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Feral cattle (Bos taurus)

Feral cattle are established in parts of Australia, especially the north, where their grazing adds pressure to savanna and wetland habitats. They can affect soils, water, vegetation and fire regimes, with habitat changes flowing on to native wildlife.

Key facts

Type: Pest animal, mammal.

Native to: Domestic cattle originated in Eurasia; feral cattle in Australia descend from introduced livestock..

Established in: QLD, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, NT.

Other names: Wild cattle, Scrub cattle, Feral bovines.

Best time to act: In northern Australia, surveys and mustering are often most practical in the dry season, when cattle may be easier to locate around remaining water sources.

Identification

  • A large, heavy-bodied hoofed mammal with a broad muzzle and a cloven hoof.
  • Coat colour varies widely, including black, red, brown, white and mixed patterns.
  • Horns may be present or absent and vary in shape and size.
  • Some animals have a pronounced shoulder hump, particularly those with indicine cattle ancestry.
  • Feral animals may be wary and occur in groups, though individuals may also be seen alone.
  • Look-alike: Asian water buffalo are another large introduced bovine; they generally have broader, swept-back horns and a more prominent shoulder profile than cattle.

Where it lives

In Australia, feral cattle occur mainly in northern savannas, grasslands and wetlands, often using waterholes and other water sources.

Why it matters

  • Grazing and trampling can damage vegetation and soil, affect water quality and alter waterhole hydrology.
  • Sustained grazing can remove key grass species, while associated changes to fire intensity and frequency can contribute to grassland turning into woodland.
  • Cattle can help spread exotic plants, and their habitat disturbance can degrade habitat used by native wildlife.
  • Habitat loss or degradation is a major way ungulate disturbance can contribute to declines in biodiversity.

How it spreads

  • Feral populations are descended from introduced cattle, with ungulates introduced to northern Australia primarily during the 1800s.
  • Escaped or abandoned livestock can establish feral populations where they survive and reproduce.
  • Feral cattle can expand their local range through movement between suitable grazing areas and water sources.

Control methods

  • Plan control at the property or landscape scale, using mustering, trapping or exclusion fencing where suitable.
  • Arrange humane removal or culling through trained operators using methods approved for the location and circumstances.
  • Monitor treated areas and barriers, and follow up to remove remaining animals and address new incursions.
  • Check with the relevant state or territory authorities about applicable biosecurity, animal-welfare and control requirements, and report suspected disease or unusual deaths.

Site hygiene and welfare

  • Remove mud and manure from vehicles, machinery and equipment after work in cattle-affected areas, and clean and disinfect between properties where disease biosecurity directions call for it.
  • Avoid moving cattle, fodder or contaminated material between properties without appropriate biosecurity checks.
  • Use methods set out in the national model codes of practice and standard operating procedures for the species.
  • Coordinate control with neighbours and the local government biosecurity plan, as isolated effort is quickly undone by reinvasion.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Not prohibited or restricted. Not listed as prohibited or restricted matter in Queensland. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: General biosecurity duty. Not prohibited matter in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared animal. Declared animals have legal restrictions, which can cover keeping, moving, selling and releasing them, and landowners may be required to control them.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1). C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD.
  • Tasmania: Not a declared pest. Not a declared pest or prohibited matter in Tasmania. Importing animals is still controlled by Biosecurity Tasmania.
  • Northern Territory: Not a declared pest. Not on an NT declared or prohibited list. Check with the NT Government before keeping, moving or releasing it.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Not declared. Not declared under the Biosecurity Act 2023 (ACT). A general biosecurity duty still applies.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • Queensland: Biosecurity Act 2014 (Qld), administered by Biosecurity Queensland (13 25 23)
  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Victoria: Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994 (Vic), administered by Agriculture Victoria
  • South Australia: Landscape South Australia Act 2019 (SA), administered by the regional landscape board
  • Western Australia: Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007 (WA), administered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
  • Northern Territory: Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976 (NT), administered by NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Sources