of areas in the 30% decile and below has occurred in the Tanami region of the Northern Territory, and across the southwestern regions of Western Australia. However, areas of the NSW Mid north coast and tablelands have shown some movement towards the long-term average (50% decile) reflecting earlier rainfall events.

The national average amount of Total Standing Dry Matter has generally stabilised below 1,250 Kg DM/Ha. Recent storm and shower events have slightly increased total standing dry matter levels on the Northwest Slopes and Northern tablelands of NSW. Much of Queensland, Victoria and the other southern states remain substantially unchanged in the two weeks leading to the 15th of November.

Green Standing Dry Matter levels remain very low for most of the continent. The impact of rain and the growth in response has not yet taken levels of green pasture biomass to levels above 500 kg/DM/Ha for most of the country, except for Victoria and central Tasmania and the southwest slopes of NSW. Livestock managers will need to continue budgeting for low levels of green biomass in their feeding and grazing plans as these levels remain below the benchmarks for all classes of livestock.

National Ground Cover levels (30-day rolling average) have not dramatically increased for most of the continent. However, the loss of ground cover due to bushfire is evident in the Queensland Darling Downs and Border region with NSW. The widespread fires in the North Barkly and north of Mount Isa as well as in the eastern Kimberley region of WA can also be noted in the most recent update.

Pasture Biomass Growth events continue to reflect the impact of the stormy weeks leading to the 15th of November. Most growth events remain restricted to these coastal regions across Victoria and Tasmania. The effect of storm events in the eastern portions of the NSW Central West, North West and Tablelands is becoming noticeable.

Dead standing dry matter remains largely unchanged in the most recent satellite update. Areas greater than 1200kg DM/Ha remain confined largely to North Eastern Qld and parts of the Barkly Tablelands. One exception has been the southeast of South Australia, where levels of Dead Standing Dry Matter have increased in recent weeks to exceed 1500kg / DM /Ha. This reflects the maturing of winter crops ahead of harvest.

While some growth has occurred due to recent rainfall, the overall position of the continent remains below and well below average for the seasonal levels of Total Standing Dry Matter. Western Australia remains stable, with areas considered below and well below seasonal averages.

The national average amount of Total Standing Dry Matter is now below 1,250Kg DM/Ha. While there are areas of Victoria and north Qld with totals in excess of 3,000kg DM/Ha, these are small areas that are rapidly declining in area

With the exception of the southwest slopes of NSW and southwestern Victoria, the levels of Green Standing Dry Matter across the continent fall within levels of 750kg DM/Ha or less. This will have ongoing implications for livestock managers who are calculating feed budgets on levels of green material in diets. In most areas these levels are well below the benchmarks for all classes of livestock, and as a consequence, overall daily intake for stock from pasture is likely to be significantly below what is required for maintenance or production.

National Ground Cover levels (30 day rolling average) are now beginning to reflect the loss of dead standing material and I some regions the impact of bushfire. Western Australia and the western regions of South Australia have seen an increase in area that has 70% or greater bare ground, while in the Northern Territory, western Queensland and western NSW, the area of country with 30 – 40% bare ground has expanded.

Pasture Biomass Growth events (as indicated by Fractional Cover) remain restricted to the coastal margins and south-eastern parts of the continent and Tasmania where some rainfall has been recorded. Growth has slowed in southeast South Australia since the 21st of October (the date of the last satellite update).

The impact of warmer weather and associated windy conditions have contributed to a further reduction in the amounts of Dead Standing Dry Matter which many producers had been reliant upon for grazing with appropriate supplementation. The detachment of this material and subsequent loss is reflected in further areas recording levels of Dead Standing Material below 750kg DM / ha.

The areas of the continent now considered to be below and well below average for the seasonal levels of Total Standing Dry Matter have expanded across NSW, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and the Northern Territory. Areas that were slightly below average in the previous October summary have declined further with a significant increase the in area considered to be within the 30% and below decile

Total Standing Dry Matter (Kg/DM/Ha) has noticeably decreased across the Barkly tablelands, Queensland Gulf, western Queensland, Central NSW and Western Victoria. These areas have now entered the average range of 750 -1250 Kg/DM/ha (as evidenced by the light orange and yellow shading). Southwestern Western Australia has declined from widespread averages of 1750-200kg/DM/Ha to more lower averages in the range of 1000 – 1500kg/DM/Ha. Similar pasture biomass declines are evident in South Australia.

As can be expected the availability of Green Standing Dry Matter (Kg/Ha) has significantly fallen in most regions. The most notable reductions have been in the south west and central west slopes of NSW, Gippsland in Victoria, the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia and the southwest of Western Australia. For much of the country the amount of Green (actively growing) biomass remains blow 500kg/DM/Ha.

The dry conditions which have reduced pasture growth and amounts of Green Dry Standing Matter have conversely contributed to a slight increase in the levels of Dead Standing Dry Matter (Kg/Ha). Levels of Dead Material in Southern NSW have increased from averages of less than 500kg/DM/Ha to average between 750 -1000kg DM/Ha. Across much of the country, the change of pasture from actively growing Green to Dead Standing Dry Matter can be readily seen.

While it is notable that areas of the Northern Territory, Kimberley Region in Western Australia and the Gulf Country of Queensland continue to have biomass levels above 1700kg/DM/Ha the overall area where this applies has contracted in the last two weeks. Late and isolated thunderstorms in central Victoria and the Riverina in NSW have resulted in some areas of growth and increases in Total Standing Dry Matter. A similar pattern of response to storms is notable across North Queensland.

The combined impact of low rainfall, heat events and some late frosts have reduced the levels of Green Standing Dry Material very noticeably across NSW and into central Victoria. Areas in southern NSW that previously had in excess of 1700kg Green Standing Dry Matter / Ha, have now decreased significantly. This is noticeable in the western Riverina and south west slopes. In the Northern Territory levels of Green Standing Dry Matter / Ha have also fallen particularly across the Barkly and Victoria River regions.

These changes are particularly noticeable in the seasonal comparison of TSDM. Much of Central Queensland, northern NSW and Western Australia are now 50% or lower than the long-term seasonal average.

Pasture Biomass Growth events (as indicated by Fractional Cover) indicate little change in growth across the continent. Areas that have received rainfall in the past two weeks have continued to see pasture growth events, however, the inland regions largely comprise of non growing or non-photosynthesising biomass.

Levels of Dead Standing Dry Matter have fallen significantly across NSW, southwestern Queensland, and western Australia. In NSW there is on average less than 1000kg Dead Standing Dry Matter / Ha across all regions. In Victoria the amount of Dead Dry Standing Material is lower again, averaging below 500Kg/DM /Ha. While in the north, the areas where Dead Dry Standing Dry Material exceed 1750kg/Ha are confined to smaller areas of the eastern Barkly. The decline in Dead Standing Dry Matter combined with low levels of Green Dry Matter are the principal reasons for the continued reduction in the national feedbase levels in the past 14 days.

These changes are particularly noticeable in the seasonal comparison of TSDM. Much of Central Queensland, northern NSW and Western Australia are now 50% or lower than the long-term seasonal average.