WA floods: Cattle producers count the costs

Most operations were at full carrying capacity, industry leaders have reported.

Not only have thousands of calves been lost but big portions of tropically adapted breeding herds.

The flooded region is home to more than 700,000 head of high content Brahman cattle, a big slice of the 2.1m head in WA, which itself is 9pc of the national herd.

The vast majority of cattle supply out of the flood devastated region goes to the live export market but in recent times Harvest Road and Hancock Pastoral have also been buying from the area for domestic processing.

Alongside the stock losses, hundreds of thousands of kilometres of internal roads and fencing will have to be rebuilt.

Homesteads are under water. So too machinery sheds, many stockyards and so much equipment - from solar powered pumps to tanks and stables.

Cattle industry leaders say the ramifications will be felt for years and have called on governments to ensure support continues past the immediacy of these events and to work quickly to get critical infrastructure back into working order.

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Lauren Bell, business development officer with Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association, said the properties with the Fitzroy River running through them - which is around ten stations - are the most severely impacted but it's still too early to put figures on overall stock losses.

One of the biggest challenges will be that without road access, starting the repair and rebuild job will be all but impossible, she said.

Cattle in the East Kimberley are now cut off from ports and meatworks, and from backgrounding properties down south.

And the nerves about what is yet to come - with six cyclones forecast for this wet season and most still to arrive - are running high.

"If the next events are not massive drops, they will help. Everything is caked in mud and silt so smaller falls will help wash it away and let the grass start to grow back," Ms Bell said.

"But the catchments are full so heavy falls will result in instant flooding again.

"In this area, pastoralists are prepared for flood at this time of year but the scale of this has been unprecedented.

"At some points, the river is now 30kms wide - how do you prepare for that?

"Some stock was able to be moved and saved but the losses will be enormous."

Pastoralists were right now focussed on saving what cattle they can, and making some sort of start on the enormous job of getting properties back up and going but the emotional toll down the track has industry organisations very concerned.

"This is the time of year pastoralists here have a chance to rest and recuperate," Ms Bell said.

"They are now facing this and the main part of the season hasn't even started."

Cattle Australia representatives said the wellbeing of both animals and pastoralists was the primary focus.

A statement from the nation's peak producer group said more would be known once floodwaters receded but at this stage it was anticipated there would be substantial cattle losses and damage to station infrastructure.

"Main transport routes have also been damaged and will require coordinated efforts to repair so the freight and logistics network connecting the east Kimberley to the port of Broome is open for the mustering season and communities are not isolated for extended periods," the statement said.