MLA – FOSTERING PROSPERITY

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018

IN MARKET ON SUPPLY CHAIN 2018 OUTLOOK DATA-DRIVEN INNOVATION INVESTIGATIONS 7 20 37 A NOTE FROM THE MD… MLA fosters the long-term prosperity of red and industry by delivering world-class research, development and marketing outcomes.

It’s going to be a big year for Then, on 20–21 November MLA will hold the Australian and the industry’s flagship event,Red Meat livestock industry. 2018, in Canberra. Just like Alice Springs last year, this will be a showcase of Cover: Darren Swain from It’s also a milestone year for MLA, with the latest research, development and Gunnedah, NSW has been 2018 marking two decades since the exploring the practical applications marketing initiatives and the region. of drones on farm. (Page 24) company’s inception in 1998. That’s 20 years of delivering research, development In my three and a half years as Managing and marketing services to ’s , Director of MLA, I’ve met more than sheep and goat producers in collaboration 25,000 levy payers and will continue Have your say! with the Australian Government and the to engage with grassroots producers We’d love to hear from you red meat and livestock industry. face-to-face in 2018. [email protected] This year also represents the halfway mark At a local level, MLA has also updated 02 9463 9333 on the five-year path to achieving the goals our Bred Well Fed Well workshops to focus on cattle enterprises as well as mla.com.au set out in the Strategic Plan 2020. The MLA team continues to work sheep (mla.com.au/bredwellfedwell), @meatandlivestockaustralia tirelessly to achieve our key performance project funding for our Producer @meatlivestock indicators – set by you, the industry – and Demonstration Sites program is now available (mla.com.au/pds) and the meatandlivestock as you’ll know from reading Feedback magazine, reporting on these outcomes popular BeefUp Forums are kicking off is also a top priority of MLA’s. I have every again in northern Australia (mla.com.au/ confidence that we’ll continue to foster the events). Producers can also participate prosperity of our industry as we pursue on in MLA’s Profitable Systems, a Feedback is produced and program which drives improved business published by Meat & Livestock the path paved by the strategic plan. Australia Ltd (ABN 39 081 678 364). performance outcomes through a whole- MLA is supporting a number of major farm approach (mla.com.au/pgs). MLA acknowledges the matching industry events throughout 2018. funds provided by the Australian In 2018, MLA will continue to pursue Government to support the In May, Australia’s cattle capital its vision to be the recognised leader research and development detailed will host the largest in this publication. in delivering world-class research, expo in the southern hemisphere – development and marketing outcomes This magazine was printed on Sumo Beef Australia. The triennial event will Offset Laser, an environmentally that benefit the Australian red meat and responsible paper manufactured feature a packed program complete livestock industry and ensuring that under the environmental management with trade sites, competitions, seminars, every dollar spent is invested where it system ISO 14001 using Elemental property tours and social events. matters most. Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp sourced from sustainable forests. Sumo To hear more about why you should go As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts Offset Laser is FSC Chain of Custody along, check out Beef Australia Chair (CoC) certified (mixed sources). on MLA and, of course Feedback Blair Angus’ Q&A on page 4. magazine so we can make the most of Disclaimer: In August, Perth, WA will celebrate the the exciting year ahead. The views expressed in Feedback are not necessarily those of MLA, Australian sheep industry’s equivalent its employees or agents. Feedback conference, LambEx. content is provided as information not as advice and you should make your MLA is proud to be a principal partner of own enquiries before making decisions concerning your interests. All material in both these important events and we've Richard Norton Feedback is copyright. Reproduction of organised a strong program of our own MLA Managing Director the material is encouraged, however due acknowledgement to Feedback is required. at each of them. E: [email protected] CONTENTS

COVER STORY 24 Bird’s eye view

IN BRIEF 4 Blair Angus on Beef Australia 2018 4 Janine hits the carcase judging trail 5 Summer lamb campaign 5 At your service 7 Industry projections – what lies ahead? 7 Who’s buying our meat?

NUTRITION 6 Eating for the environment 5 15 COMPLIANCE 8 Streamlining integrity compliance 8 Software providers offering eNVDs

ON FARM NATIONAL 10 Digging into dieback 10 Learn more about lambs online 11 Feedlot forecast improves 11 Goat guidance boosted 12 Over the fence 15 Cultivating aspiring 20 Ready to ‘meat’ the future 21 Next gen thinking 28 Meeting different markets 30 Seeds sown for better pest solutions 34 Making MSA-driven gains 28 NORTHERN CATTLE 18 Putting a stop to poisoning 19 The personal toll of pimelea 22 Delving into data 26 Northern focus on fertility SOUTHERN CATTLE 32 Checking out the global feedbase SHEEP 16 Resource Flock advancing the industry 16 Sheep genetics – what’s on the way? 17 Data-driven performance 25 Win-win: gaining stock feed while reducing weeds

SUPPLY CHAIN 42 37 Getting the inside view 38 Getting to know our Livestock Market Officers

IN MARKET 40 Putting meat on Asia’s growing plate 41 Cooking up a storm 42 Riding the organic boom 44 Digging deeper in the UAE 46 Around the world and back again 47 Serving up the last of summer

44 47

3 IN BRIEF

Blair Angus on Beef Australia 2018 ustralia’s national beef expo, of which MLA is a principal partner, is considered one of the world’s Agreat cattle events and is held once every three years at Rockhampton, Queensland. Here Feedback talks to Beef Australia’s Chair, Blair Angus (pictured), about the event and why it’s a must-attend for Australian beef producers. Janine hits What makes Beef Australia When do the cattle competition 2018 so exciting? entries close? the carcase It’s the 30th anniversary of Beef You still have until 23 March to Australia. The event has grown get entries in for the commercial from a unique showcase of our competition, or until 30 April judging trail local cattle industry to being a for junior events in the stud globally-recognised extravaganza competition. The final slaughter MLA’s Janine Lau has been keeping to celebrate the entire beef date for the carcase competition pretty cool in the lead-up to Beef supply chain. is also in March, so there’s still Australia 2018. time to have your herd participate Who should be interested on a national stage in front of an The Meat Standards Australia (MSA) in attending the expo? international audience. There’s Research and Development and Integrity It has something for everyone also the young judge and Manager (pictured), is the judge of the Beef and it’s my firm belief that if parader competitions. Australia 2018 National Carcase Competition you’ve ever eaten a piece of and before 1 April will visit 21 processing beef, you’re a part of this industry. Is it too late to plan a trip? facilities to grade the entries. Australian producers head to the The popularity of Beef Australia show in droves. It’s an unrivalled means that you should plan now A MSA senior grader, Janine first took opportunity to learn more, to and get in touch, whether it’s on the judging task for the event at Beef benchmark and to network. online, on social media or over the Australia 2015. The 2018 event has seen the Customers from Australia and telephone. The team is here to help. introduction of new yield prediction analysis, around the world now see Beef meaning more accurate yield feedback. Australia as a place to go to open “The last competition introduced the up new market opportunities and MSA Index to measure the eating quality to build business relationships. component and this time we’ll add yield What’s new to Beef Australia prediction,” she said, adding this would offer this year? entrants the chance to see just how futuristic The program keeps expanding carcase feedback systems would work. – the trick is fitting it all into one More than 500 head will be judged for week. An exciting part for me is the competition, with specific kill dates the focus on the future. We’ve nominated by processors to fit with periods grown the celebrity chef program of grass and grainfed turn-off. Janine will and we’re introducing the Young carry out judging in every state. Chef Ambassador competition, where a lucky young chef is given T: 07 4922 2989 “The competition guidelines have been created embracing the latest science, which the opportunity to work with some E: beefexpo@beefaustralia. makes it really exciting,” she said. global talents. It’s about sharing com.au ideas on how to make beef “It’s a great opportunity to benchmark your the star. beefaustralia.com.au herd against the best in the country.” To find out more about Our Graeme Acton mentor Winners will be announced at an awards program is back, and this time what MLA is doing at Beef Australia, see the back cover. dinner at the MLA-supported Beef Australia each of the mentor partnerships 2018, which will be held at Rockhampton are developing a project. There’s from 6–12 May. also the Pitch in the Paddock which is focusing on ag-tech and innovation. beefaustralia.com.au

4 IN BRIEF Summer lamb campaign “In true Aussie spirit we are celebrating our nation’s ability to put aside our differences and join together over our love of lamb, the meat that brings everyone to the table. “Our marketing is driven by data and consumer insights and we aim to reach more consumers by making lamb more relevant to a diverse, modern Australia.” Media partners Nova Network, Channel Nine and The Beetoota Advocate supported the campaign across multiple channels. Radio Nova Network’s Fitzy and Wippa spearheaded the mission, with listeners offered Lambnesty boxes and a seat to Australia’s first Lambnesty barbecue where people with differing ustralians were encouraged It launched with a long-form opinions will unite over the ultimate to put aside their advertisement, where a lamb barbecue lamb feast. differences and embrace got a Broadway musical makeover. In-store, promotions delivered A With the stage set, Australia’s diverse a summer ‘Lambnesty’ by MLA’s barbecue inspiration, focusing on the latest summer lamb campaign. opinions go head-to-head, before variety of different cuts and cuisines. ultimately showing that lamb is the one Recipes developed by chef Darren This year the campaign featured singing, thing that brings everyone together. Robertson at Three Blue Ducks and dancing and celebrating the one thing Rocker underpinned the campaign. everyone can agree on – Australian lamb. MLA Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Lisa Sharp said Building on the ‘We Love Our Lamb’ the campaign put Australian lamb at the Check out the campaign on the brand position of unity and inclusivity, centre of our nation this summer. We Love Our Lamb Facebook and the new integrated campaign inspired YouTube pages. people to put aside their differences, “Lamb as a brand stands for unity and this big and small, and come together over latest campaign shines a light on what lamb this summer. unites us rather than divides us,” Lisa said. At your service wo new digital resources to support foodservice professionals to be more creative, while working in sometimes trying conditions, Thave been released using MLA’s Rare Medium program. Rare Medium seeks to ensure that “We work to lay the foundations for beef and lamb remain relevant chef creativity by elevating the use and retain their place on domestic of Australian beef and lamb above foodservice menus. Program Manager other protein sources and delivering Mary-Jane Morse said Australian inspirational appeal across the chefs are driven to outdo themselves foodservice sector.” 50 million and to make people happy, but The new Rare Medium website meals served by increasing stresses can hinder provides whole carcase education, foodservice weekly the process. supply chain information, insights into “The foodservice industry faces production and dish inspirations. many challenges – but perhaps most $45 billion The new seasonal e-magazine draws turnover in pertinently the current chef shortage on industry innovation and culinary foodservice annually and lack of adequate red meat creativity to inspire chefs. The latest training are impacting creativity and, edition, which focuses on lamb, features in turn, limiting the opportunity for red a video of lamb production at the raremedium.com.au meat instances on menu,” she said. Gilmore family’s Tattykeel Poll Dorsets.

5 NUTRITION

Eating for the environment Good nutrition doesn’t just benefit our health, it’s also good for the environment. reenhouse gas (GHG) insights from this research which RESEARCH IN emissions from indicates that the people who prepare Australians’ diets have REVIEW meals in Australian homes want to make been evaluated in a their meals healthier,” Veronique said. GCSIRO study funded by MLA and PROJECT NAME CSIRO researchers also reviewed the verdict is in: eating to the Greenhouse Gas Emissions and literature to consider the impact of the Australian Diet Sustainable national dietary guidelines is dietary recommendations on other Consumption discussion paper better for the planet. environmental markers, including RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS water and land use. The authors This research shows that eating CSIRO concluded that eating according to the according to the national dietary Australian Dietary Guidelines, avoiding guidelines, which includes red meat FUNDING ORGANISATIONS MLA overconsumption and wasting food is as part of a balanced diet, is good for the most effective and practical way to the planet and community. GOAL ensure adequate nutrition and minimise The study calculated the emissions To determine the relationship environmental impacts. of more than 9,000 adult daily diets. between dietary recommendations and environmental impact. When higher quality, lower emission Climate-driven changes diets were compared with lower quality, BUDGET So is the solution to simply cut out junk higher emission diets, there was a 44% $182,432 (February–May 2016) foods? CSIRO Professor Manny Noakes, (males) to 46% (females) difference in $63,090 (March–June 2017) who co-authored the research, said this GHG emissions. is a great start. CSIRO researchers found that while Emissions from foods which are high “However, cutting out discretionary red meat intake is consistent with the in kilojoules but lacking nutrients are food alone isn’t enough. We still need amount recommended by the Australian considered avoidable because they to improve the quality of our diets by Dietary Guidelines, Australians are are not part of the recommended eating more vegetables, dairy foods eating too many discretionary (higher balanced diet. and wholegrains,” Manny said. carbon emitters due to processing, “It’s also important to remember transportation etc), or ‘treat’ foods The research benefit that making dietary changes for the which are high in calories, sugar, MLA’s Senior Nutrition Manager environment must also ensure we get fat and salt. Veronique Droulez said the CSIRO research was an important investment the nutrition we need for better health This type of diet doesn’t just fuel to inform MLA’s nutrition and consumer and wellbeing.” obesity and poor health, it also has engagement programs. The good news for consumers is that an environmental cost according to the ‘menu’ for better nutritional and the report’s lead author, CSIRO’s “It’s important for our industry, dietitians Dr Brad Ridoutt. and the wider community to understand environmental eating already exists, red meat’s role in a healthy diet and the as the Australian Dietary Guidelines “The food demands of a growing global implications for environmental impact of recommends the amount and type of population place great pressure on its consumption,” she said. food to consume to promote health the environment and are estimated and wellbeing and reduce the risk of “The findings suggest we need to to account for between 19 and 29% of chronic disease. global greenhouse gas emissions, and promote healthy, balanced meals with around 70% of global freshwater use,” lean red meat in recommended portion According to the guidelines, 130g Brad said. sizes, accompanied by vegetables and cooked lean red meat every second wholegrain choices.” day is recommended due to it being an He said the average adult daily diet had important protein, iron and zinc source Average per capita consumption (in GHG emissions that were 12% higher in the Australian diet. than a nutritionally-complete diet based the last national nutrition survey) of red on the national dietary guidelines. meat was 57g/day, mainly from beef (40g/day) and lamb (10g/day). Intakes Veronique Droulez were higher in adult men (75g/day) E: [email protected] Total Wellbeing Diet: than adult women (50g/day) and Manny Noakes children (42g/day). Portion sizes and the E: [email protected] MLA funded the research required amount of accompanying vegetables to develop CSIRO’s popular Total Brad Ridoutt and wholegrains varied depending on Wellbeing Diet, which is now E: [email protected] meal choice and meal preparer. available as an online program MLA Healthy Meals: here: totalwellbeingdiet.com “MLA’s programs will provide practical mlahealthymeals.com.au tips and meal ideas in response to

6 IN BRIEF Industry projections – what lies ahead?

LA's sheep and cattle industry projections Sheepmeat Want to know more? for 2018 have been released and, overall, the • strong international MLA provides a range of outlook is positive for Australian red meat. demand expected to market information services M continue to support lamb including daily red meat Stable lamb production and expected to ease from the and mutton prices market news updates, a slight decline in mutton record highs of 2017. This, • lamb exports anticipated regional saleyard reports, production is forecast as combined with declining to pull back slightly, while live export information and producers continue to expand slaughter, suggests we will shipment volumes forecast price indicators. flocks, according to the 2018 see a small reduction in to build to new highs Sheep Industry Projections. mutton production to 177,000 Subscribe to regular in 2019 and beyond as tonnes (cwt).” market information at MLA Market Intelligence production increases mla.com.au/prices-markets Manager Scott Tolmie said Cattle supplies are likely to • producers continue to that while lamb and sheep remain tight, with only a small rebuild the national flock, Read the projections slaughter are both expected increase expected in adult leading to a slight decline in in full at mla.com.au/ to drop slightly in 2018 (to slaughter to 7.4 million head sheep and lamb slaughter projections 22.5 million head and 7.2 as the herd rebuild continues. as retention increases. million head, respectively), “An easing of carcase weights carcase weights will increase. Beef (after a record year in 2017 Industry projections 2018 • ongoing herd rebuild to Australian sheep MLA’s Market Intelligence – [email protected] KEY POINTS “We’re forecasting a slight when they averaged 298kg)  restrict cattle flow in 2018 Lamb production to be similar in 2018 KEY 2018 NUMBERS  Mutton production to decline with lower slaughter Lamb slaughter:  Strong international demand to continue to support prices 22.5 million head  NZ production and exports to remain steady increase in lamb carcase combined with a forecast Lamb production: • adult slaughter expected to 514,000 tonnes cwt Lamb exports:

241,000 tonnes swt weights, which will help increase in slaughter is Sheep slaughter: lift 3% to 7.4 million head 7.2 million head * Graphic illustrates year-on-year change offset lower slaughter, expected to result in total Summary Stable lamb production and a decline in mutton production is forecast for 2018 as producers maintain intentions to expand • cattle on feed forecast to their flocks and high wool prices provide an incentive to retain Merino wethers. With added stock retention and an improvement in marking rates, the national sheep flock is forecast to expand a further 2.5% in 2018. Lamb and sheep slaughter are both expected to drop slightly in 2018, to 22.5 million head and 7.2 million head, respectively. A small increase in lamb carcase weights will help offset the lower slaughter, resulting in stable lamb resulting in a stable outlook beef production lifting by production at 514,000 tonnes carcase weight (cwt). It is a slightly different story for sheep, with carcase weights expected to ease from record highs in 2017 back towards their longer term trend. This, combined with declining ease after a record year slaughter, suggests a small reduction in mutton production to 177,000 tonnes cwt. There are currently many positive signals across the sheep industry, with producers' continued intention for flock rebuild and enhanced breeding efficiency apparent in a number of industry surveys. The latest ABARES figures are showing for production at 514,000 1% this year to 2.17 million good returns in farm cash income and industry reports strong ram sales across the board. Consumer demand for sheepmeat has been robust with lamb exports hitting record highs, mutton exports up 11% and reasonably flat domestic in 2017 consumption despite average retail prices rising further in 2017. If the three-month rainfall outlook comes to fruition, with a decent autumn break, the industry will be well- positioned for another strong year. Figure 1: Australian rainfall outlook February to April 2018 Chance of exceeding the median rainfall tonnes (cwt),” Scott said. tonnes (cwt),” he said. Looking ahead, it is expected that both exports will continue to follow domestic production shifts. Legend

Exports are likely to plateau in 2018 before building up again Above 70% chance • strong competition from US in coming years. 65-70% chance 60-65% chance The increase in both sheepmeat production and prices in 55-60% chance 50-55% chance 2017 highlights the strength of the market. Current market 45-50% chance signals are showing no significant change to international Below 45% chance demand in 2018 and with the anticipated softer overall and Brazil to place pressure sheepmeat production, “Mutton is slightly different, Here are the key industry this year should see continued support for prices. on global prices. Source: Australian Bureau of Meteorology with carcase weights projections: Industry projections 2018 – Australian sheep 1

MLA’s market snapshot series delivers an indication of future demand producers a better understanding of while highlighting opportunities and Who’s consumers in key export markets, their challenges. The outcome is used for changing preferences, competitive industry consultation meetings and protein landscape and opportunity determining MLA investment and buying spaces for Australian red meat. resource allocation. “An increasing number of companies Market snapshots our meat? and industries, including the The snapshot series is one of the range Australian red meat industry, are of publications about key markets nderstanding the consumer using various degrees of data to help producers become more is a valuable tool for the and consumer insights to better informed. The concise reports provide UAustralian red meat industry to understand demand, set objectives updates on consumer trends, key gauge global market opportunities. and develop strategies,” said MLA’s sectors and the competitive landscape, Market Insights Manager Miho Kondo. designed to illustrate what’s driving MARKET SNAPSHOT SHEEPMEAT

BEEF North America demand in the main markets. MARKET SNAPSHOT For the majority of US consumers, lamb continues to be an unfamiliar protein resulting in low consumption levels. Lamb is still perceived as a niche product primarily appealing to higher disposable income earners residing on the east coast of North America. “This means that demand-driven Challenges and opportunities in the US for Australian Sheepmeat: • In the US, an increase in migration of ethnic BEEF China is a large, complex country with significant regional culturalpopulations variation, that requiring have lamb a sophisticatedas part of their market • Increasing consumer health concerns poses segmentation approach to identifying and developing opportunitiesstable diet for isAustralian slowly creating beef. Demand further demand for imported a threat to red meat consumption. for the protein. MARKET SNAPSHOT beef is forecast to grow as the number of wealthier consumers in larger cities increases. • New food package labelling that aims to • Households earning a higher income are on the Challenges and opportunities in China for Australian beef: reflect new scientific information will be ‘consumer first’ thinking is now taking •rise China’s creating retail new sector market is the opportunities largest globally with (basedan on a key issue in the US in the coming years. • Despite slowing economic growth, consumer demand estimatedretail sales) 28.5 but million is among households the world’s (income most overfragmented. “There’s a lot of information to include, for premium imported beef is expected to continue to USD75K• China’s pa). beef This market is expected is very competitiveto increase byand 17% import grow, driven by increasing urbanisation, disposable Indonesia bydemand 2020 (Source: very price-sensitive,BMI Research). though more so at the incomes, premiumisation and health awareness. Indonesia has the 4th largest population in the world with the number of households earning over US$15000 p.a. commodity than the premium end of the market. • Whilst beef generally contributes a small share of being 7 million in 2016. The number of households earning over this is forecast to almost triple by 2020. With the • Whilst ChAFTA* is reducing tariffs on Australian beef, dietary protein compared to fish and , wealthier majority of the population being Muslim, chicken and beef are the primary consumed. This is a highly price improving market access remains a priority, particularly priority among these global businesses.” • Complexconsumers import eat regulations more beef governedthan average by the and spend sensitive market, Australian beef is the favourite beef but frequency of consumption is low. for chilled. Indonesianmore on authoritiesit when they – buyincluding it. import permit SHEEPMEAT * China-Australia Free Trade Agreement but we keep snapshot reports as a Challenges and opportunities in Indonesia for Australia include:system, and newly introduced ‘5+1 feeder-breeder’ • Beef is traditionally used in a variety of stir fry, , Population • Entry of Indian in a highly price policysoup for and live hot cattle pot dishes.imports. Households earning MARKET SNAPSHOT sensitive market. • Increasing number of modern supermarkets Households earning US$15000+ p.a. • While Australia currently remains a top boxed beef and foodservice venues in major cities provide US$35000+ p.a. opportunities to promote country of origin, taste supplier to the market, Indian buffalo meat is gradually Households earning increasing its presence in wet markets and the and the consistent quality of Australian products. Households earning manufacturing sector. Population US$35000+ p.a. European Union US$15000+324.1 p.a. high level overview. We encourage in 2016 333.6 The European Union covers 28 European countries with the population size of some far greater than others. in 2020 113.6 Households earning in 2016 118.7 Consumption of red meat is expected to increase on the back of slightly improved economic conditions and Here are two examples of outputs This report covers EU28 unless otherwise stated. US$35000+ p.a. in 2020 75.0 lower meat prices. Ireland, Greece, Spain, , Romania and UK accounted for 72% of sheepmeat consumption EU28 – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, in 2016 83.5 • Social factors such as health concerns for an In million in 2020 in EU in 2016. The UK is the largest destination in the EU with sheepmeat exports accounting for approximately HouseholdsCyprus Czech Republic, earning Denmark, Estonia, ageing European population, welfare and Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection In million households 15.4 75% of Australia’s total exports. 7.9 in 2020 Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, 102.9 in 2016 environmental issues will be challenges for the US$15000+ p.a. 61.8 in 2020 Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection In million households Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania,1,403 Slovakia, in 2016 The challenges and opportunities in the EU for Australian sheepmeatred meat include: industry. 1,382in 2016 in 2020 Population Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom. 3.2in 2020 Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection businesses wanting more detailed • A growing population and an increase in private Australian sheepmeat • Market access restrictions will continue to hinder 0.9in 2016 In million households consumption are expected to continue. Consumer exports and therefore improving market access exportsIn million households– volume Australian sheepmeat derived from this process and demand for lamb is expected to remain steady driven remains a priority. In million 19.4in 2020 Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection Estimated usage split of by lamb consumption within the Muslim community. Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection exports – value HouseholdsSource:7.0in 2016earning BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection In million households Australian sheepmeat • Tightening supplies are expected to support Australian 271.9US$35000+ p.a. lamb prices this year with sheep meat in 2020 Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection Proportion of key cuts Australian beef exports – production also set to slightly decline. 260.6in 2016 Chilled lamb – 44% In millionAustralian households beef exports – insights on a particular market to Households earning value Chilled mutton – 0% Source:volume BMI Research, 2016 129.0 estimatein 2020& 2020 projection US$15000+ p.a. Australian live cattle Frozen lamb – 41% Lamb – 89% delivered to the industry:

In million 104.9in 2016 Frozen mutton – 15% Mutton – 11% exports Retail – 40% Population Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection Proportion of key cuts – 23% Foodservice – 60% 218.9in 2020 Shin/shank – 14% Chilled grass – 5% In million households Chilled – 11% Chilled grain – Trimmings – 13% 196.7in 2016 2% Total 64,562 tonnes swt Frozen – 89% Australian boxed beef Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection Frozen grass – other – 50% contact MLA,” Miho said. Manufacturing – 70%59% Feeder – 99% includes EU-28 countries Source: Department of and Water Resources (DAWR) Source: TotalABS/GTA. A$ 2016* 666.8 = Moving million Annual Total (MAT), 508.2 in 2020 BrisketFrozen – grain 7% – 23% other* – 1% exports – volume In million households Striploin – 6% November 2015 to October 2016 505.9in 2016 Source: MLA Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection Proportion of key cuts Thick flank/knuckle includes EU-28 countries Chilled grass – 7% – 5% Australia’s share 4% Total A$ 737.3 million Chilled grain – 1% – Source: DAWR, CY 2016 Market classification In millions Total 94,040 tonnes swt of imports Meat consumption 19%* Source: GTA, MAT (Moving Annual Total) November 2015 to Source: BMI Research, 2016 estimate & 2020 projection Frozen grass – 91% other – Australian sheepmeat Source: Department of Agriculture Leg and – 58% Water Resources October 2016 119.9kg per capita* includes EU-28 countries Frozen grain – exports – value 1% (DAWR), CY 2016 Manufacturing – 15% Total 604,120 head total meat protein** Shank – 15% Source: DAWR, ABS, CY 2016. * Beef & Dairy breeder cattle Chump – 7% 49.9kg per capita* Australian sheepmeat Meat consumption 18.8 Australia’s share other – 6% total meat protein**17.4 exports – volume Lamb – 74% ofSource: direct DAWR, imports CY 2016. * See page 4 for further breakdown Australia This is established based on a Mutton – 74% Other Countries 9.9 Total 61,676 tonnes swt 26% 12.6kg per capita* 10.3 11.5 12.0

Chilled lamb – 31% Source: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources total meat protein** 2016 Chilled mutton – 0% (DAWR), CY 2016 0.39 per capita 2020 Find the updated snapshots at: Meat consumption 2016 Frozen lamb – 39% Pork 0.14 0.13 2020 Source: DAWR, CY 2016 Australia Beef Frozen mutton – 30% 2016 Sheepmeat Value of 20% 1.98 Other Countries Source: MAT 2016 (November 2015 to October 2016). In 2020million tonnes cwt wide range of economic, trade and TotalAustralian A$ 119.6 million trade Source: BMI Research, OECD 1.69 2.6kg© Meat per & Livestock capita* Australia, 2016. ABN 39 081 678 364. MLA makes no representations as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in MLA’s Market snapshot and excludes all liability, Source: GTA, MAT (Moving Annual Total) November 2015 to whether in contract,0.81 tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise as a result of reliance by any person on such information* 2016e or advice.per person All useper ofyear MLA **publications, excluding fish/ reports and October 2016 0.12 0.13 information is subject to MLA’s Market Report and Information Terms of Use. Please read our terms of use carefully and ensure you are familiar with its content. 0.68 * 2016e per person per year ** excluding fish/seafood mla.com.au/market-snapshots In million tonnes cwtSheepmeat Total 16,471 tonnes swt Source: FAO-OECD Live – 64% FOR FURTHERSource: INFORMATION BMI Research, GIRA, VISIT 2016 estimate US ONLINE and 2020 AT: projection Source: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources Meat consumption Source: GTA, MAT October 2015 to November 2016 Beef (DAWR), Boxed* – 36% www.mla.com.au 2016 or email us at: [email protected] Poultry © Meat & Livestock Australia, 2016. ABN 39 081 678 364. MLA 2020 makes no representations as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in MLA’s Market snapshot and excludes all liability, consumer data that together provide MLA INDUSTRY INSIGHTS whether in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise* 2016e as per a personresult of per reliance year by ** anyexcluding person fish/seafood on such information or advice. All use of MLA publications, reports and North America information is subject to MLA’s Market Report and Information Terms of Use. Please read our terms of use carefully and ensure you are familiar with its content. February 2017 Australian sheepmeat In million tonnes cwt 5 China February 2017 1 exports by country FOR FURTHERSource: BMI INFORMATION Research, OECD (includes VISIT goatmeat),US ONLINE AT: MLA INDUSTRY INSIGHTS 2016 estimate and 2020 projection Total A$ 980 million www.mla.com.au or email us at: [email protected] 1 United Kingdom – 75% Source: ABS/GTA, MAT November 2015 to October 2016. * includes boxed beef offal February 2017 France – 13% Indonesia Other – 12% © Meat & Livestock Australia, 2016. ABN 39 081 678 364. MLA makes no representations as to the accuracy of any informationMLA INDUSTRY or advice contained INSIGHTS in MLA’s Market snapshot and excludes all liability, whether in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise as a result of reliance by any person on such information or advice. All use of MLA publications, reports and information is subject to MLA’s Market Report and Information Terms of Use. Please read our terms of use carefully and ensure you are familiar with its content. In million tonnes cwt FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT US ONLINE AT: Source: European Commission, Prospects for EU agriculture markets and income 2016-2026, OECD-FAO 1 www.mla.com.au or email us at: [email protected] February 2017 European Union Source: DAWR, CY 2016 MLA INDUSTRY INSIGHTS © Meat & Livestock Australia, 2016. ABN 39 081 678 364. MLA makes no representations as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in MLA’s Market snapshot and excludes all liability, whether in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise as a result of reliance by any person on such information or advice. All use of MLA publications, reports and information is subject to MLA’s Market Report and Information Terms of Use. Please read our terms of use carefully and ensure you are familiar with its content.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT US ONLINE AT: www.mla.com.au or email us at: [email protected] 7 COMPLIANCE

Streamlining Software providers offering eNVDs integrity MLA’s new eNVD system can be accessed in two ways: compliance 1. LPA Service Centre (directly or via your myMLA account) 2. Licensed third-party software providers. LA’s Integrity Systems Company is making it easier for livestock producers to stand by what There is currently one licensed third-party provider, with two Mthey sell, with the recent introduction of the others due to be licensed in early 2018: electronic National Vendor Declaration system: the eNVD. • Aglive – licensed to provide eNVDs through its IntegriPro Web/App livestock management software Integrity Systems Company CEO Dr Jane Weatherley said the eNVD system allows Livestock Production Assurance • AgriWebb – licence pending to provide eNVDs through its (LPA) accredited producers to complete their declarations NoteBook farm record-keeping software online at no cost. • Maia Technology – licence pending to provide eNVDs through its online grazing and livestock management The eNVD system gives access to the following declarations: software, MaiaGrazing. • LPA NVD (cattle, bobby calf, sheep and lambs, and goat) Feedback spoke to each provider to find out what their • LPA Cattle European Union Vendor Declaration (EUVD) platform offers producers. • Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Declaration Aglive • National Health Declarations (cattle, sheep and goat) Through Aglive’s IntegriPro platform, all on farm compliance • National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) Declaration. requirements can be met through the cloud-based system. “eNVD is simpler and quicker to use than paper Producers can: declarations, it provides instant access to the latest • create eNVDs using both individual or mob-based details versions of NVDs, and producers can complete their other • pre-populate eNVDs prior to transferring stock from the declarations, such as MSA, at the same time,” Jane said. farm and attach digital health and accreditation statements “Unlike eDECs and the paper-based system, eNVD is free • lifetime traceability and proof of provenance, including to use.” individual treatments, weights and movements • notification of movements to agents, transporters, While benefits such as improved accuracy of information producers and visibility of incoming stock for processors are expected to flow from eNVDs, Jane said it was not • improve stock inventory management, ownership audit compulsory for producers to adopt the online system. and control, as well as on farm animal management and “We are very mindful that many producers – estimated lifetime traceability. to be around 17% – are not using computers in the AgriWebb management of their businesses,” Jane said. While the software is focused on livestock management “This may be due to connectivity issues or simply personal practices, the app and cloud-based portal cover all records choice, so we won’t be getting rid of the paper-based system.” from livestock, pasture and cropping, task management and inventory. Producers can: Integrity Systems Company is also working with livestock transporters to investigate different technology that would • update farm records offline – while in the paddock – using enable them to use the system. their mobile phone • quickly complete eNVDs using farm management records The eNVD was launched in August last year, however Jane to pre-populate forms said the new system is continually being improved through • meet all Livestock Production Assurance requirements direct feedback being received from producers and others using the platform’s record-keeping ability from across the supply chain. All feedback is welcome. • combine on farm data with transactional records, giving a Suggestions on how the eNVD system may be improved history of activities and traceability as their stock move off. can be emailed to [email protected]. Maia Technology Jane Weatherley MaiaGrazing is an online grazing management tool. E: [email protected] The software’s focus is decision support, analysing on farm eNVD system: mla.com.au/envd data to enable improved feed budgeting, planning and Aglive: aglive.com AgriWebb: agriwebb.com forecasting. Producers can: Maia Technology: maiatechnology.com.au • gauge the stocking rate position for the season ahead For more information • create and access eNVDs from within MaiaGrazing on eNVDs, head to • leverage data already recorded using the embedded mla.com.au/ eNVD functions integrityvideos. • automatically enter consignment data into MaiaGrazing.

8 RESEARCH IN ACTION

SHEEP NORTHERN CATTLE SOUTHERN CATTLE NATIONAL NUCLEUS FLOCK LEARNINGS POISON PREVENTION DOING IT WITH DRONES PEST CONTROL SUCCESS 16 18 24 30 ON FARM NATIONAL IN BRIEF Digging into dieback nvestigative works are continuing in the effort to pinpoint the cause of pasture dieback across parts of northern and central IQueensland, after the completion of sampling and surveying activities on affected properties. In 2017, MLA launched a plan to map, identify and address pasture dieback in response to increasing producer concern. The plan included the development of a cross-disciplinary team of researchers and technical experts from six commercial companies and three research organisations (Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Charles Sturt University and NSW Department of Primary Industries). MLA has appointed technical officers, coordinated by Greg Palmer, to consult directly with landholders and collect soil, plant and other samples on At the same time, MLA-supported trials while working with MLA. There is also properties where dieback is occurring. will investigate intervention strategies the potential for collaborative funding to manage dieback. These tactics assistance via MLA to undertake MLA General Manager, Research, could include burning, slashing, grazing research and development activities. Development and Innovation Sean management, application of fungicide Starling said the project currently had: and cultivation. Any producer wanting to discuss • 86 producers in the MLA ‘dieback’ collaborative opportunities with database receiving regular updates Trials of alternative grass species that may be more resistant to dieback are MLA or who suspect they have • 52 properties registered with also planned. pasture dieback can contact: access to the FarmMap4D satellite Sean Starling mapping service MLA is encouraging affected property E: [email protected] • soil and plant samples collected and owners to continue to investigate analysed from 28 properties. ways to reduce the impact of dieback Learn more about lambs online Six new MLA sheep productivity and profitability webinars have been developed to help producers with some common industry challenges. Featuring industry experts, including • When to wean crossbred lambs specialist vets and marketing insiders, • Finishing lambs on grain this summer: the webinars go for about one hour each. will it pay? The topics are: • The 2018 grain market outlook. • Shearing prime lambs for increased growth rates The webinars are available • Achieving 300g/day lamb growth rates at MLA’s meatandlivestock • Lameness in the prime lamb flock YouTube channel

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Goat guidance boosted new series of best practice videos for the Australian A goatmeat industry has been developed by MLA to help boost productivity in the sector. The first video in the series focuses on fencing requirements for goats and features producers who manage a mix of enterprise types. MLA Project Manager – Goat Industry Julie Petty said the series was produced in consultation with the Goat Industry Council of Australia and would be rolled out during the next 12 months. Feedlot forecast “The videos are designed to answer commonly asked questions from current and potential producers to help build improves their knowledge and skills to improve business performance, and to lift ustralian lot feeders now requirement of the National Feedlot productivity,” Julie said. have access to a practical Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) for guide on selecting, excessive heat load management MLA’s extension services to goatmeat A is that feedlots maintain records producers have also been further installing and maintaining of daily monitoring activities and boosted with the addition of updated on-site automatic weather actions taken where indicated, over parasite control, goat depot and stations to help manage the the summer period. nutrition modules in MLA’s Going into impacts of heat load on cattle. Goats guide. “Daily monitoring activities could Commissioned by MLA, the Review be as simple as recording weather The online Going into Goats guide of Automatic Weather Stations for forecasts or on-site weather station has 12 modules that address different cattle feedlots was produced by data, but it could also utilise the aspects of the goat production system. -based consulting company excessive heat load forecast from the Katestone Environmental. Cattle Heat Load Toolbox as an early Going into Goats guide: Katestone provides the Cattle Heat warning system. It could also include mla.com.au/goats Load Toolbox, an internet-based monitoring feed intake depression The videos are available on MLA’s service which produces targeted and panting scores,” Joe said. meatandlivestock YouTube channel forecasts of heat load for feedlot Katestone Managing Director sites in Australia. Christine Killip (pictured) said the The Review of Automatic Weather review contained a best practice Stations for cattle feedlots is guide to ensure automatic weather designed as a reference document stations were recording accurate to help lot feeders meet the and reliable data, including black requirements of calculating heat globe temperature, relative humidity load index, including information and wind speed. on instrument requirements, site selection, operation, maintenance To access the Review of and calibration. Automatic Weather Stations for cattle feedlots go to: MLA Feedlot Project Manager chlt.katestone.com.au Dr Joe McMeniman said the current

11 ON FARM NATIONAL Over the fence In this series, Feedback follows a group of producers from around Australia as they manage their operations over the course of a year and respond to the challenges that arise in a modern livestock enterprise. This is the fourth instalment of ‘Over the fence’.

SNAPSHOT: SEASONAL CHALLENGES: Locals are saying this is the Nick Radford, best year we’ve ever had, so Penola, South Australia our challenge is getting the E grass down. We have phalaris higher than the ute bonnet (see photo). All our weaner heifers are boxed together – we have 700 heifers on a 42ha pivot irrigation block. We need those numbers in the short-term to manage the feed. We have 560 heifers calving this summer, so we’ll need that extra feed. Area: 3,690ha PROGRESS ON Enterprise: LONG-TERM GOALS: Breeding Angus cattle I’m implementing the methods After one of the best years locals can remember, Nick Radford has I learnt through Pasture phalaris as high as the bonnet of his ute. His challenge is to manage the feed coming into autumn. Nick Radford Principles, trying to use E: nickradford5@ every blade of grass to its full bigpond.com potential. This means having bigger mobs and moving them more often. It has been ACTIVITIES successful, up to a point, but OVER THE NEXT the abundance of rain and TWO MONTHS: lack of cattle numbers has made it difficult to continue. >> Bringing all the cows in Our biggest problem has and giving them a trace been keeping weight off our bolus to prevent grass pregnant heifers to minimise tetany; this will protect calving troubles. However, them for nine months, we’ve selected with low through the peak grass birth weight traits to try to tetany risk period in counteract this. May and June. I’m continuing the fencing >> Monitoring calving program, carving up the heifers. paddocks, and would like to >> Beginning to market do more road construction Heifers getting ready to calve. feeder steers in March. to improve access around the farm. HANDY TOOLS: I’ve put new Integrated Irrigation soil probes in two of our centre pivot paddocks that have a chicory, ryegrass and clover mix. It allows us to check our soil moisture levels from the phone wherever we are. The probes work on soil moisture tension, which is a measure of how difficult it is for the plants to access water. Essentially, there’s a green zone and a red zone: if it’s in the green zone, it’s good; if it’s in the red zone, we need to irrigate. It’s a really simple system. A soil probe for monitoring moisture levels.

12 ON FARM NATIONAL

SNAPSHOT: SEASONAL CHALLENGES: Ewe nutrition is important. Johnny Gardner, After shearing in December, Cavendish, S we completed a flock stocktake and scored each animal to identify ewes under condition score 3. We then developed feed budgets to achieve condition score 3 across the whole flock. To aid this process, we conducted pasture tests in early and Area: 1,850ha late December. We also Enterprise: put considerable effort into Prime lamb production from achieving target weights for a 10,000 self-replacing ewe our ewe lambs, by monitoring flock and 220ha of grain weights and rotationally and oilseed crops grazing summer crops. We’ve been blessed Johnny Gardner with a shortage of supply, E: southmokanger@ resulting in fantastic prices. outlook.com At weaning, we took stock of all saleable lambs and ACTIVITIES their individual weights. We OVER THE NEXT weaned lambs into weight groups, estimated turn-off TWO MONTHS: dates and locked in forward Over the past few months, Johnny Gardner has moved into managing contracts. This has allowed the family business full time, as the family has worked through their >> Subdivision of succession plan. us to finish 50% of our lambs paddocks. on pasture and the rest on >> Planning for enhanced summer crop rotations and moving off farm, giving on capital allocation that will soil health. a grain mix in a feedlot. We me the amazing privilege provide the best return on >> Increasing fodder use electronic identifier tags of taking over the farm investment for the business, capacity and reserves. to monitor sheep, aiming business. We have sold a keeping in mind our to hit a 24kg target carcase portion of land in the current enterprise goals. Some key Below: Johnny Gardner completed weight. Identifying growth strong market to ease the focus areas for 2018 include: a flock stocktake and scored each rates allows us to lock in pressure of succession • ongoing succession planning animal to identify ewes under while keeping the business condition score 3, then developed forward contracts and helps • increasing flock feed budgets to achieve their target us – and the processor – to in a strong position. This performance (weaning score across the whole flock. plan ahead. has been a great learning 140% from ewes joined) experience. PROGRESS ON LONG- • improving paddock shelter TERM GOALS: 2017 was fantastic; we • ensuring best practice Our succession plan has were very fortunate with animal welfare continued to be a work in season and commodity • job satisfaction and progress with my parents prices. We’re now focusing education.

13 ON FARM NATIONAL Over the fence

SNAPSHOT: SEASONAL CHALLENGES: PROGRESS ON LONG-TERM GOALS: With a mixed start to summer across our Leucaena preparation is complete, in the Carlie and properties, we’re concentrating on the driest hope of some substantial establishing Lauchie Ward, property, ‘Namgooyah’, which has missed rain. With heavy clay soils and thick Dingo, Emerald and out on a substantial break so far. We’ve established buffel grass, row preparation is Bajool, Queensland moved the last of our pregnant cows away always challenging, but we try to establish from Namgooyah to conserve fodder for some new leucaena each year. In 2018, E weaners. All remaining feeders are on we’ll continue to work on human resource M8U (a molasses-urea supplement), except management, do more leucaena planting, those in the small areas that have a green some blade ploughing and work on our understorey. We marketed the remainder genetic plan as we move the whole herd of the feeder steers in early January, in an towards an Angus-cross infusion. effort to reduce grazing pressure. We kept HANDY TOOLS: the weaners unsupplemented in December This year we’re rolling out a new work health but started them on dry lick in January. and safety app, Safe Ag Systems. In addition The decision to supplement is a balancing to having emergency alerts and machinery Area: act between cattle condition score, land logs, it keeps all our safety documentation 8,500ha plus condition and cost-benefit analysis, for each in the one place and ensures compliance 12,750ha leased particular age group. with legislation.

Enterprise: Breeding and backgrounding with a herd of crossbred cows joined to Angus and Wagyu sires

Carlie and Lauchie Ward E: namgooyah@ bigpond.com leucaena.net Feed budget calculators mla.com.au/tools futurebeef.com.au

ACTIVITIES OVER THE NEXT Young Wagyu-cross cattle at Dingo. The Wards are working on a genetics plan to move their whole herd towards TWO MONTHS: an Angus-cross infusion.

>> Blade ploughing. >> Working on the genetics plan. >> Rolling out a new Work Health and Safety app, Safe Ag. Systems.

Preparing rows for leucaena planting on the heavy clay soils.

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENT C Cultivating aspiring farmers

SNAPSHOT: Tim and Tegan Hicks and Sam Marwood, Albury, NSW

Enterprise: Cultivate matches would-be farmers lacking access to a land base and land equity with landholders and investors, Co-founders of Cultivate Farms Tim and Tegan Hicks with their children Belle, George, Thea and Rosie. sometimes via crowd funding, to support them in creating a successful farming business. im and Tegan Hicks, is also an entrepreneur and finds investors to establish a along with long-time the founder of a wildlife charity viable enterprise. Register your interest friend Sam Marwood, called Edge Pledge. T “Lots of farmers want to retire as an aspiring , are in the match-making but don’t want to necessarily investor or landholder at business. With the support Tim and his wife Tegan now run the grassfed beef supply sell the land base, but they cultivatefarms.com of MLA Donor Company’s also don’t want it to be (MDC) Producer Innovation business Hicks Country Beef, with 200 breeding cows mismanaged or sit dormant,” Fast-Track program, they are Sam said. developing their concept to and 300 sheep on leased Speedier match aspiring farmers with land at Albury, NSW. “This creates a win-win for the property of their dreams, How does it work? everyone, where the older delivery and help provide agricultural generation are still earning an Participating in Cultivate Producer Innovation career pathways for people income from their asset base Farms is a three-step process. Fast-Track is an who otherwise might not while the younger generation initiative from MLA 1. An aspiring producer have had the chance to are getting a foothold into what Donor Company (MDC) enter into the industry. registers their interest with they otherwise wouldn’t have.” to identify industry Cultivate Farms and explain trailblazers and The back story: their business plan, skills On the Fast-Track: provide the support A discussion while buying and capabilities. Cultivate Farms will use the and expertise for them wedding suits led to Cultivate support of the MDC Producer 2. The applicant is to innovate faster Farms. Tim Hicks grew up Innovation Fast-Track program approved for the Cultivate and further. in south-east NSW on a Farms process and to ‘unpack’ its business family sheep and cattle farm must demonstrate their model and test if it, and the E: fasttrack@mla. but didn’t get to inherit the commitment by filling gaps online platform, are the best com.au property. He pursued outdoor in their education and skills means of matching aspiring careers before he came up to meet the challenges of farmers with landholders and mla.com.au/ with the concept of crowd modern-day farming. At investors. The partnership fasttrack funding for young farmers. the same time, they are will also allow targeting of a wider group of investors, When preparing for his supported to develop a farm particularly self-managed brother’s wedding, Tim shared business plan and find the superannuation funds. the idea with his old friend mentors and advisors to Sam Marwood. Sam grew provide a solid foundation “It’s hoped that in 10 years’ up in a large to their farm. time it’s the automatic choice family and was told when 3. Cultivate Farms seeks the for match-making between he was eight that the farm right farming land – often people who want to move into wouldn’t be his. With a career owned by farmers wishing to farming and those who want in environmental science, Sam retire or take a break – and to move out,” Sam said.

15 ON FARM SHEEP

GENETICS h Resource Flock advancing the industry hen national breeding Since April 2017, genomic breeding quality and lean meat yield, and evaluation service Sheep values have been available to producers improving the accuracy of other traits.” WGenetics rolled out the in combination with traditional pedigree It has also been instrumental in the world-first, multi‑trait, single‑step and performance-based breeding values, calibration of Dual Energy X-Ray analysis for sheep breeding values through a process known as single-step Absorptiometry (DEXA) technology, earlier this year, it was underpinned analysis. an objective measurement tool which by the contribution of MLA’s Single-step analysis is available for measures meat, fat and bone in a carcase. Six hundred lambs from the Armidale, Resource Flock. most major production traits, with NSW portion of the flock were processed genomics contributing to ASBVs for The MLA Resource Flock has played through the DEXA unit at Bordertown Merinos, Poll Dorsets, White Suffolks a critical role in the genetic advances in 2016. and Border Leicesters. enjoyed by Australia’s sheep industry in “All 600 had DEXA images collected the past 10 years, helping improve the “The multi-breed, multi-trait, single-step before the carcases were trucked to accuracy of Australian Sheep Breeding analysis developed by Sheep Genetics Murdoch University and put through a Values (ASBVs) and supporting the was a world-first,” said Richard Apps, CT scanner,” Richard said. MLA’s Program Manager – Sheep R&D development of new breeding values for “Two of those 600 were also boned out to eating quality and meat yield. and Objective Measurement. detailed commercial retail specifications, The flock comprising 5,000 breeding “From a commercial producer’s which gave us a larger and more detailed ewes was initially managed by the Sheep perspective, single-step analysis gives retail cutting specification dataset that Cooperative Research Centre before them the best breeding values available was used to build the next generation its transition to MLA. One of the flock’s by using traditional pedigree and physical of the processing industry’s Lamb Value Calculator.” most important industry contributions performance measures, as well as has been the development of genomic genomic information. Richard Apps breeding values, which allow ASBVs to “The Resource Flock has played a critical T: 02 8055 1820 be calculated for hard-to-measure traits, role in developing genomic predictions E: [email protected] based on a blood test early in life. for hard-to-measure traits, such as eating Sheep genetics – what’s on the way? amish Chandler, MLA’s based on a DNA sample alone.” “We’re starting to see this in the cattle industry, with commercial heifer Program Manager – Depending on the economics, there tests hitting the market. This allows Genetics, says producers may even be potential to DNA-test H producers to take DNA samples from can look forward to even more embryos before doing embryo replacement heifers and receive transfer programs. advances in genomic technology information on their genes for growth, in the next few years. 2. Genomic predictions for maternal and carcase traits,” he said. reproductive traits Here are just a few of the “We don’t have a lot of reproductive “Getting the technology cheap technological advances in data yet, as the Resource Flock is enough for use in the sheep industry the pipeline. basically slaughter only,” Hamish said. will depend on throughput and whether we can achieve the required 1. Ability to calculate a full set of “We’re developing projects to collect commercial scale, but it may become Australian Sheep Breeding Values fertility information from breeders’ possible to calculate breeding values (ASBVs) from a DNA test at any age flocks, which we can use as a for reproductive rates of ewes we “With single-step analysis, we’re now reference to get genomic predictions want to keep in our commercial flocks.” making better use of DNA information, working for those traits.” but we still need some pedigree and Hamish Chandler performance information on young 3. Breeding values for commercial T: 02 8055 1815 animals to calculate breeding values,” E: [email protected] Hamish said. Once industry has genomic predictions for reproductive traits, Hamish suggests Sheep Genetics: “Within the next one to two years, there is potential application in the sheepgenetics.org.au we aim to calculate breeding values commercial breeding sector as well.

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Data-driven performance tud producer Dale Price credits the MLA Resource Flock with having a significant impact on SAustralian sheep performance over the past decade. “It has provided the background data that underpins continuous improvement of Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBVs), particularly the development of new eating quality ASBVs,” Dale said. “Over the past 10 years, that has had a significant impact on the performance of Australian sheep; improving growth rates, fat and muscle composition, and wool quality and yields. “I know our sheep are performing much better. For example, a commercial client told me recently that, since they made the transition to our rams last year, they managed to get an extra 1.5kg on their first-draft lambs compared to previous years. “I would argue that’s due to selecting for superior ASBVs. If you combine that with good management, you’ll see results which translate into dollars in producers’ pockets.” Dale, his wife Ruth and son Adam rely heavily on ASBVs to tailor their breeding programs to the needs of commercial clients. Adam Price, and his mother Ruth, from Majardah Poll Dorset and White Suffolk studs numbering “In south-east South Australia, most ewes for easy identification before lambing. producers turn lambs straight off their mums,” Dale said. “To meet these needs, we aim for better for eye muscle depth. He said that balanced traits. Ideally, we want WEC is a big focus for many of his clients. “It’s important to have some degree of moderate birth weight ASBVs, around fat cover on the lambs and they want The Prices are moving towards 0.3–0.5, and good weaning and good muscling but, equally, they want monitoring meat eating quality, using post-weaning weight ASBVs.” birth ease. In the colder areas, light genomic testing in 300 lambs in 2017. lambs are a survival issue, and in the In cooler climates, Dale targets wet areas, worm egg count (WEC) is genetically fatter animals for survival and Dale Price E: [email protected] very important. finishing ability, combined with 2.0 or

SNAPSHOT: Dale, Ruth and Adam Price, ‘Majardah’, Glencoe, South Australia Sl Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 750ha Poll Dorset and 1,000 stud ewes, Clovers, Sandy loam 800mm White Suffolk studs 2,500 commercial ryegrass and and commercial ewes and 100 native species lamb and cattle head of cattle production

17 ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE

ANIMAL HEALTH Z Putting a stop to poisoning losses. Some producers better understanding of roducers are a RESEARCH IN step closer to reported losses of more the poison’s ecology – reducing the impact than 250 head. Losses are for example, the toxin’s REVIEW P compounded by agistment persistence in dead plant of pimelea poisoning, and supplementation costs, material – but found no with new MLA-funded PROJECT NAME as well as lost productivity. real solution. University Improving beef research underway to of Queensland Associate production through The ideal growing conditions develop an inoculum to Professor Mary Fletcher, management of for pimelea occur when good protect cattle against who is leading the project plant toxins autumn and early winter the toxic plant. for the Queensland Alliance rainfall follow a dry summer. RESEARCH for Agriculture and Food Three poisonous native ORGANISATIONS When cattle ingest the Innovation, said poisoning pimelea species grow in University of plant, they absorb the toxin is devastating for producers, Australia’s pastoral regions. Queensland’s simplexin, which results in who may have managed their Their prevalence and Queensland Alliance fluid accumulation in the animals through drought seasonality, combined with for Agriculture and brisket, heart failure, loss of only to lose them when the high toxicity to cattle, makes Food Innovation and productivity, diarrhoea and season improves. plants and their animal Queensland Department death. Sheep are not affected impacts difficult to control. “The only real prevention of Agriculture and by the circulatory effects seen strategy is to carefully Fisheries With limited prevention in cattle, but experience the monitor stock during and control strategies same severe diarrhoea, which FUNDING high-risk seasons and available, the new project can lead to stock losses. ORGANISATIONS minimise contact between has been developed to MLA stock and pimelea plants, find a solution, possibly in Finding a solution A significant outbreak in which can be challenging GOAL the form of a preventative To develop an inoculum 2006 was estimated to have in extensive pastoral mitigating probiotic. to mitigate pimelea cost $50 million in mortality enterprises,” she said. The research follows poisoning. and lost production. “We can’t get rid of the widespread pimelea species, so the aim is to stop BUDGET poisoning in the 2017 winter, At the time, research into simplexin being absorbed $1.5 million resulting in significant stock simplexin provided a into the bloodstream by (MLA contribution) developing a microbial DURATION inoculum which breaks 2017–2020 down the toxin in the animal’s rumen.” KEY FINDINGS TO DATE The first stage is to collect Although the first rumen fluid from cattle, stage is yet to begin, isolate microbes capable the following steps will of breaking down toxins be taken throughout and grow them on pimelea the project: material in laboratory • collect rumen fluid trials. Later in the project, from cattle and isolate researchers will run microbes capable of feeding trials. breaking down toxins • grow the toxins on Associate Professor pimelea material in Mary Fletcher laboratory trials E: mary.fletcher@uq. • assess if products such edu.au as biochar or bentonite Queensland Department could be used to of Agriculture and absorb toxins in the Fisheries guide: rumen and reduce their Understanding pimelea absorption into the poisoning of cattle bloodstream. daf.qld.gov.au and search ‘pimelea poisoning’

18 ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE

The personal toll of pimelea ylie Savidge’s family grazing enterprise is still recovering from an outbreak of pimelea Kpoisoning at the start of 2017. She believes new research pimelea poisoning – affected to develop an inoculum animals had swollen will finally give producers and heads, rough coats, a tool to reduce or prevent weight loss and terrible poisoning and alleviate diarrhoea,” she said. the emotional and financial stress associated with stock Older cattle were not as badly fatalities and decreased affected, and the worst cases production. occurred with first-calf heifers, weaners and introduced Kylie runs ‘Southampton’, stock, including bulls. an 11,000ha property 110km south-west of St George, Intensive care with her parents John and Management strategies “Some of these cattle lived with medical and feeding Queenie Kilpatrick, her included removing stock and some didn’t, but we costs compounded by partner TJ Moroney (pictured from affected paddocks and gave them all an equal lost productivity. There is with Kylie) and her children on to mulga country where chance. It was heartbreaking also a chance the fertility Jack (17), Ben (14) and there was less risk, and at the end of an intensive of affected animals is Meghan (12). weaning calves earlier (at five days to then have to compromised, so surviving bulls will be semen-tested. Recent dry conditions four to five months instead euthanase an animal we (Southampton received of seven to eight months) to fought to save, knowing we “It’s been exhausting – no beneficial rain from reduce pressure on breeders. couldn’t do anything else not only physically but except end their suffering,” September 2016–October To reduce stress, severely emotionally, mentally and Kylie said. 2017) were exacerbated by affected stock were carefully financially,” Kylie said, with the resurgence of pimelea moved to yards (cattle can “I estimate that we had about the issue taking its toll on the growing across about die if they are exerted after a 50:50 success rate in our family, including her three 8,000ha of the property. exhibiting early signs of attempts to treat the sick children who were involved in all aspects of managing poisoning). There, they were animals, with costs per animal Kylie described the pimelea the outbreak. as “looking like we had sown given three doses per day of ranging between $250 to it”, such was the prevalence furosemide (a diuretic) and more than $1,000/head.” “My kids won’t ever forget this of the plants in spring 2016 fed a high-protein diet with experience – none of us will. after a wet, warm winter mineral supplements (dry Far-reaching impacts It might be years between followed several dry years. urea-based loose lick is also The family has lost at pimelea outbreaks but it’s However, as the green plants available year-round to stock least 70 head to pimelea something that has a lasting are not palatable, the real on Southampton). poisoning, including 12 of 18 impact on the producers impact was not felt until bulls, the majority of which who experience it.” At any time, there were up to paddocks started to dry off in were only purchased in 2016 60 head in the yards in various January and February 2017. to replace older sires. Kylie Savidge stages of treatment and E: ksavidge@bigpond. “As the grass hayed off, we recovery – a labour-intensive The economic cost of com started seeing the effects of and stressful process. pimelea has been significant,

SNAPSHOT: Kylie Savidge and TJ Moroney, ‘Southampton’, St George, Queensland l Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 11,000ha 700 breeding Santa Gertrudis– Buffalo and native Open red box 425mm cows Hereford breeders grasses and country with crossed with Santa mulga sand ridges Gertrudis, Hereford, and rough Droughtmaster mulga country and Angus

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TECHNOLOGY z Ready to ‘meat’ the future LA and its subsidiary MLA Donor Company (MDC) are investing in research to determine how cutting-edge technologies developed for other industries can be applied to the red meat industry. MTwo programs currently underway which aim to boost profitability and sustainability, from paddock through to processor, are Autonomous Solutions and Objective Measurement Systems.

Autonomous Solutions Unmanned aerial and “Additionally, Australian Project: Project: ground vehicles, along with producers and lot feeders Unmanned vehicles SwagBot satellites, are increasingly need to be aware of the Description: Heavy duty, Description: To develop moving from military commercial benefits and long-range autonomous mobile ground robots to applications to commercial provide a customer-pull vehicles with sensing and assist farming decisions. or even personal use. demand.” tasking capabilities. SwagBot’s current sensing With a relatively uncrowded In future, MLA’s capabilities include Details: A 12-month airspace, large expanses Autonomous Solutions moisture sensors, weed project with US of land and a mature program will be directed by identification, weather technology provider HDT regulatory system, Australia an evolving industry R&D sensors, vegetation Expeditionary Systems is a suitable region steering committee. imaging, light radar (lidar) to construct a prototype, to adopt, extend, and and animal telemetry. The following provides a demonstrate technical reap the benefits of this summary of three of the feasibility and conduct a Details: A University of evolving platform. current eight contracted capability demonstration project, which However, the technology projects, with another in-situ. Steering groups finishes in August, featuring is of limited value without eight under development. were set up to advise on farm trials. adequate sensors and the development from a One day we might see… software. MLA will support Project: producer perspective. SwagBot robots operating the development of Drone partnership One day we might see… on large properties, sensors and software, and To map autonomous diesel/ collecting animal health demonstrate effectiveness Description: current use of aerial drones electric, long-range vehicle and pasture data that is of these when applied to on pastoral properties and to manage livestock integrated into decision air, ground, and tethered identify ways they can be movements, soil sampling, support tools. unmanned solutions. used more effectively. act as recharge platform According to Sean for drone imaging activities, Concluding July, Starling, MLA’s Research, Details: livestock pest baiting. this project has run with Development and Ruralco Holdings Ltd and Innovation General is being delivered via Manager, a challenge producer demonstrations for the red meat and collaborative industry and MLA is to development meetings. encourage global solution providers, developers One day we might see… and researchers to focus autonomous drones that on the red meat sector, can conduct water runs, as opposed to other check fences and monitor Australian sectors. animal health without the need for a ‘pilot’, automated “MLA aims to enable updates and warnings to solution providers to smartphone dashboard. understand drone use and the market opportunity (Read about producer An example of an autonomous unmanned vehicle, currently of the red meat sector,” Darren Swain and his drone being used in the military, which could have applications in Sean said. use on page 24). livestock production.

20 ON FARM NATIONAL Next gen thinking LA Donor Company (MDC) innovation and Objective Measurement Systems entrepreneurship platform, I+E Connect, is MLA’s Objective One day we might see… Mhelping attract the next generation of ideas Measurement Systems imaging of live animals to and technologies to the red meat industry. strategic program aims predict yield and fat coverage, “Through I+E Connect, MDC is attracting local and global to develop advanced health and condition. entrepreneurs, start-ups and investors who want to commercial measurement Project: work with the red meat industry,” said MDC’s Business systems and supporting Live imaging of cattle Development manager Josh Whelan. analytics to increase the accuracy, transparency Description: Imaging of “Some of the ways MDC is doing that include providing and timeliness of key livestock, with smart software tailored accelerator and support services, along with measurable attributes in the to interpret images. co-funding to entrepreneurs and start-ups to further develop industry, across the entire their ideas and technologies through to commercialisation.” supply chain. Details: A 12-month project with CompressData to MDC is also working in collaboration with existing The current program has demonstrate feasibility. accelerators and incubators, such as agtech innovation 12 focus areas, underpinned hub SproutX, and Innovations through their new by 80+ project initiatives, One day we might see… deep technology agtech program, GrowLab, which was covering more than 20 static cameras in paddocks developed in partnership with MDC last year. measurement platforms. or feedlots and drone- mounted imaging, for Some of the new ventures participating in the GrowLab Here is a summary of four livestock recognition, program include: projects currently underway: counting, assessment of • Nanoscent: a deep technology company combining movement and behaviour, patented nanosensors and proprietary software, Project: feeding, health and dispatch. investigating value to the Australian livestock industry Airline baggage CT • Livestock Labs: an implantable livestock welfare and Project: application management monitor Virtual and augmented Description: 3D X-ray reality • FluroSat: remote-sensing technology and analysis tool to imaging of carcase and . optimise farm management Description: Utilising new • FARMpay: a secure online platform currently used for Details: To demonstrate headset displays with built-in grain trading that connects all stakeholders along the technical and commercial camera, microphone and value chain. feasibility of applying airline sound, to present location or • FarmTech: a smart collar for determining sheep genetics baggage CT technology to view-dependant information, carcase and offal scanning. structured to assist effective The following start-ups are being supported by MDC The project is in the decision making. via SproutX: contracting phase. • IoTAg: their first product, a smart cattle ear tag, enables Details: A six-month project producers to track cattle over large distances, monitor One day we might see… with Wiley to demonstrate for key breeding-related events, and receive alerts for carcases precisely sub- technical feasibility. surface 3D imaged for meat, illnesses and births. fat and bone, facilitating One day we might see… • OutofBox Solutions: aims to build smart monitoring precise robotic cutting producers wearing sunglasses solutions using the latest technology to improve livestock lines to optimise yield and featuring heads-up display health and wellbeing. The first product will focus on value. The technology also of key real-time on farm smart foot inspections. offers assisted inspection information, such as status • Thingc: wants to help producers produce more with less of offal with livestock health and location of livestock, by optimising resources and increasing yield. Thingc feedback to the producer. water levels, animal-specific provides deep insight into current farm conditions by health or performance status; orchestrating a broad range of farming data. It equips (See story on page 37). headset camera recording of producers with the tools and technologies to make livestock dispatch; camera- Project: informed farming decisions. assisted grading, equipment 3D imaging of cattle • Hub & Spoke MSU: a mobile, on-farm slaughtering maintenance procedure or service that incorporates the highest standards of Description: Precise live two-way supplier support animal welfare, state-of-the-art processing methods imaging of livestock, with with sound. and environmentally sustainable practices. smart software to interpret images, using colour vision or Sean Starling A number of the technologies listed above also fall microwaves. E: [email protected] under MLA’s wider Connectivity and Internet of Things strategic program. Details: Project is currently Christian Ruberg demonstrating technical E: [email protected] Josh Whelan feasibility. T: 02 9463 9222 E: [email protected]

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TECHNOLOGY z Delving into data nformation is a powerful Data is collected at four stages: “Soon, we’ll see prediction tools for resource in any business and 1. Arrival: Cattle enter the trial during animal weight gains in specific paddocks northern beef production induction on arrival at Croydon. and be able to match deep soil moisture is no exception, according measurements with seasonal outlooks “We individually scan their National to make early stocking decisions to Ito Australian Cattle and Beef Livestock Identification System tags preserve feed and prevent weight loss Holdings’ Chief Executive Officer and record their weight, age (based on or bring cattle in to take advantage of Ben Dwyer. brand), dentition, breed content, horn a good season,” Ben said. status, pregnancy status, their property Overseeing an award-winning “These tools will help us make informed of origin and their destination paddock,” technology trial – supported by Hitachi decisions well before current practice, Ben said. Consulting and MLA with co-funding which is just based on visual assessment. from MLA Donor Company – at “We also administer external and “We are committed to supplying fixed Croydon Station, Ben believes data internal antiparasitic products along numbers of cattle to customers every collection, leading to the development with a botulism vaccine.” of pasture, animal turn-off and year, and these prediction tools should seasonal prediction tools, could greatly Cattle are then drafted into groups make that easier by reducing risk and improve the company’s profitability based on weight (40kg variation per creating more certainty around supply.” and sustainability. group) through a pneumatic crush and five-way draft and depastured into What’s next? Croydon is a backgrounding property paddocks matched to cattle condition. In the future, Ben hopes to add the for heifers, destined for domestic measurement of water quality, quantity slaughter, and is part of a vertically 2. Growing: Cattle are weighed again and flow rates from storage facilities integrated supply chain comprising when treated for ticks or are being to troughs to ensure stock are well large-scale cattle breeding, moved to better pasture, to work out hydrated during all seasons. backgrounding, feedlots and a meat average daily weight gain. Ben believes the application of processing and packaging facility, all “We can then calculate the animal technology to beef production is located in Queensland. performance for that period and the essential to keep younger producers Data collection from individual animals productivity of the paddock, linking that and professional managers engaged and paddocks during the project will information with pasture growth and and improving the industry. enable Australian Cattle and Beef rainfall data,” Ben said. “I don’t see technology replacing Holdings to identify and address supply Backgrounding cattle entering Croydon management, only enhancing the chain inefficiencies as well as to make weigh between 150 and 220kg and are manager’s ability to excel,” he said. more informed and timely management sent to an Australian Country Choice decisions. (ACC) feedlot at 365–385kg. LESSONS “The data is uploaded to the Hitachi 3. Finishing: Individual information Process Intelligence dashboard, and LEARNED accompanies them and, during their sitting behind that dashboard is an 60–70-day stay, feedlot performance analytical powerhouse that analyses >> Cattle need to be on a continuous and management data is collected. animal, environment, pasture and rising nutritional plane to ensure weather data to provide accurate 4. Processing: Once market good meat eating quality. real-time reports on property status, as specifications are met, the cattle are >> Data collection of individuals from well as predictive tools to help manage transported to the ACC processing property of origin to processing livestock and pasture for efficient and facility in Brisbane where carcase, will help identify weaknesses profitable turn-off,” Ben said. boning and Meat Standards Australia along the supply chain. While it is well known that any setback grading data is recorded for >> Combining soil and pasture in animal performance has a direct each animal. observations with seasonal outlook information will reduce correlation to meat eating quality, Ben Big picture data said it has remained difficult to identify risk and increase opportunities. The project is also collecting when and where these occur. information on soil moisture, soil “The software being developed from temperature, rainfall and pasture Ben Dwyer this project will enable us to pinpoint growth and using four-dimensional E: [email protected] and correct these setbacks along the mapping technology to deliver the most supply chain right back to their property accurate picture yet of pasture quality mla.com.au/hitachiaward of birth,” he said. and density.

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High praise from Hitachi MLA, in conjunction with Australian Cattle and Beef Holdings and Australian Country Choice, recently won the Hitachi Transformation Award at the NEXT 2017 conference in Las Vegas, considered the premier event for the digital revolution. The award recognised MLA’s achievements in beef production innovation, using data-mining and enabling the ‘internet of things’, with the support of Hitachi group solutions. Key outcomes from the award- winning northern beef-based project include: • the generation of real-time information on animal performance, pasture quality and soil moisture to underpin the development of cutting- edge prediction tools • a more informed data trail for individual animals that will highlight any weaknesses in the supply chain and help produce a more consistent, globally competitive product that meets consumer demands. Watch the project in action with a video at mla.com.au/ hitachiaward.

Hitachi Consulting staff finish installing the rain gauge at Croydon Station as part of the MLA-Hitachi-ACBH joint venture project.

SNAPSHOT: Australian Cattle and Beef Holdings, Croydon Station, Queensland l Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 56,680ha Backgrounding 10,500 females Brigalow, soft Heavy, volcanic 1,500mm cows and heifers (Brahman, wood scrub, black soils, Charbray, Santa buffel, Indian Great Dividing Gertrudis, couch, stylos Range red Ultrablack country composites) 23 ON FARM SOUTHERN CATTLE

TECHNOLOGY z

SNAPSHOT: Bird’s eye view Darren Swain, arren Swain’s drone “I have mustered animals from for spotting pink eye or ‘Heatherbrae’, usage may have one paddock to another, but identifying animals that Gunnedah, NSW started as a hobby, it still requires someone to are not gaining weight D open and shut gates. At this as expected. but it didn’t take him long lS stage I think it’s still easier to to realise the Phantom Another drawback is the do it with a bike or vehicle,” 4 Pro had practical drone’s lack of range in he said. applications on farm. ridge country. “My stock are quiet and I find “I regularly check troughs “In flatter country, its range the cattle, in particular, can with it, assess water quality is quoted at about seven to stand up to the drone and at watering points and fly eight kilometres but, on my resist moving until it’s very over paddocks to assess undulating property, about close. There’s always the risk feed quantity and quality,” three kilometres is the they might damage it. Area: he said. maximum,” he said. 360ha “Sheep, on other hand, seem “Being able to view pastures “When it gets low behind a a bit easier and move away Enterprise: from above provides a ridge or a rise, the signal from it.” Cattle breeding, trade steers different perspective, and cuts out and its auto and trade lambs sometimes I find there isn’t Darren works full-time off return-to-base mode is as much feed or ground farm, so is under pressure to initiated and it returns home.” Livestock: manage time efficiently when cover as I thought from a In order to keep line-of-sight 70 Santa Gertrudis–Angus– he’s at home. ground-level inspection.” in ridge country, Darren Hereford cows “The drone is good for needs to keep the drone Using these observations, Pasture: checking stock, particularly high while flying, which Darren is confident in making Sub-tropicals, natives, oats, in difficult-to-get-to places,” reduces the detail of feed-on-offer and stocking forage sorghum, millet, lablab decisions based on what he he said. his vision of the ground. However, for all the can see on-screen. “I’ve used it to check whether Soil: challenges, Darren a lame is improving. Light, shallow soils to alluvial Darren’s drone is a believes their applications The irritation of the hovering river flats ‘middle-of-the-range, will only increase as drone next to the bull will off-the-shelf model’ with technology improves. Rainfall: collision avoidance, which make get him up and walk. 650mm “I think producers will drive he purchased with extra “I can then view him from demand, finding more roles batteries (but not including every angle to see how for them and, hopefully, the screen), for about $2,500. he’s going.” LESSONS economies of scale will For the screen, he uses his However, Darren has found continue to make them more LEARNED smart phone or tablet. the drone is less effective affordable,” he said. >> Drones are good tools for checking watering points. >> Drones do not operate so well in undulating-to-hilly country due to the shorter ‘lines of sight’. >> Sheep are easier to muster than cattle with a drone.

Darren Swain E: darren.g.swain@ gmail.com

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FEEDBASE f Win-win: gaining stock feed while reducing weeds ew MLA-funded research sheep feed during the summer, when is looking into the value of pasture production slowed. Ngrazing chaff piles to fill the “We start grazing sheep on the chaff piles summer feed gap, with a particular as soon as we finish harvesting each focus on improving ewe productivity paddock, beginning with canola, because in the lead-up to joining. they take to that really well and there is no induction period needed,” he said. The challenge Determining the value of grazing “We’ll graze sheep on the piles from about chaff piles created to reduce the mid-November through to February, weed seedbank at harvest over the when we mate the ewes and start adding traditional grazing of stubble. extra supplementary feed until pastures get away in autumn and winter.” Farm consultant Ed Riggall of AgPro Management is coordinating the Stuart said since they started grazing Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) chaff piles, ewes were maintaining and said the research would show the higher condition scores during the potential for using chaff piles to lift summer months, leading to improved sheep weight and condition score by at conception rates and driving higher least 10% and lambing rates by at least sheep enterprise productivity. 12% in the summer period. Twin pregnancies in the Withams’ older His previous research into sheep ewes have lifted by up to 20% in four grazing of chaff piles in WA’s Great years, to about 40–50% of the total Southern region found sheep weight flock, and conception rates in maiden RESEARCH IN gains of up to 3.5kg/head can be ewes have risen by about 10%. achieved in only six weeks. REVIEW The research The producers Four farms will host trial sites. As PROJECT NAME Stuart and Connie Witham have towed part of the research during summer, Producer Demonstration Sites – a chaff cart behind their header for the a comparison trial at the Withams’ Gillami Centre past three years. property will assess ewe performance from grazing paddocks with chaff piles RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS “Annual ryegrass goes nuts during versus grazing on traditional crop MLA/Gillami Centre our wet winters. Capturing its seed stubble with supplementary feed – at harvest, and then destroying it by FUNDING ORGANISATIONS as per common district practice. grazing the chaff dumps over summer MLA and burning any residue the following Ed said economic analysis through GOAL autumn is significantly reducing this the PDS project would help determine Improve sheep productivity by weed burden,” Stuart (pictured) said. the sheep feed cost and labour-saving using grazing of chaff cart piles (or benefits to the whole farm from “In three years, we’ve noticed paddocks ‘dumps’) post-harvest to fill summer reducing supplementary feeding. are getting cleaner (from weeds) and feed gap – especially for ewes in we now tow the chaff cart across our the lead-up to mating. Ed Riggall entire harvest of canola, wheat, barley BUDGET T: 0428 299 007 and faba beans.” $75,000 E: [email protected] Stuart said the chaff cart piles DURATION – commonly known as ‘dumps’ – mla.com.au/pds July 2017–2020 provided highly valuable and ‘no-cost’

SNAPSHOT: Stuart and Connie Witham, ‘Chester’, Toolbrunup, WA S Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 1,600ha Sheep and 4,000 Merinos Sub-clover, Heavy loams 400mm cropping including 1,700 annual breeding ewes ryegrass and medics

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GENETICS h Northern focus on fertility esearchers are taking on producers who manage extensive It’s in the DNA the ambitious task of DNA enterprises, because annual or biannual This project is commercially focused sampling 30,000 cows and mustering limits the opportunity to and aims to develop DNA tests heifers in their quest to record performance and track fertility not limited to a specific breed, so Rboost the fertility of northern herds. traits across generations.” researchers are DNA-sampling different The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture The answer, he said, was the genomic breed compositions – including and Food Innovation is leading equivalent of an estimated breeding crossbred cattle – across Queensland, a project, funded by MLA Donor value (EBV). EBVs are already widely NT and WA. used in the beef industry to assess an Company (using matching investment Many genes affect the trait of fertility, animal’s performance traits compared from the Australian Government) so Ben and his team have set out to the breed average. A DNA test, and the University of Queensland, to to record fertility traits for a large however, would provide a highly develop a DNA test to predict the value number of animals, drawing on female accurate prediction tool of true genetic of an animal’s genetics for fertility. stock from collaborating herds across merit. This would enable young bulls northern Australia. Project leader Professor Ben Hayes with excellent fertility genetics to be said fertility was a critical trait in identified and used early in life. To date, they’ve identified 15,000 cows northern cattle. DNA tests for fertility have been and heifers and have DNA sampled “Fertility is the main driver of commercially used in the dairy industry for and scanned 3,000 to record the key productivity and profitability of northern more than five years but the physiological fertility traits of: beef enterprises, but weaning rates – differences between, for example, a • age of puberty: heifers that cycle an indication of fertility – can be as low Holstein and a Brahman, mean they early can produce more calves in their as 40% in some herds,” he said. are not transferable. There is a useful lifetime (previous work by the Beef “Lifting the reproductive performance genomic-based breeding value for days- Cooperative Research Centre found of breeding herds is challenging for to-calving, but only for the Brahman breed. this to be a highly heritable trait)

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• postpartum anoestrus: determines • Bulls: bulls with above-average EBVs how easily a cow can become are selected for days-to-calving and RESEARCH IN pregnant again after her first calf. scrotal size, and bulls from dams REVIEW The first round of scanning will assess which have produced a natural calf whether heifers have cycled or not as each year for at least four years are PROJECT NAME an indication of age of puberty, and will also selected. Northern Genomics take a tail hair sample for DNA testing. “Some of the bulls we have produced RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS Later in the project, cattle will be from our in vitro fertilisation program Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation assessed again for fertility after their are from dams that have had up to 14 second joining, and their temperament calves in 14 years, which is an amazing FUNDING ORGANISATIONS will be measured and correlated feat in the north,” Michael said. MLA Donor Company (MDC) and with fertility. the University of Queensland He said culling non-performing cows and “At the end of the project, in five selecting bulls with superior genetics GOAL years’ time, our aim is to have a highly was a critical strategy to improve the To develop a DNA test to predict accurate genomic breeding value for overall fertility of Wambiana’s herd. the value of an animal’s genetics fertility,” Ben said. for fertility. “We’re a low-input business, so if we “Northern producers can use this as a can genetically improve our fertility BUDGET tool when choosing bulls, to assess and get more calves on the ground $6.2 million (50% from MDC) what animals will contribute genetically without having to increase inputs to DURATION to their fertility goals.” our breeders, it will lead to greater 2017–2022 Herd fertility lifts profits profitability,” he said. Producers are playing a critical role in Michael said a DNA test for fertility Professor Ben Hayes research to develop the accuracy of would provide more accuracy to the E: [email protected] genomic predictions for profitable traits. existing EBVs and greater predictability Michelle and Michael Lyons of reproductive performance. ‘Wambiana Station’ at Charters Towers E: [email protected] is one of the businesses collaborating Want to get involved? with the Queensland Alliance for The Northern Genomics Project is Agriculture and Food Innovation genomics project. still looking for northern beef herds to participate in this research. Herds What is Michael and Michelle Lyons will provide can represent a range of breed a genome? up to 350 Brahman heifers for the compositions, including crossbred A genome is an organism’s Northern Genomics Project. cattle, but producers need to: complete set of DNA, including all Michael (pictured left) believes fertility is • have a history of herd-recording of its genes. Each genome contains one of the most important traits northern using National Livestock Identification all information needed to build producers can select for in their herd. System tags and maintain that organism. The “In our business, the cows that wean • practice controlled mating size of the cattle genome is 3Gb a calf in April–May and calve again in • be able to provide lines of about (3 billion base pairs). It contains November–December each year are 100 heifers/cows which are approximately 22,000 genes, of very profitable,” he said. consistently managed. which 14,000 are common to all mammals. Michael has a two-pronged approach Collaborating producers will receive By understanding the key DNA to selecting for fertility: information about when heifers differences, science can then • Breeders: cows that are adapted to cycle, the fertility performance of identify the ‘hidden gems’ which their environment and consistently their herd compared to other herds lead to high performers in particular calve each year with minimal inputs in their region and a head start into traits, such as fertility and growth. stay in the herd. genomics-assisted breeding.

SNAPSHOT: Michael and Michelle Lyons, Charters Towers, Queensland l Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 23,500ha Breeding 3,000–3,500 Mostly native pastures River frontage 650mm and fattening Brahman augmented with loams, grey cattle introduced pastures of cracking clays urochloa and buffel plus and light sand introduced legumes of ridges stylos and desmanthus

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COMPLIANCE p Meeting different markets s one of the largest “Don’t send customers what they’re keen to secure lambs lambs around April, so that lamb producers in they don’t want,” he said. early in the season and, works well for us,” he said. because of our volume, we , Stephen Stephen aims to produce A need to secure kill space,” Cattle Creese (pictured), who a moderate-sized, fast- is also the Managing he said. Being a reliable supplier growing, well-muscled of quality, quiet cattle that Director of Clovelly composite lamb using a Poll The heavier portion is usually meet market specifications Tasmania, has to manage Dorset terminal sire over a sold to export processors goes a long way to ensuring and carefully plan the mix of Coopworth, White such as Tasmanian Quality long-term success in the beef marketing of 31,000 Suffolk, Texel and Cashmore Meats, JBS Australia and market, according to Stephen. lambs a year. On top of Oaklea genetics. Australian Lamb Company, that, he oversees the while the lighter end He turns off up to 450 Angus Lambing season starts in steers annually (from 1,100 selling of more than 400 September, with all lambs will meet supermarket Angus steers. At the specifications later on or Angus breeders) to the sold by 30 June. However, Japanese-owned Tasmania MLA-sponsored Red Meat extensive irrigation under be sold as store lambs. Updates in Tasmania in Feedlot at Powranna and centre pivots gives the “We can sell up to 15% of the believes being able to 2017, Stephen shared operation flexibility. drop as stores – it depends produce quiet, fast-growing some of his insights into “Ideally, we would like to on the season,” Stephen said. cattle is essential to making marketing easier. sell everything we breed forming strong, long-term Here he explains his “How much rainfall we’ve as prime lambs in Tasmania, had up to 1 April is how we relationships with customers. strategies to Feedback. but market and seasonal decide whether to keep “There’s no money in wild conditions drive when and Lambs them or sell. cattle,” Stephen said. where we sell,” Stephen said. Stephen uses a combination “If we’ve had a dry autumn, “Buyers must be able to of weights, specifications, To best match product to we usually pull the sales walk through the yard and timing and seasonal customer, Stephen weighs trigger early.” the stock move quietly forecasts to direct sales and drafts the lambs into around them.” to supermarkets or export three categories: those Selling stores to lamb processors, or for sale as that are heavier than 25kg finishers privately through Stephen’s ideal steer store lambs at the saleyards carcase weight, those that an agent, on a price per is medium framed and or to private buyers. are 22–24kg carcase weight, head basis, is Stephen’s fast growing with a good and those that will meet pressure-release valve temperament. Stephen, who also has his supermarket specifications for the business, with the own prime lamb operation “We use primarily Landfall late in the season or have priority being maintenance at Tomahawk, north-east of genetics, but we believe how the potential to be sold as of breeders. Launceston, believes that you handle them and their store lambs. regardless of numbers, all “Finishers with irrigation – and quality of nutrition has more producers should adhere to “We usually forward contract Tasmania has quite a few – of an impact on how they the same principle. about 25% to supermarkets; are generally looking for more perform,” he said.

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“We retain some heifers for “We’ve also been dealing with excellent cattle-breeding SNAPSHOT: replacements, but most of Tasmania Feedlot for a long country,” he said. Stephen Creese, the weaners will go to the time. They know what they’re “That would also free up more Tomahawk, north-east feedlot at 420–450kg live getting and trust the product.” pastures for prime lambs, weight, and anything that’s Tasmania Tomahawk’s soft, coastal which are more profitable but above will go to Greenhams climate is a bonus, helping to more work, so we’d have to or JBS Australia. lS keep production costs low. consider balance carefully.” “We’ve been supplying the Their spring-drop calves feedlot for 15 years and LESSONS (born over a 10-week period) probably sell about half the are yard-weaned in March– weaners on forward contract. LEARNED April for three days and then The rest are sold ‘on spec’ put in weaning paddocks. >> Don’t send what the (as they become ready) over customer doesn’t a 12-week period. “We don’t supplementary want; every animal has feed them unless it’s a tough Area: “I don’t hold them any longer a market somewhere. winter, and we rely on our Total area under management than that – we have to >> Consistency keeps improved pastures to add – 10,140ha at Bridport, preserve pastures for our customers happy. the kilograms in spring,” Gladstone, Perth, Longford spring lambs.” > Reliably supplying Stephen said. > and Tomahawk, Tasmania quiet cattle to buyers Stephen said their marketing In winter, they gain about will ensure long-term Enterprise: edge is being able to 0.75kg/head/day and in success. Dairy, cropping, potatoes, supply large lines of vendor- spring 3kg/head/day on beef, prime lambs bred Angus cattle that fescue, ryegrass, cocksfoot comply with several market and clovers. Stephen Creese Livestock: assurance programs such E: stephen@ 1,100 Angus breeders and as Greenham’s Pure Black Looking ahead, Stephen creesenortheast.com.au 30,000 ewes Natural and JBS Australia’s is considering the balance Farm Assured (Silver). of his beef and prime lamb Want to learn more Pasture: enterprises, and looking at about marketing? Sign Irrigated ryegrass and clover “In Tasmania, beef producers how to improve profitability up to MLA’s weekly with dryland fescue, ryegrass, mostly either breed and sell while keeping the workload Prices & Markets cocksfoot and clover off their weaners or buy in e-newsletter at mla.com. in check. Soil: stock and fatten. There aren’t au/enewsletters many producers who do “If we were to change Sandy Tasmania’s 2018 both and can offer genuine anything, we would focus Red Meat Updates is Rainfall: vendor-bred animals with more on breeding, lifting our on 27 July. 750mm lifetime traceability and a real cow numbers and producing redmeatupdates.com story of provenance,” he said. more weaners – this is

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INVASIVE ANIMALS

Seeds sown for better pest solutions LA has committed $2.5 million to the new Centre for Invasive Species Solutions M(CISS) which will support the red meat industry by broadening the range of pest species to include weeds and a wider range of vertebrate species. There will now be increased emphasis on incursion prevention, control and improved biosecurity. Formerly known as the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IACRC), the CISS has attracted $20 million of Australian government funding to continue its role of combining government, industry and research agencies to achieve important outcomes in areas such as controlling populations of wild dogs, foxes and feral pigs; biological control solutions; and now, expanding to pest plants. CISS Chief Executive Andreas Glanznig said during the past 20 years there had been multiple iterations of invasive animal-related CRCs, all of which had delivered benefits for the Australian economy and the community. “The past decade has been particularly fruitful, with some stand-out achievements that have had positive impacts on farm gate profits, protected our biodiversity and improved community wellbeing,” he said. Keeping pests in check The new Centre for Invasive Species Solutions (CISS) represents an Ian McDonald evolution for Australian pest control. T: 02 6201 2890 E: ian.mcdonald@ CISS chair and NSW sheep producer Research Centre such as the invasiveanimals.com Helen Cathles (pictured) said PestSmart website and FeralScan the new structure will encourage will continue, while our levy dollars invasives.com.au stronger industry partnerships and will work even harder for us, building pestsmart.org.au a stronger focus on being end-user on the cost-benefit ratio of 3:1 and demand-driven. previously achieved.” “I feel really excited about this Helen said CISS would continue its evolution and the business model positive relationships with overseas being strongly driven by grassroots research bodies such as the United and commercial influences,” she said. States Department of Agriculture “All the digital tools developed by the to ensure continued synergies and former Invasive Animals Cooperative benefits for Australian producers.

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Here are some of the outcomes now benefiting Australian producers: A national wild dog facilitator If successful, the program has a calculated A key feature is its glovebox guides Undertaken for the past 10 years net present value of more than $1.4 for managing wild dogs, foxes, by Greg Mifsud, this position has billion over 15 years, and will substantially and feral pigs, and these valuable been instrumental in changing the reduce the impact on plant biodiversity information resources are continually national mindset. in the 5.3 million square kilometres updated to support all stakeholders currently infested with rabbits, and involved in feral animal control. Andreas said wild dog impacts on support increases in animal production. livestock had transformed from an Since its creation in March 2015, the individual landholder problem to being PAPP interactive website has had more than accepted as a ‘landscape-scale’ issue The first new feral predator toxin 800,000 page views. approved for use in 50 years, requiring community-driven action National Incursion Prevention and and support. para aminopropiophenone (PAPP) is a complementary tool to 1080 poison Response Facilitator “The role has also identified gaps in for wild dog and fox control. There are more than 80 established state control policies, improved uptake vertebrate pest animals in Australia, and Approved for use in Queensland, NSW, of best-practice control methods the IACRC supported a strong response SA and Victoria, PAPP is available and unified stakeholders to achieve to avoid new incursions. in manufactured baits and has low common goals,” he said. secondary-poisoning risk. Leading this fight was Australia’s first The National Wild Dog Action National Incursion Prevention and The toxin has the added benefit of an Plan, launched in 2014, underpins Response Facilitator, who was tasked antidote, methylene blue, which can be this role and strengthens control with developing new national incursion administered by a veterinarian if PAPP prevention and response strategies and efforts nationwide. is ingested by domestic dogs. plans, in collaboration with government Working together herpes virus biosecurity agencies and key research The IACRC harnessed ‘people power’ The IACRC was instrumental in the and industry partners. These are now to create more effective pest-control development of the carp herpes virus being implemented across the country outcomes, working extensively with as a biocontrol for carp infestations in and Australia is better prepared than communities to create control and Australia’s river systems. ever to stop new pest species. prevention strategies that engage Balanced Scientist PhD program all stakeholders, from government Andreas said this virus is highly species-specific, posing no danger to (2005–2012) departments and corporations to Aimed at building capacity of careers individual landholders, local residents valuable native species and non-native species such as . in the invasive animals sector, this PhD and business people. program encouraged PhD students “Through eight years of testing at the “This collaborative movement underpins to work in projects that contributed to CSIRO, the IACRC has developed delivery of some of our most effective goals of the IACRC. a potential carp-control tool. The pest-monitoring tools such as challenge now is for government and It involved some notable individuals FeralScan,” Andreas said. the community to design and manage who have been contributing FeralScan its implementation process,” he said. significantly to the sector, including This national citizen surveillance tool Dr Tarnya Cox, recognised for her work PIGOUT® and HogHopper™ on the RHD Boost Program. (feralscan.org.au) maps pest animal The IACRC developed PIGOUT®, a sightings and damage incidents world-first, 1080-based, purpose-made for 12 species, creating a real-time feral pig bait designed for resilience database to inform control strategies (air deployment) and to minimise and research priorities. Scan tools non-target risk. are also available as apps for iPhone and Android, and include rabbits, wild In 2010, HogHopper™ was launched, dogs, feral cats, pigs and fish. The a target-specific bait-delivery system FeralScan website now contains more that harnesses pigs’ natural rooting than 100,000 community records and, behaviour to gain access to baits. Baits in 2017, won the Banksia Foundation’s remain fresher for longer, reducing Sustainability Award for Science labour inputs and costs. and Research. Work continues with the HOGGONE® RHD Boost project which represents a new era in The national biocontrol project pig baiting, using the chemical sodium nitrite. Its advantages include a shorter RHD Boost involved the release of a period from consumption to death. Korean strain of the calicivirus in 2017 at more than 372 community-managed PestSmart Toolkit release sites. Aimed at increasing The PestSmart Toolkit, found online mortality while improving animal at pestsmart.org.au, contains more welfare, the virus is more effective in than 200 fact sheets, case studies and higher-rainfall areas than the original best practice advice across multiple Assessing the impact of rabbits. Czech strain released in 1996. platforms for 15 pest animals.

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FEEDBASE f Checking out the global feedbase tuart Tait is travelling get cranked up’, but on the other side the world to see what they have a long way to go to reach he can learn about using Australian beef quality,” Stuart said. dual-purpose crops to fill Stuart then headed off on a Global Sfeed gaps in cattle operations in Focus Program, starting in Singapore southern Australia. and continuing onto India, Doha, Denmark, the UK and the US. Stuart’s travels are part of his MLA-supported Nuffield Scholarship, “It’s a whirlwind tour of global agriculture and from what he has seen so far, he and it gives you a look at big picture suspects Australian producers are up agriculture from a whole-of-chain there with the world’s best in terms of perspective,” Stuart said. producing and managing feed supply in United States: Stuart stayed on in the temperate mixed farming systems. US, meeting with producers, industry At the end of his travels, Stuart aims representatives and researchers in to pull together the knowledge he has Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma gained into a system he can use to and Texas. better manage the feedbase. “I spent time in Oklahoma, as their “I want to optimise my stocking rates, set climate is similar to ours — those guys performance targets and eliminate the are grazing acres and acres of wheat feed gap,” Stuart said. and only about 25% is harvested for grain,” he said. “There is a lot of research focused on dual-purpose crops and sheep “The mix of uses is similar in some production, but there are obvious respects to what we are doing here, differences between cattle and but the big difference is their farming sheep and I’m keen to look at how my techniques — which are less advanced overseas beef producer counterparts than what we do in Australia.” are managing feed throughout the year.” Most growers Stuart visited were doing International pit stops a wheat-on-wheat rotation, with nothing else, and all with full tillage. South America: In March 2017, Stuart and the 22 other Australian Nuffield “The soils in Oklahoma were similar to scholars joined scholars from around ours, but their yields were lower — I think the world in Brazil for the Contemporary we’re on the right track, especially with exposed to in the US varied between Scholars Conference. Stuart left with our crop rotations and more advanced different operators, with some using conflicting views. soil management techniques.” with electric fences. “On one side I thought ‘uh oh, we’re in Like in Australia, the grazing Canada: According to Stuart, farming in trouble — these guys are starting to management practices Stuart was his destinations of Saskatchewan and

SNAPSHOT: Stuart Tait, Mandurama, NSW l Area: Enterprise: Livestock: Pasture: Soil: Rainfall: 1,600ha Grain and 600 Angus Phalaris, sub-clover, Red basalt 750– oilseed crops breeders cocksfoot, tall fescue, clays and 800mm and cattle Italian ryegrass and alluvial loams dual-purpose grazing crops, summer hybrid forages.

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Alberta was noticeably different to the US. silage, windrowed and then when winter Stuart Tait hits, it’s like snap freezing the crop and “The Canadians have fewer E: [email protected] the snow insulates it — they just run an dual-purpose crops because of their electric fence across the paddock and Nuffield Australia: nuffield.com.au farming systems and the shorter the cattle follow the windrow.” growing season,” he said. More Beef from Pastures The Canadians were using pasture mbfp.mla.com.au “They plant wheat at the same time as species Stuart had not encountered Go to mla.com.au/tools to find us (May–June) and then harvest during before, including sainfoin, a MLA calculators for feed August before everything freezes. non-bloating legume similar to lucerne. demand, stocking rate and cost of production. “A lot of the Canadians I visited Still to go: Stuart will be visiting the can’t quite eliminate the need to UK to look at feedbase management, Profitable Grazing Systems: supplementary feed, but a common Argentina and Uruguay to see pasture Upskill and learn how to improve practice used is swath grazing — oat breeding and New Zealand to your feedbase management: mla.com.au/pgs crops are grown up to the height where examine dual-purpose systems and we would say it was ready to cut for grazing management.

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COMPLIANCE p

Making MSA-driven gains

n 2017, the Meat Standards milk-fed vealers direct to processors. environment,” he said. Australia (MSA) Excellence “I sell the calves at about 9–10 months “Eating quality is just as important as in Eating Quality Awards old, straight off their mums, when they growth and weight when it comes to were presented to the most hit live weights of 420–480kg – and consumer experience of eating our Ioutstanding grass and grainfed sometimes up to 500kg,” Leigh said. product and making decisions to buy beef again. MSA producers in Australia. An Breeders are then joined to Charolais additional honour was introduced: bulls to calve in January with progeny “I’m noting that quietness in the MSA Progress Award. for sale in late spring. The crossbred temperament is a vital contributor to calves are fast maturers and in 2015 had This Award recognised the producer achieving this in terms of meat colour, an average carcase weight of 251kg. in that state who had the greatest texture, cutting and taste.” improvement in their MSA results since Path to progress To reduce stress, calves are yarded 2014–15. Here we meet the five winners Leigh had been MSA-accredited for only the afternoon before trucking to and find out how they did it. nine years, but started taking notice of processing and the same transporters MSA Index results to track performance are used regularly. SA more closely two years ago. Leigh Winner: Leigh Clifford, credits pasture improvement and TASMANIA ‘Gowan Brae’, Millicent focusing on animal temperament for Winners: Stan and Gwenyth lifting his MSA compliance to 96%. Elphinstone, Stowport Enterprise: A grassfed system supporting 130 head of Hereford, “The improvements I’m seeing in Index Enterprise: Sixty head/year are turned Friesian and other crossbred females performance highlight to me the off from the Angus and Shorthorn– bought at local saleyards from dairy importance of feeding and managing Gelbvieh female herd, which are joined producers, typically as two-year-olds. animals well, making sure they’re good to Charolais. A carcase weight of These have calves at foot to turn off as tempered and produced in a low-stress 280–300kg is targeted.

SA Progress Award winner Leigh Clifford.

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Path to progress For Stan, improving MSA compliance (now 100%) comes from maintaining a good feedbase and using low-stress stock handling. “Our pastures are a mix of cocksfoot and ryegrass and the perennial legume, white clover, and we also supplementary feed silage and hay during winter, which we produce on farm,” Stan said. “We were dairy farmers for 46 years and I do the same for our as I did with our dairy cows, and that is make sure they’ve got good feed in front of them. Queensland MSA Progress Award winners John and Mary Atkins. “Every day I’m in amongst the cattle so they know me. I move them every QUEENSLAND VICTORIA two days, rotating them through the Winners: John and Mary Atkins, Winner: Don Bowman, Dendee paddocks so they’ve got access ‘Spion Kop’, Taroom Pastoral Company, Poowong to good feed, and to also give the Enterprise: Breeding cattle on the Enterprise: Buying in predominantly pastures a break. 4,500 square kilometre ‘Marqua Station’ Angus or Angus–Hereford steers aged “I don’t use bikes or dogs, I just call out in the Northern Territory and finishing 18–22 months old to finish to 350–380kg to them and they come and move into them on oats, silage and buffel grass carcase weight and turning off 300–400 the next paddock. You’ve got to keep pastures at ‘Spion Kop’, where some head/year. Don, who is also a cattle buyer them quiet.” cattle breeding takes place. John and for other producers and companies, Mary also trade cattle occasionally. sources the cattle from saleyards including Leongatha and Ballarat. Path to progress “With the benefits of silage and oats Path to progress during the winter period, all cattle are “For me, the keys to success are on a rising plane of nutrition and our purchasing in the right article, providing buffel country is destocked and spelled good feed and good management,” during the winter, giving us more grass Don said. cover and a quicker response when the With the South Gippsland region season breaks,” John said. enjoying an average annual rainfall in “The longer it stays dry, the better these excess of 900mm, the cattle are 100% management tools work.” grassfed, grazing improved pastures comprising a mix of clovers and The Atkins believe a focus on breeding ryegrass. An annual fertiliser program and low-stress stock handling is undertaken. have contributed to their ongoing improvements in the MSA program. “The season really dictates the terms, but I generally keep them for six to 12 months “We predominantly buy Santa Gertrudis to reach those weights. In spring, the bulls, and the main traits we select cattle can be putting on more than 1kg/ for are temperament and fertility, then day when conditions are right,” he said. conformation,” Mary said. “I let my eyes be the judge when I’m “All our weaners are handled by a purchasing – I look for the right type professional weaner-handler both in the of steer that has length, quietness Northern Territory and here at Spion Kop. and depth.” “So depending on the season in The cattle receive minimal, low-stress the Territory, any steers that are left handling using horses. there are handled along with all our replacement females. All weaners “Having good yards and fencing also that get trucked here receive handling helps with low-stress handling. It’s as well, which contributes to their all common sense really. There’s no quietness and ease of mustering excuse for not having decent yards for and trucking.” your cattle,” he said.

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COMPLIANCE p

NSW “I think making sure they get to the Winners: Angus and Lesley Tink and abattoir in daylight so they can settle son, Jeff, ‘Tarawong’, Mebul helps reduce stress as well. Enterprise: Running 450 Angus– “When we’re sending cattle, we make Charolais or Angus–Simmental sure they’re ready in the yards by breeders and selling their offspring 8:30am or 9am and load them at about (hormone growth promotant-free, 1pm. It’s only 260km to Scone, so they’re antibiotic-free and grassfed) into there well before the sun goes down.” the JBS Farm Assurance Program for WA processing at JBS Australia at Scone. Winners: Russell and Sonya Mead, Steers are turned off to target a 370kg Benger and Coolup carcase weight and heifers between 320 and 330kg. Enterprise: Livestock transporters who undertake opportunistic cattle trading, Path to progress turning off cattle with carcase weights “I’m a great listener and I’ve asked a lot of 250kg. of questions over the years,” Angus said. Path to progress “I study the MSA feedback sheet and Peak cattle production is in spring, always look at individual scores and when pasture growth takes off and up check the MSA Index per load. to 160 head are fed and finished. “Any cattle that don’t grade MSA means WA winner Russell Mead. The average time cattle spend on the price can drop 50–70c/kg, and pasture is about seven months, on a 350kg carcase, that’s quite a big Russell said their MSA results were although this varies widely according difference, so we do whatever we can improving in recent years most to stock type and condition. The target to ensure our cattle grade as MSA.” likely because they tend to feed is to hit a minimum cattle live weight cattle for longer to achieve turn-off Angus said good pastures and low- gain of 1kg/head/day. dressed weights of about 250kg/ stress practices have helped improve “Our strategy is to buy in cattle of any head (25kg higher than previously), their MSA compliance. type, age and breed when we see an which has improved MSA compliance “Our cattle run on a mix of clover, opportunity to turn a profit from them,” (from 52% to 72%). ryegrass and phalaris-based pastures, Russell said. and we have 200ha of grazing oats,” “We don’t buy on type and we don’t buy Want to improve MSA compliance? Angus said. ‘gold standard’, but we do seek animals Use the MSA Index calculator at: “A lot of our country is hill country that show the potential to put on weight mymsa.com.au/msamobile and every two years we undertake and provide us with a good return on mla.com.au/msa an aerial application of single investment, given current seasonal Watch videos on each of the superphosphate fertiliser. conditions and market prices. winners of the main awards on “We ensure cattle are kept in their mobs “This means we take a wide variety their properties and read their when they’re in the yards and then of animals and breed types, typically case studies at: transported. We keep our heifers and sourced at saleyards, and comprising mla.com.au/msaawards steers separated all the way through anything from older cows to young from weaning to the abattoir. heifers and steers.”

NSW Progress Award winner Angus Tink (right) and son Jeff.

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SUPPLY CHAIN DELIVERING VALUE Getting the inside view ustralia’s beef industry project (Advanced measurement loses tens of millions technologies for globally of dollars each year to competitive Australian meat), is A seeking to develop in-plant offal often preventable infections sensing solutions to meet this need. which cause both offal condemnations and reduced Technologies under evaluation animal productivity. include: For example, figures provided by • medical computed tomography (CT) one Queensland processor (and • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) extrapolated across the state) • airline baggage CT reveal up to 65% of livers can be • multiple energy X-ray imaging condemned for hydatids each year. (MEXA) That suggests a total annual loss of • colour machine vision. $13 million in livers alone. “The program will demonstrate Research conducted in NSW technical feasibility, then move revealed average carcase weight to develop a device prototype loss in hydatids-infected cattle by 2020 to take images and sort was 16.8kg. When those figures offals into ‘good’ or ‘needs further are applied to the Queensland inspection’,” Christian said. cattle kill, at $3/kg live weight, that “Medical CT and MRI are considered represents a further loss to the not suited to challenging in-plant industry of $131 million. applications, however colour MLA Program Manager Value Chain imaging in conjunction with either Technology Christian Ruberg said MEXA, or airline baggage CT, has improved detection and producer potential to contribute to machine- feedback could help reduce the assisted inspection. Augmented industry’s losses. vision glasses may also play a role. “Improved sensing, detection, “Current work is focused on the sorting, producer feedback and technical and commercial feasibility producer decision support towards of X-ray, augmented with colour preventative treatment can go a machine vision.” long way to mitigating this loss,” Christian said. Christian Ruberg T: 02 9463 9142 MLA, in conjunction with MLA E: [email protected] Donor Company and the ALMTech

Airline baggage CT is one of the technologies under evaluation in a new project to reduce offal condemnations and production losses.

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Here Feedback talks to a few of the LMOs about life on GETTING TO the road and what they do at the saleyards. KNOW OUR LIVESTOCK MARKET Leann Dax Leann is MLA’s eyes and ears at the largest indoor cattle OFFICERS selling centre in the Southern Hemisphere – the Wagga Wagga Livestock Marketing Centre (she also covers other wenty-six Livestock Market Officers (LMOs) large selling centres, including the Northern Victoria currently work across Australia as part of MLA’s Livestock Exchange at Barnawatha). Despite the fast pace National Livestock Reporting Service. Covering of the saleyards and an exhausting number of kilometres to T be travelled each week, she still finds the time to participate more than 3,000 markets/year and thousands of kilometres between them, LMOs attend and report in campdrafts on the weekend. on up to 70 of the nation’s cattle, sheep and goat Tell us about your role as an MLA Livestock Market Officer. sales on a weekly basis. What do you do? My role is to assess stock at lamb and cattle sales. LMOs mla.com.au/nlrs are there to collect accurate market intelligence and [email protected] write reports without sharing an opinion on whether the animals are cheap or dear. We’re not focused on producers or processors – we’re there to record exactly what’s happening on the day. Where are you from and where are you based now? Originally, I’m from a wool-producing farm near Ballarat, Victoria. Now, I’m on a cattle, sheep and cropping property at a little place called Howlong near Albury, NSW. What is the best part about your job? I just love it all – I love the interaction with buyers and producers and collecting market information from the sales. After all these years, I’m proud of my work and enjoy the fast selling pace of the Wagga lamb sale. I also write a commentary for the Stock and Land newspaper and Beef Central. Everything about my job is fantastic. When you’re not working, what do you like to do for fun? I ride horses – I’m very passionate about the cutting industry and campdrafts. We load eight horses onto our truck and campdraft most weekends through summer and autumn. What’s your favourite red meat meal? Definitely lamb chops.

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Brendan Fletcher Krystelle Ridley Covering four markets in Victoria’s large Gippsland region, From Forbes in the central-west down to Griffith in the it’s not unusual for Brendan to travel about 1,200km a week Riverina region, Krystelle covers one of the largest sales – and when he’s not driving or at the saleyards, he has his patches in NSW…but she’s no stranger to being on the road, own duck egg business to keep him busy. and can often be found carting her family’s stud Shorthorn cattle to shows around the countryside. Tell us about your patch. What’s been happening at the markets there over the past year? What does the average week look like for you? I cover basically all of the Gippsland region in Victoria. I spend Mondays and Tuesdays in Forbes, NSW working at the cattle and sheep sales. Wednesdays and Thursdays are There’s a big variation in climate and soil types here – it’s spent at home, working on my family’s cattle and cropping a land of contrast. South Gippsland’s had a really good property. On Fridays, I’m in Griffith at the sheep sales, and season, while east Gippsland didn’t really get a spring at all. weekends are usually spent getting more jobs done around A lot of people turned off cattle early. the farm. We’ve had a few store cattle moving through, but not a lot Where did you grow up and where are you based now? of fat ones. It’s a big breeding area so people are mainly I grew up on the family farm at Condobolin, NSW. I’m still breeding calves specifically for the store market. based in the central west and usually work at the farm What’s the best part about your job? throughout the week. I love everything about it. It’s interesting and keeps my mind What aspect of your role do you enjoy most? active. The cattle market never stops changing, and there’re Being able to chat to different people, buyers, agents so many different influences on supply, demand, and even and vendors, and getting different perspectives on the condition of the cattle. I think it’s fascinating. what is happening not only in the markets, but also the What are some of the challenges in your role? surrounding regions. Travel would probably be the main one – I have to do a lot What do you do to pass the time when you’re not at of it. It’s not so much the driving that’s the challenge…it’s the the saleyards? other drivers on the road. I help my parents with our Shorthorn stud. We go to shows It’s also a bit of a challenge when people see a different like the Sydney Royal every year, so it’s good to catch up view of the market to what I’ve written in the reports. But I with everyone there. Other than that, I just like going to the find that once you sit down and have a conversation with footy and socialising – the same as everyone else. them, and you talk through it, everyone walks away satisfied. What’s your favourite red meat meal? All in all there aren’t too many challenges. I’m lucky that I It’s got to be a ! Just a plain steak. have a lot of experience and can be confident in the job. When you’re not at the saleyards, where would we find you? You’d find me out in one my paddocks, chasing cattle – or chasing ducks. I breed Indian Runner ducks and sell the eggs from the farm gate, or through some retail outlets. I also breed purebred Sussex chickens…so I’m always busy. What’s your favourite red meat meal? There’re so many beautiful red meat meals! I’d have to go with a lamb roast straight off the coals.

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GROWING DEMAND PUTTING MEAT ON ASIA’S GROWING PLATE t’s no secret that Asia is one “The only real solution is to create of the largest export markets more interest in the secondary cuts Ifor Australian red meat, but is to drive up the demand,” David said. industry making the most of every “This means more value for the opportunity to grow demand? producers and processors, because As part of MLA’s new Supply Chain it ultimately lifts the value of Capability strategy, eight extension the animal.” and adoption programs are being Since the new Supply Chain implemented to ensure Australian Capability strategy roll out in 2017, beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat David has worked closely with food remain a key part of Asian cuisines. industry clients in the Asian markets According to MLA General Manager to provide cost-effective solutions. of International Markets Michael “We tailor-make diagnostic charts Finucan, it’s about looking at the on ‘cuts utilisation’ depending on individual supply chain members the client’s customer base, and such as importers, wholesalers demonstrate the value of a whole and retailers and creating a value- carcase in terms of actual menu adding program to suit their needs. items produced,” he said. “It’s a new, hands-on approach “We design complete menus for involving some really targeted the restaurants based on the types activities for commercial clients,” of cuisine they have on offer, or, Michael said. if it’s a retailer, the demographic “We’ve started to offer a suite they target.” of solutions, depending on the The supply chain capability strategy participants. We deal with each places a strong emphasis on group in the supply chain individually, communicating Australian red rather than offering a generic meat’s provenance and quality program for the whole chain.” assurance credentials. One example is the ‘Natural fall’ Another of the eight programs program, which MLA recently rolled is ‘New cuts development’, which out within a large hotel group in delivers innovative ways to present Asia. Employees working in different the cheaper, lesser-known cuts areas of the business (fine, buffet to industry. or casual dining) were trained in carcase utilisation and shown how For example, David recently pitched to make the most of specific cuts. a ‘three-way ’ concept to a hospitality client in Asia, “Many of the chefs who participate in demonstrating the uses of several the program for the first time aren’t secondary beef cuts from a single sure how to cook different cuts chuck – hot pot roll, chuck eye log of red meat, and rely on external and chuck flap meat. parties for their technical advice and insights,” Michael said. Michael Finucan MLA’s Value Chain Development General Manager – Consultant David Carew (see story International Markets opposite) said the program’s main E: [email protected] focus was to build capability and mla.com.au/international- encourage clients to use the whole markets carcase, rather than the usual five or six primary cuts available in most retail outlets.

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COOKING UP A STORM avid Carew is a veteran of the red meat industry. For 25 years, he has shared his love of Australian Dbeef and lamb as a chef and industry consultant by educating domestic and international customers on how to cut, cook and enjoy it. Today, David is part of MLA’s new approach to Asian markets, which involves upskilling foodservice, importers and the restaurant trade on how to make the most of Australian red meat. What does your work involve? I’m currently based in Singapore, working with Asian food industries. A lot of my work revolves around enticing chefs and food processors to use Australian red meat and then educating them on how we can optimise its value. I also create new products and cuts that can easily be adopted by Asian markets. What do you see as the main opportunities in targeting the Asian markets? We’ve been selling 13 primal cuts for 200 years and we need to break our product down a little bit more – smaller cuts with Australian branding. We need to develop ready-to-slice products out of really EXTENSION good quality carcases. We should also focus on improving AND ADOPTION FOCUS packaging – stick on simple cooking icons and say ‘the meat PROGRAM in this box is suitable for stir-fry’ or whatever it may be.

Natural fall Using every cut from a carcase How does this work strengthen relationships to avoid wastage and build the between Australia and its international customers? value of the animal The people I talk to about Australian meat appreciate the fact they’ve picked up knowledge that’s not mainstream. New cuts Commercialising new cuts in line development with food trends A lot of chefs and processors in my workshops don’t have the time to think outside the box, let alone learn how to execute Premium shelf Communicating Australia’s new ideas. By helping them add value to their products and get space provenance story and building more bang for their buck, we’re raising the support for Australian consumer awareness of red meat and becoming more attractive to Asian markets. Australia’s integrity credentials

Retail category Delivering ready-to-cook or management sliced products based on MSA guidelines using ‘fit-for-purpose’ secondary cuts

Thin-slice Targeting thin-sliced meat technology opportunities, e.g. packaged ready to serve

Shared plate Adapting Australian red meat to the Asian dining trend, like shared plates

Business Providing highly skilled ‘red meat development specialists’, who can offer key managers insights and technical advice

Red meat value Promoting secondary cuts as a David Carew (sixth from right) shows Asian chefs new ways to utilise added viable value-adding option Australian beef.

41 IN MARKET GROWING DEMAND Riding the organic boom

he rise of organic for a whole carcase and it wasn’t economic. “In 2010, the beef for export has not just certain cuts line we were supplying was “Being on a dirt road also been an Australian axed and that was tough • developing good logistics caused problems with success story, for us,” she said. to reduce input costs. supply – all it took was Twith the product now a shower of rain and we “The company agreed to kill accounting for the largest “One of the toughest couldn’t get cattle out.” out what we had but after proportion – 20% – of aspects of this business that, we had nowhere to go Australia’s organic export is finding and keeping a If Clayton and Jackie other than to sell outside market. But getting the market that will take the wanted their own organic the organic system.” marketing right for a whole body and not just label to succeed, they high value product with certain cuts,” Jackie said. needed a property close However, the value perceived unlimited From the beginning to markets, with sealed of building strong demand is not easy, as The couple began access where they could relationships came to the Clayton and Jackie their organic journey at grow their own feed. fore with contacts within Sargood discovered. Thomas Foods International Clayton’s family property In 2005 they found linking the Sargoods The Sargoods, who in , ‘Tulloch Brae’, an old dairy, with the US east coast have been organic beef and quickly found the with 121ha under irrigation, supermarket chain, Shoprite. producers since 1995 and location – while excellent 18km from Toowoomba. have sold their own label, for producing organic “It all happened so fast – Since then, the Sargoods Clayton’s Organic Beef since beef – failed the other within a fortnight we were have used Clayton’s family 2011, found huge challenges. business tests of good trying to sell our organic property as a breeding market access, supportive beef story to people in “If I could start this journey block, producing about infrastructure and being New York,” Jackie said. again, I would outsource able to source and 2,000 weaners each year, marketing from the guarantee supply. which are then finished to “It sounds simpler than it was. beginning,” Jackie said. Japanese Ox specs on a Shoprite wasn’t certified “We originally supplied home-grown, organic grain organic and management “We know cattle and OBE Organic Beef and ration at ‘Tulloch Brae’. didn’t understand what it we’re good at meat but Australian Country Choice meant; we helped them there are lots of hurdles sporadically before being Still evolving through the process of we didn’t know existed approached in 1999 by Organic-certified steers becoming certified. and marketing has so another company to feed (450kg and above live much influence on how organic cattle,” Jackie said. weight) are also bought successful you can be.” in to help fill a current “We hoped this new The main challenges for the US export order of relationship would provide 66 head/week. Sargoods have included: us with some stability, • ensuring correct organic but by the time we bought According to Jackie, certification along the the feed at Chinchilla, securing a US export supply chain, including transported it to the deal was a mixture of retailers, in export markets property and sent the cattle circumstance, serendipity • securing reliable markets to Brisbane for processing, and hard work.

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“Again, this proved to us “Local inquiry for our SNAPSHOT: Growing how important marketing product is increasing, it’s Jackie and Clayton is, particularly in the US: getting easier to source organically it’s a big deal there.” organic-certified stock Sargood, ‘Tulloch and we have a lot of faith Brae’, Toowoomba, Moving into export in Australian organic beef required a level of Queensland 40% continuing to build market of the world’s fully licensing, certification share,” Jackie said. l certified organic and administration that farmland is in was outside the Sargoods’ “Operating in multiple Australia (2016) expertise and capability. markets would make our business more secure.” “We formed a joint venture with Stanbroke Beef in LESSONS 15.4% Grantham to process annual growth our cattle and, because LEARNED witnessed by Australian we don’t have an export organic production licence, they own the meat >> Nothing stays the Area: By volume, beef while it’s on the water.” same; be prepared ‘Tulloch Brae’ 251ha is Australia’s Clayton’s Organic Beef’s to adapt and modify US market share has grown your business model. Enterprise: Organic beef largest year-on-year until recently >> Seek productive industry partnerships along and remains steady, Livestock: the supply chain. despite strong pressure Santa Gertrudis–Angus > Outsource from rising US domestic > breeders One-third supply and from Uruguay. tasks which are of Australian certified outside your core Pasture: Looking ahead, the organic producers competencies. Rhodes grass, Bambatsi, Sargoods want to spread produce beef ryegrass their business risk with more focus on the Jackie Sargood Soil: 90% domestic market. E: jackie@ Black loam of Australia’s certified claytonsorganics.com. organic beef and 88% Rainfall: au of Australia’s certified 700mm organic lamb exports Learn more about end up in the US Australia’s red meat integrity system at mla.com.au/integrity $107 million was the total value of Australia’s organic meat production in 2014.

Jake, Jackie and Clayton Sargood check out fodder crops under 121ha of irrigation at their organic beef-producing property near Toowoomba.

43 IN MARKET GROWING DEMAND

MARKET FOCUS m Digging deeper in the UAE mutton to chilled lamb. The average unit price reflects this significant shift, almost doubling from A$3.50/kg in 2006–07 to A$6.70/kg in 2016–17. When it comes to beef, MENA is a complex region with beef considered a secondary protein to lamb, chicken and seafood. However, changing diets and growing tourism sectors have led MLA to identify growth potential for Australian beef in the UAE. MLA’s 2017 Global Consumer Tracker survey focused on three sub-groups of the UAE population – local Emirati, expat Arabs from elsewhere in the region and western expats. While these groups make up the top socio- MLA’s Corporate Executive Chef Tarek Ibrahim shares his love of ‘True Aussie’ meat in the Middle East. economic strata, their food preparation and, at times, purchasing decisions can he United Arab Emirates be made by employees. Getting social (UAE) is one of the most Lamb is the prime meat of choice for unique markets for UAE residents and while they’re used to MLA will this year focus on social Australian red meat in the consuming imported food products and media campaigns to reinforce TMiddle East North Africa (MENA) are well aware of Australian lamb and its the ‘True Aussie’ message in MENA. Projects include: region. As a country, it’s only 46 attributes, the Emirati take great pride in years old and less than 12% of its their local (Naemi) lamb industry. • short format video and stills for leading supermarkets in residents are UAE citizens. MLA’s International Business Manager the Middle East on purchasing, However, the diverse population, MENA Nick Meara said the survey preparing and cooking ‘True level of affluence and the area’s found ‘True Aussie’ branding was Aussie Beef and Lamb’ launched importance as a transport, trade and strongly recognised, particularly by across MLA and partner social tourism hub make it an important consumers in the top income bracket media sites customer for Australian lamb and, and by western expats. • Ramadan media and social increasingly, beef. “However, we can’t just hope that it will media campaigns with leading Australian export volumes of lamb to sell Australian lamb in this market. In supermarkets the region grew eight-fold between the lower end of the market we have • a Halal website for a 1995 (8,176 tonnes swt) and 2015 increasing competition from East pre-Ramadan Australian Halal (68,355 tonnes swt). In just 10 years, the African countries and India, while at the awareness campaign volume of UAE’s chilled beef imports top end there’s local and New Zealand • blogger events with Chef Tarek from Australia has more than tripled. lamb to contend with,” Nick said. • car park weekend for leading supermarkets in the UAE MENA now accounts for almost a MLA has also identified opportunities to grow Australian beef sales and is • developing a ‘True Aussie Beef quarter of all Australian lamb exports developing programs to elevate its and Lamb’ app, which will have and is home to three of our top 10 all meat cuts, recipes and the global markets (UAE, Qatar and Jordan). status to a ‘must have’ and ‘celebration’ style purchase decision. Steakmate and Roastmate apps In the past 10 years, Australian included in the one location. sheepmeat exports to the region have Dubai’s hosting of World Expo in 2020 evolved from being chiefly frozen and the consequent wave of new hotel

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development and tourist facilities is a potential driver for growth in foodservice, particularly for Australian beef, and MLA is working to educate this sector on UAE’s population: Australian products. • 9.27 million Product differentiation MLA is applying marketing strategies in the UAE which address local needs and highlight what Population make-up: makes Australian beef and lamb stand out against • Emiratis: the highest income-earning group, two-thirds of the competition. whom live in Abu Dhabi Opportunities include: • Expat Arabs: generally younger and more concentrated in Dubai • Promoting freshness: Most consumers still prefer • Western expats: more middle aged and quite high income earners freshly slaughtered meat, which stems from a tradition of wet markets and supporting . Consumption barriers: However, western expats prefer chilled or frozen 44% of expat Arabs have never bought lamb because they had meat. MLA is communicating the freshness that never tried it or didn’t like the taste. This is driven partly by the comes from chilled vacuum-packed product. fact that a significant proportion of these consumers are from • Halal: Educating and promoting to consumers countries with a traditional preference for beef over sheepmeat. Australia’s Halal systems is crucial to reinforce trust to deliver product that is Halal. Australian exports to the UAE (2017) • Traceability: In high value markets, promoting • beef – 8,611 tonnes swt the Australian food safety and traceability systems • lamb – 20,052 tonnes swt are key attributes to attracting customers. • mutton – 8,754 tonnes swt • New retailing: Convenient and cool shopping • offal – 2,295 tonnes swt options are being sought, particularly when it is 50 degrees outside. Hypermarkets are growing rapidly Trade agreements with Australia and MLA is working with retailers in the region to support market growth and penetration. Negotiations on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – comprising the UAE, Bahrain, • Market requirements: There is a general Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia – remain on hold while preference for meat to be a little pinker and the GCC reviews its trade agreement policies. leaner than in western and Asian markets. It is also important that this information is fed back to Australian suppliers so they can better deliver what Import tariffs consumers want in individual markets. • beef – 0% for chilled, 5% for frozen • bovine offal – 5% “The key to success in the UAE is to understand the • lamb and mutton – 0% for chilled , 5% for frozen unique local environment, the stratified society, the • goatmeat – 2.5% retail landscape and the regional idiosyncrasies and to plan accordingly,” Nick said. • sheep/goat offal – 2.5% for chilled, 5% for frozen

Delving deeper The most important attributes for premium meat, MLA Donor Company funding via the shared by all three consumer segments: Insights2Innovation program is being used to 1. High nutritional value conduct a MENA Attractive Cities study to identify 2. A family favourite and understand which cities in the region are most 3. Freshness attractive for premium high value Australian red meat exports. The study will profile 31 cities in 17 countries, including three in the UAE, to identify the five most Beef sales attractive cities in the MENA region. Quick service restaurants are the largest users of beef by value, followed by full service restaurants. The final phase of the process will see field research in each of the five cities to: The most important claims shoppers look for on beef • map the value and supply chain for red meat packaging: • secure the views and opinions of key 1. 100% all natural industry players 2. Halal certified • assess logistics infrastructure for strengths 3. Quality graded (rated fourth for lamb packaging) and weaknesses 4. A nimal welfare credentials (rated third for lamb packaging) • make an assessment of particular requirements 5. Safe to eat of each city, i.e. Halal and live shipments. (Source: MLA Global Consumer Tracker, 2016) 45 IN MARKET

INDUSTRY INSIDER X Around the world and back again Dr David Beatty knows the Australian red meat industry inside and out – literally. He can perform a caesarean on a cow, oversee the implementation of an animal welfare program or promote Aussie meat to an importer in the Middle East. He doesn’t mind a bit of market access negotiation either. All this experience will help David in his role with MLA as the Program Manager for Value Chain Research, Development and Adoption, based in Perth, WA. This is a new position which he started in January. It’s back to his home state and where he began his career in the red meat industry in 1997, when, on graduation from veterinary science at Murdoch University, he started in a mixed animal practice in Geraldton. “I was one of those kids who always looked forward to school holidays, as it meant working on my grandparents’ and cousins’ farms,” David said.

Here David talks to Feedback about his new role with MLA: Q: Q: Q: Explain your role with MLA and how you came to What are the best parts How do you like to eat a career in the red meat industry? of your job? your red meat? It’s early days in the new Centre, investigating the I just loved the opportunity I’m a traditionalist and love position but I’m excited thermoregulatory response in the Middle East and North nothing more than a thick-cut by the challenge. The of cattle to heat stress. Then Africa region to promote and cooked opportunities for agriculture followed a stint lecturing at market such a great product. medium-rare. Served with growth in WA are huge, Murdoch University. salad and chips and a glass of The integrity of the Australian and I’m looking forward to red, it is a near perfect meal. That PhD showed me just production and processing working with stakeholders what MLA was trying to systems and the quality of Having said that, some of the across the supply chain to achieve for industry and I was our livestock made the job. slow-cooked Middle Eastern try and create opportunities, hooked. From there I took It really allowed us to push dishes that use a whole lamb improve efficiencies and the leap to work with MLA as the ‘True Aussie’ brand cooked with rice and spices drive MLA’s research, the Manager of Live Export development and adoption and build on the trust and rate right up there. Research and Development. investments in WA. reputation that Australia has in that part of the world. It rolled into an MLA position Dr David Beatty It’s great to be back. I left as the Livestock Services MLA Program Manager Geraldton to work as a I also loved the trade and Manager for the Middle – Value Chain Research, locum in the UK. After five market access negotiations, East and eventually the Development years of practice I returned and the ability to push the International Business and Adoption to university to undertake a integrity of our systems to Manager for the Middle East PhD, funded by MLA and the foreign governments and E: [email protected] and North Africa, based in Beef Cooperative Research local authorities. the Middle East.

46 IN MARKET RECIPE Serving up the last of summer As autumn draws near, enjoy the end of summer with a Mediterranean-inspired dish using Australian beef and perfect for sharing with friends. Find more inspiration at beefandlamb.com.au. Char-grilled with mixed olive sauce

4 1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. SERVES: 2. Cut top from each tomato and set aside. Remove flesh from tomatoes using a 4 200g rump , trimmed teaspoon, leaving a 1cm-thick border around the edges, discarding the flesh. Place tomatoes cut side down on a plate lined with paper towel. 4 large vine-ripened tomatoes 80g cooked brown rice 3. Combine rice, one clove of garlic, zucchini, feta, currants and parsley in a medium bowl. Season. Divide rice mixture among tomato shells. Place on prepared tray. Spray 3 garlic cloves, crushed lightly with olive oil spray. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Add reserved tomato tops to ½ large zucchini, finely diced tray. Bake for five minutes or until tomatoes are tender but still hold their shape. 25g feta cheese, crumbled 4. Meanwhile, brush steaks with one tablespoon of oil and season. Heat a char grill or barbecue over medium-high heat. Cook steaks for three to four minutes each 1 tbsp parsley leaves, finely chopped side or until cooked to your liking. Set aside on a plate loosely covered with foil plus extra leaves, to serve to rest for five minutes. 1 tbsp currants 5. In a non-stick pan heat remaining oil over medium 3 tbsp olive oil heat and gently fry olives for one to two minutes. 1 cup pitted mixed olives Add remaining garlic and capers and fry for one to two minutes. Remove from heat and stir through 1 tbsp baby capers, rinsed lemon zest and juice. Season. Zest and juice of one lemon plus 6. Serve steaks with olive sauce, tomatoes, wedges, to serve silverbeet and lemon wedges. Steamed silverbeet, to serve

47 Join the action

MLA’s fork to farm seminar MLA’s Global Markets Forum Fostering beef’s prosperity: fork to farm journey

Monday 7 May at 2pm-5pm Wednesday 9 May MLA trade site, P1 adjacent to James Lawrence Pavilion James Lawrence Pavilion the Walter Pearce Pavilion

Celebrity chefs Curtis Carcase value adding demos The 360° Paddock to Plate Stone, MLA’s Sam Burke immersion tour and Tarek Ibrahim Monday – Friday The Celebrity Chef Restaurant The ’s Kitchen Enquire at MLA’s trade site

Principal partner of Beef Australia 2018

mla.com.au/beefaustralia2018