The largest cattle ranch in the world has closed down temporarily because of drought.

Anna Creek Station, encompassing 2,400 hectares, has had 16,500 cattle in the past. The herd had been reduced to 2,000.

The ranch is owned by S Kidman & Co., founded in 1899 by cattle baron Sir Sidney Kidman. About half the cattle have been sold for slaughter and the rest moved to other Kidman ranches.

Greg Campbell, the company’s managing director, said that this was the third time Anna Creek had suffered temporary closure because of drought. The current drought in Australia is the worst in at least a century.

“The drought is very severe,” Mr Campbell said. “Before the first weekend in June, when there were a few millimetres of rain, Anna Creek hadn’t had rain since December.”