After joining the circuit, the pilot noticed some cattle standing at the side of the strip. So as to avoid them should they suddenly decide to run onto the strip during the landing, he decided to carry out a short field landing. When the aircraft was about 15 feet above the ground on final approach, the pilot reported that it entered a rapid sink. He flared the aircraft and it landed prior to the threshold. During the landing roll the nosegear was torn off after it struck a drum that was being used as a strip threshold marker. There was a 200 metre high escarpment situated about 1.5 kilometres from the end of the strip. Although the strip could have been used for two way operations, the pilot stated that he did not apply power when the sink rate developed because he believed that he would not be able to carry out a go-around because of the position of the escarpment.