Keynote Address

Professor Graeme Martin: We need to be ready for great change in our markets and our livestock operating environment, posing problems that science will need to solve. How will this happen? How can science help ensure profitability and product value in the face of a rapidly changing world?

Making the transition to non-mulesed flocks

Dr Bronwyn Clarke interviews Brookton farmer Ashley Hobbs and asks the hard questions about the reality of transitioning to non-mulesing. She is joined by a series of technical experts, including Narelle Sales, Johan Greeff and Jen Smith, to help consider the realities of resistance to preventative chemical treatments; genetic trade-offs and the emotional roller-coaster that goes with the non-mulesing decision. We deliberately leave plenty of time for audience Q&A to take advantage of the experience we have at hand.

 Challenging your own sheep reproduction paradigm

Dr Caroline Jacobson interviews farmer and WALRC Chair Tim Watts to unpick the lamb survival story on Tim’s farm at Pingelly, through thorough data analysis. Caroline explores the surprises and the on-farm changes at the fingertips when data delivers the full story. They also play with some scenarios, such as what the data tells us would change if Tim moved his system to terminal sires.

What do we do with the reality of DEXA?

With the DEXA system scheduled for installation at WAMMCO on February 15, this has the potential to accelerate selection for Lean Meat Yield – and maybe as a consequence play havoc with Eating Quality. According to Prof Graham Gardner it all comes back to what breeders will do with sire selection and performance recording; and how commercial producers use that information. Graham is joined by WAMMCO’s Rob Davidson and producer Rivers Hyde, together with sheep reproduction scientist Dr Andrew Thompson to establish what needs to happen on farm to take full advantage of this new technology.

How big is the optimal beef cow? And have EBVs driven a confusing set of behaviours in this quest?

Hosted by Prof David Pethick

Cow size has been increasing – some say by 100-150kg since the 1970’s. This is associated with the drive for increased growth which is of course is very important for feed efficiency both at pasture and in the feedlot. How does a breed and the Industry handle this issue?

Prof Wayne Pitchford, who ran the Beef CRC Maternal productivity program is joined by Nannup producer and lot feeder Matt Camarri – and draws on the technical expertise of Brad Walmsley from AGBU to determine if size really does matter.

Does Regen Ag increase profitability and improve sustainability? And does the science that advocates it stack up?

UWA agronomist Dr Megan Ryan calls on the expertise of CSIRO’S Professor John Kirkeguard and DPIRD’s Sarah Collins to unpick if chemical fertilisers are destroying our soil health and if so called ‘conventional’ farming practises will deliver the necessary levels of soil carbon?

Megan is then joined by NZ soil scientist Doug Edmeades who provides the NZ-reality-check, as farming comes under genuine threat.

We finish this segment with ample time for audience Q&A and encourage producers to call on the science to help navigate their future farming decisions.