Beef Fundamentals Course
For beef producers new to the industry, acquiring fundamental skills is important for success in growing your cattle. The Beef Fundamentals self-paced course will equip you with essential farming knowledge, and skills needed to thrive as a beef producer.
Participants will learn the basics such as cattle nutrition and determining feed quality, how to assess the condition of your cattle, understanding legal responsibilities, practicing safe handling, prioritising cattle welfare and much more. Complete the course online to boost your beef cattle management skills and practices.
The Beef Fundamentals course has been developed by Local Land Services in partnership with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Tocal College under the Early Needs Recovery Program.
About the course
Experienced agronomists, livestock officers and district veterinarians from Local Land Services and the Department of Primary Industries have created this practical course based on what they see in the field every day and the questions they get asked.
Course topics are presented online in 6 x 40-minute learning modules covering the key principles of beef cattle production. These modules can be completed at your own pace and revisited for up to 12 months.
The course is fully subsidised and free for landholders across NSW.
Your LLS region may deliver face-to-face sessions as part of their extension activities and workshops. You are encouraged to attend to gain local insights and practical examples. Visit our events page for a list of current activities
Who can attend the course?
The Beef Fundamentals course supports NSW landholders that are new to the beef industry and/or have smaller herds/holdings. More than 700 people have already registered.
A beef producer who recently finished the course said it was “Very easy to navigate and really good information. Wish I had had this when starting out.”
What does the course cover?
The Beef Fundamentals course is designed to help you navigate farming with confidence and gain the skills you need to own and grow healthy beef cattle. This course also provides tools and ideas for tackling challenges you may face when growing beef cattle.
Key topics covered in the course include:
- cattle nutrition and how to calculate feed
- how to assess animal condition
- pasture considerations
- National Livestock Identification System (NLIS)
- biosecurity including pests, disease and weeds
- welfare of cattle
- transporting cattle
- genetics and breeding
- extreme climatic events and planning
- business and farm management.
Read more about the learning objectives for the Beef Fundamentals Course.
When is the course available?
The online component of the beef cattle farming course content is available from when you register and throughout 2024. Once registered you can even go back and revisit topics for up to 12 months.
Who developed this course?
The Beef Fundamentals course has been developed by livestock experts, including veterinarians, livestock advisors and development officers from NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services, with backgrounds in livestock research and on-ground extension.
This educational package has been developed under the Early Needs Recovery Program. The Early Needs Recovery Program is part of the $150 million Primary Industry Support Package which is co-funded by the Australian and NSW Governments. For more information about the program, please visit the Early Needs Recovery Program page.
Register for the course
For more information
For more information about the course, including content and eligibility please call your local livestock officer on 1300 795 299.
For course IT and registration access questions please contact Tocal College.