northern beef research update conference

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Northern Beef Research Update Conference 2023

22/08/2023 - 25/08/2023.

With over 200 people expected to arrive in Darwin to attend the 2023 Northern Beef Research Updates Conference (NBRUC) in August, the organising committee has put the call out for presentations to be submitted for the ‘Beef Bites’ program.

Chair of the NBRUC organising committee and Katherine beef producer, Jay Mohr Bell, said the Beef Bites presentations would add a lively, fast-paced dimension to a packed program of research and development presentations built around the theme of Recipes for Success.

Presentations should fit under the following themes:

• livestock performance and management
• feed base including rangelands and pastures
• technology, data management and use
• animal welfare and best practice
• human capacity, social science, extension.

Interested parties should register their interest on the  Northern Beef Research Update Conference website

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Northern beef research update in Darwin kicks off

Some of the country's biggest names in beef research, production, extension, sales and consumption have converged on Darwin this week, with everything from methane to pasture quality, genomics and tick resistance under the spotlight.

The 2023 Northern Beef Research Update Conference kicked off with drinks and hors d'oeuvres by the waterfront on Tuesday evening, August 22. The event has attracted hundreds of delegates.

Headline acts on the speaker registry include sensory scientist and flavour chemist associate professor Heather Smyth from the University of Queensland's Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, who will present an innovation for advancing the sensory quality of Australian beef.

Dr David Riley, Professor of Animal Breeding and Genomics in the Department of Animal Science and a member of the Faculty of Genetics at Texas A&M University will also appear, alongside Dr Derek Bailey, a Professor of Range Science at New Mexico State University.

Shan Goodwin

Shan Goodwin steers ACM’s national coverage of the beef industry. Shan has worked as a journalist for 30 years, the majority of that with agricultural publications. She spent many years as The Land’s North Coast reporter and has visited beef properties and stations throughout the country and overseas. She treats all breeds equally. Contact 0427686187. E: [email protected]

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2023 Northern Beef Research Update Conference

August 22, 2023 - august 25, 2023.

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DAF staff recognised at Northern Beef Research Update Conference

The triennial Northern Beef Research Update Conference (NBRUC), hosted by the North Australia Beef Research Council (NABRC), was held in Brisbane on 19–22 August. The fifth NBRUC in 12 years continued to draw participants from across Australia and internationally. Over 370 delegates (producers, researchers, extension staff, private consultants, funders and students) attended to network, learn and share their work in beef cattle research and management.

Joe Rolfe, Principal Beef Extension Officer (Mareeba), was presented with the 2019 NABRC Communicator/Extension medal by NABRC chairman Dr Lee Fitzpatrick who said, “Through a 29 year career with the Department, Joe has excelled in the extension field and shown dedication and commitment to the northern beef industry. Joe’s leadership and knowledge of industry needs, combined with an ability to form lasting relationships with funding bodies has ensured the beef team have delivered to industry. Joe empowers producers, work colleagues, friends and community groups through his active listening, caring, valuing everyone’s input and striving for continuous improvement.”

Dr Rob Dixon, a Senior Research Fellow at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, a partnership between the University of Queensland and DAF, received the 2019 NABRC Scientist/Researcher medal. This was in recognition for his contribution to northern beef industry research and development, specifically in the field of ruminant nutrition and his ability to focus on developing better practical solutions for industry problems.

Kylie Hopkins, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Rockhampton, won the NBRUC 2019 award for best Soapbox presentation within the Animal Welfare, Nutrition and Genetics category. Kylie presented the results of an on-farm trial in central Queensland to determine the effect of compensatory gain on productivity and profitability of grazing weaners on oats.

Gabrielle Penna also won the NBRUC 2019 award for best Soapbox presentation within the Building Human Capability for a Sustainable Industry/Agritech and Smart Farming/Farming Systems category. Gabrielle’s presentation was about benchmarking to improve long-term carrying capacity estimates for extensive grazing properties in Queensland.

Beef producer awards were presented to well respected cattleman, Ross Peatling, who won the Producer Medal, and Ben McGlynn, manager of Rocklands Station, who took out the NABRC Young Achiever Medal.

NABRC is an alliance of beef producers, research, development and extension providers and funders operating across the Northern Territory, Queensland, and the Pilbara and Kimberly regions of Western Australia. It provides a forum to identify priority issues facing the north Australian beef industry, establishes strategic and project-based partnerships, and promotes priority issues for addressing by RD&E providers.

NABRC medals recognise people who have achieved excellence in the fields of production, research and development and communication/extension in north Australia.

• Grazier / Pastoralist
• Private service provider (livestock agent, nutritionist, geneticist, natural resource management group, consultant, transport operator, etc)
• Public service provider (government officer, researcher, extension officer, etc)
• North Queensland
• North West Queensland
• Central West Queensland
• South West Queensland
• Central Queensland
• South East Queensland
• Barkly Region, Northern Territory
• Southern Northern Territory
• Katherine / Victoria River District, Northern Territory
• Kimberley / Pilbara, Western Australia

The economics of phosphorus supplementation of beef cattle grazing northern Australian rangelands

A Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Rockhampton, PO Box 6014, Red Hill, Qld 4701, Australia.

B Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Qld 4350, Australia.

C Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, CAS, The University of Queensland, Rockhampton, PO Box 6014, Red Hill, Qld 4701, Australia.

D Department of Primary Industry and Resources, GPO Box 3000, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

Animal Production Science 60(5) 683-693 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN19088 Submitted: 12 February 2019  Accepted: 20 July 2019   Published: 23 September 2019

Context: Phosphorus (P) deficiency occurs in beef cattle grazing many rangeland regions with low-P soils, including in northern Australia, and may severely reduce cattle productivity in terms of growth, reproductive efficiency and mortality. However, adoption of effective P supplementation by cattle producers in northern Australia is low. This is likely to be due to lack of information and understanding of the profitability of P supplementation where cattle are P-deficient.

Aims: The profitability of P supplementation was evaluated for two dissimilar regions of northern Australia, namely (1) the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, and (2) the Fitzroy Natural Resource Management (NRM) region of central Queensland.

Methods: Property-level, regionally relevant herd models were used to determine whole-of-business productivity and profitability over 30 years. The estimated costs and benefits of P supplementation were obtained from collation of experimental data and expert opinion of persons with extensive experience of the industry. The economic consequences of P supplementation at the property level were assessed by comparison of base production without P supplementation with the expected production of P-supplemented herds, and included the implementation phase and changes over time in herd structure. In the Katherine region, it was assumed that the entire cattle herd (breeders and growing cattle) grazed acutely P-deficient land types and the consequences of (1) no P supplementation, or P supplementation during (2) the dry season, or (3) both the wet and dry seasons (i.e. 3 scenarios) were evaluated. In the Fitzroy NRM region, it was assumed that only the breeders grazed P-deficient land types with three categories of P deficiency (marginal, deficient and acutely deficient), each with either (1) no P supplementation, or P supplementation during (2) the wet season, (3) the dry season, or (4) both the wet and dry seasons (i.e. 12 scenarios).

Key results: In the Katherine region, year-round P supplementation of the entire cattle herd (7400 adult equivalents) grazing acutely P-deficient pasture resulted in a large increase in annual business profit (+AU$500 000). Supplementing with P (and N) only in the dry season increased annual business profit by +AU$200 000. In the Fitzroy NRM region, P supplementation during any season of the breeder herd grazing deficient or acutely P-deficient pastures increased profit by +AU$2400–AU$45 000/annum (total cattle herd 1500 adult equivalents). Importantly, P supplementation during the wet season-only resulted in the greatest increases in profit within each category of P deficiency, comprising +AU$5600, AU$6300 and AU$45 000 additional profit per annum for marginal, deficient and acutely P-deficient herds respectively.

Conclusions: The large economic benefits of P supplementation for northern beef enterprises estimated in the present study substantiate the current industry recommendation that effective P supplementation is highly profitable when cattle are grazing P-deficient land types.

Implications: The contradiction of large economic benefits of P supplementation and the generally low adoption rates by the cattle industry in northern Australia suggests a need for targeted research and extension to identify the specific constraints to adoption, including potential high initial capital costs.

Additional keywords: farm-management economics, P nutrition, P supplementation, tropical pastures.

DRIVING INNOVATION & PROSPERITY

PROUDLY DRIVING INNOVATION FOR A  PROSPEROUS NORTHERN BEEF INDUSTRY

NABRC connects producers, researchers and industry stakeholders to drive improved production in Australia’s northern grassfed beef industry. 

As an independent association, NABRC breaks down barriers between research scientists and grassroots producers to enrich research and simplify adoption.

We draw on the knowledge, insight and expertise of its vast network to prioritise and influence RD&E/A efforts in northern Australia.

GET INVOLVED

NABRC is made up of 11 Regional Beef Research Committees across Queensland, Northern Territory and the northern regions of Western Australia.  By engaging with NABRC, producers can draw attention to any issues their region faces and help set the research priorities for agencies like Meat & Livestock Australia.

Nominations Open for NABRC Medals

Awards for excellence in research, development,  extension or industry leadership

Join a Regional Committee

Be a voice for your region at our regular NABRC meetings

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WHAT WE  DO

NABRC members help set the research and development priorities for agencies such as Meat and Livestock Australia on behalf of producers in their region.

Our 11 regional committees meet at least twice a year to discuss strategic and industry issues.

We publish an annual list of research, development and adoption issues affecting the northern grassfed beef industry.

We also make a formal submission to Meat and Livestock Australia's annual Investment Call based upon feedback and consultation with RBRC's.

WHERE WE  OPERATE

We provide support, advice and leadership to producers and organisations throughout Northern Australia. This includes Queensland, the Northern Territory and the Pilbara and Kimberley Regions of Western Australia.

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Calf loss causes to headline Northern Beef Research Update Conference

BRISBANE’S upcoming Northern Beef Research Update Conference will shine a light on the costly problem of peri-natal calf loss – a problem which costs the Australian beef industry an estimated $96.2 million per year.

Dr Raoul Boughton

Dr Raoul Boughton , an Australian researcher working at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, will bring a global perspective to the challenges of managing the problem.

The Northern Beef Research Update Conference is hosted by the North Australia Beef Research Council. Conference organising committee chair Andrew Gray said Dr Raoul’s presentation was a ‘not to be missed’ event for northern cattle producers.

“Little is known about the causes of peri-natal calf loss in northern Australia, making it incredibly difficult to manage and prevent, particularly when operating in extensive production systems,” Mr Gray said.

“Dr Raoul’s presentation is an exciting opportunity to hear how producers and researchers in other parts of the world are managing the problem.”

Early bird registrations closing soon

The Northern Beef Research Update Conference will be held in Brisbane from 19 to 22 August, with early bird registration discounts closing this Friday, July 19.

The conference is designed to provide industry participants an opportunity to network, learn and share technical information about important areas of beef research and management.

The comprehensive two-day program ( click here to view ) also features a keynote on “pitching beef research” from Professor Robert Faff , (pictured) from the University of Queensland’s Business School.

The presentation will cover top tips for students, post-graduates and career researchers to get their message across to supervisors, peers and funding agencies with impact, including a hypothetical Shark Tank experience for delegates.

The full conference program and online registration facilities are available at www.nbruc2019.com

Seeking producer members to assist in RD&A agenda in south-eastern Australia

Meanwhile, NABRC’s equivalent in southern Australia, the Southern Australia Livestock Research Council, is seeking to recruit key livestock producer members in south-eastern Australia.   The tenure of all positions will commence early in FY2019-20

SALRC is an independent, incorporated association and one of three national research council’s setup to provide recommendations on Research, Development & Adoption priorities and planning for grassfed beef and sheepmeat producers throughout Australia.

Working closely with their respective regional chairs, SALRC’s regional committee members provide the critical interface between RD&A providers and the needs of red meat and livestock producers.

All positions are open to any grassfed beef and/or sheepmeat producer who resides in the respective SALRC regions (Northern NSW, Southern NSW, Central and Western NSW including QLD Sheep, Central VIC, Western VIC, South east Vic & Tas, and South Australia).

The successful candidates will have:

• Established commercial beef and/or sheepmeat production experience;
• A strong interest in RD&A within the context of red meat and livestock production;
• A detailed knowledge of red meat and livestock production in their region;
• A willingness and capability to take a leadership role to collate RD&A priorities on behalf of their region;
• A preparedness to act as industry and community advocates on livestock RD&A issues.

The selection committee will consider expressions of interest for Regional Committee Member positions on 2 August.

For more information, including selection criteria, roles and responsibilities, and application details, Click here .

Expressions of interest should be emailed to [email protected]

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