'Buyer beware’ when agisting livestock

With many landholders agisting stock in other regions to access feed, there are things you will need to carefully consider when sending animals afar.

Agisting stock to access feed can be a sound management decision in the current drought, however it also can bring risks to your animals.

These include new weeds, pest species, diseases, parasites and the potential for stock theft.

You will also need to consider the property’s feed composition and supply, water access and farm infrastructure.

These points and others, such as whether the property has a current biosecurity plan, form the basis for a conversation between you and the agistment property holder.

It is always recommended to inspect the property in person prior to sending stock, and to be clear if there will be someone on site (owner or manager) to check livestock.

If you can reach an agreement of price and conditions, this also needs to be set in writing as an agistment agreement.

If problems later arise, agistment arrangements based on a nod and handshake can lead to costly legal issues. Get your agreement in writing and make sure you understand the detail before signing anything.

You can also carry out your own research on the agistment region through:

• Reading the region’s strategic weed plan and pest animal plan.
• Talking to your stock and station agent.
• Connecting with the region’s Local Land Services staff. Your local staff can give you their counterpart’s details, or you can look them up on the Local Land Services website.

Read more in the Department of Primary Industries’ Agistment Guidelines.