Nick Sangster Program Manager Grassfed Productivity

On farm research, development and adoption at MLA to 2020

On farm research, development and adoption at MLA to 2020

Australia vs global cattle prices

National cattle herd

Source: ABS, MLA estimates

Australian live cattle exports

Source: ABS, MLA estimates

1 million head

Beef export markets - 2015

North America

$3.44bn

459,218

EU/Russia

$299m

24,593 China

$1.0bn

148,222

Korea

$1.2bn

166,588

Indonesia

$241m

39,134SE Asia

$370m

57,136

MENA

$437m

54,838

Global

$9.4bn

1.29m

Amounts shown in $A (estimated based on 11 months data). Weight in shipped tonnes (full year data).

Japan

$1.86bn

285,224

Australia vs global cattle prices

Topics

• MLA focus and MISP 2020

• Funding streams

• Annual call process and consultation

• Research profile on farm

• Adoption

• Future beef farms

• Discussion, questions

About MLA• Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd (MLA)

strives to be the recognised leader in delivering world class research, development and marketing outcomes that benefit Australian cattle, sheep and goat producers.

• Working in collaboration with the Australian Government and wider red meat industry, MLA's mission is to deliver value to levy payers by investing in initiatives that contribute to producer profitability, sustainability and global competitiveness.

• MLA is a producer owned, not-for-profit organisation and not an industry representative body.

Industry structure

Value to levy payers – R&D

2020 Plan

1. Consumer and Community Support

1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6

Continuous improvement of animal welfare

Minimising risk and impact of emergency disease

Minimising the impact of endemic disease

Minimising industry impact on the environment

Sustainable management of the natural resource base

Adapting to climate variability

4. Productivity and Profitability4.1 Decision

support to

improve

farming

businesses

4.1.1 Novel and cost-effective solutions identified to significantly raise and

measure (a) business skills and (b) capacity to innovate by 2020

4.1.2 Significant increase in (a) business skills and (b) capacity to

profitably apply R&D to farming operations by 2030

4.2 Increasing

livestock

productivity

through new

research

4.2.1 Minimum, whole-of-sector increases in productivity growth above

baseline levels: Northern beef production sector: 0.5% by 2020 and 2.5% by

2030

4.2.2 Minimum, whole-of-sector increases in productivity growth above

baseline levels: Southern beef production sector: 1.75% by 2020 and 7% by

2030

4.2.3 Minimum, whole-of-sector increases in productivity growth above baseline

levels: Sheepmeat production sector: 1.5% by 2020 and 5% by 2030

4.2.4 Minimum, whole-of-sector increases in productivity growth above baseline

levels: Feedlot production sector: 1% by 2020 and 2% by 2030

4.2.5 Minimum, whole-of-sector increases in productivity growth above baseline

levels: Goat production sector: 0.5% by 2020 and 2.5% by 2030

Funding landscape

• Levies (declining in real terms)

• MLA Donor Company

• Rural R&D for Profit

• CRCs

• Leverage opportunities

• Annual call• Strategic partnerships

GeneticsWelfare

Cattle levy allocation

GRASSFED GRAINFED

Grassfed cattle investment 2014-15

Levies + Govt AMPC MDC Contributions

55 14 60 ~40

2017 ($M)projected

Producer Consultation Strategy

2017/18 MLA annual project call

Preliminary proposals

Mid Jan – mid Feb 2016 Producer Panel review

Early Mar 2016

2017/18 MLA annual project call

Invite full proposals

Mid-Mar – mid-Apr 2016

Expert Panel

Early May 2016

Producer Panel review

Late May 2016

Red Meat Panel

Mid Jun 2016

2017/18 NABRC, SAMRC and

WALRC RD&A priorities

Early Sep 2015

Red Meat Panel

Mid Dec 2015

MLA implementation

Aug 2016

Annual call cycle for levy-funded research

185

169

34

99

2118

19

Priorities (Beef examples)

Feedbase, pasture growth, legumes, adoption S1, W1, N3, N8

Business Management, decision support N1, W2, N4, S4, S8, W10

Disease control and biosecurity N2, S5, N6, W7

Animal Welfare, eg mortality, pain relief,

community engagement

S5, W7, N6, N7

Skill development S8, N10

Supply chain enhancements S3, W6

Livestock productivity N5 (genetics), N9, N11, N12

Labour costs W4, S6

The door is open for Regional C’ttees!

• Get informed

• Align with MISP 2020 impacts

• Invite speakers, ask advice, come to forums

• Embrace electronic communication

• Promote priorities with your Chair

• Identify goals and provide arguments

• The region’s priorities need to be championed

Research and Development

• Feedbase

• Methane mitigation

• Productivity

• Health and Welfare

• Climate prediction and spatial analysis

• Fast tracking biological control - $2.8m national project (Federal

government + MLA + regional partner cash) – leverage of MLA’s $400k

investment

• Blackberry; Gorse; Silverleaf nightshade; Cactus; Parkinsonia,

Parthenium

• Improving BMP strategies (Silverleaf nightshade) via the Graham Centre

• Low cost weed strategies (for herbicide

resistance - with GRDC & CSU/ NSW DPI)

- weed suppressive crops / pastures /silage

Weed management

Source Hanwen Wu NSW DPI

RABBITS

• ‘RHD Boost’ – finding & release of a new calicivirus

• “RHD Accelerator” – culturing virulent RHD viruses

WILD DOGS– tactical and strategic approach

• A new toxin – seeking registration

• Limiting the wild dog source – impacts

PIGS – Sodium Nitrite toxin – APVMA submission 2016

AGILE Wallaby – devising a management program in the NTPractices and institutional arrangements for effective control

Pest animals

30 groups across Australia who are:

• Innovative, information seeking producers - participating in research

• Testing - if and how new research fits within farm systems

• Working with MLA to speed up the development and adoption of research

• Adding value to the existing research (labour efficiency, workload….)

• Inform future research

Participatory R&D projects

What participatory

producer groups are doing

Virtual group

- all Victoria

In collaboration with Murdoch Uni,

DAFWA & CSU, NSW DPI

• Evaluating new legumes:

o Establishment / sowing –

using hardseeds to

advantage; delaying

germination

o Grazing & animal production

• Serradella / Biserrula / clovers

Annual legumes

Mitigation opportunities = production

efficiencies

33

0

5

10

15

20

30 51 72

Me

than

e (

g/k

g D

M in

take

)

Time (days)

Control

Asparagopsis algae fed to

sheep

Improving market compliance for

pasture-fed beef (Rural R&D4P)

• BeefSpecs optimisation

tool

• Aim: objective measure of

live animal to predict

growth path and carcase

including MSA

• Complemented with 3D

imaging and adaptation for

Northern herds

• Future drafting tool

MSA & revised long distance transport

MLA co-funds long-term prediction models for livestock industries, updated monthly. Expect to delivera 15% improvement on seasonal forecasting accuracy with a 20 fold increased spatial resolution.

Producers can now use this information to help make longer-term decisions and the accuracy of the information is improving. http://www.bom.gov.

au/climate/outlooks

NRM Spatial Hub

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

National MSA beef grading numbers

33c/kg

29c

28c

19c

• MSA Beef Compliance at 93% across 3.2m cattle

- Farm gate returns of $260m last year

Within the last 4 years

+ 50% increase in numbers + 58% increase in premiums

= Double the value to producers

Adoption

•Challenges

•Steps

•Farms of 2030

Challenges with adoption

• Low perceptions of need for change

• Lack of awareness

• Lack of time to properly evaluate

• Poor perceptions about cost/benefit

• User pays model is inevitable

• Lack of real-world peer examples

• Lack of infrastructure/finance/labour

Time from idea to research outcome to adoption!

Adoption steps

Awareness FEEDER *EDGE PGSPractice change

BeefUps

www.MLA

FeedBack

RBRCs

Forums

Work shops

Apps/ on line

Webinars

Theory Practice

Business*

Nutrition*

Breeding*

Whole

farm

management

Farm innovation network

$

• Satellite maps linked to animal remote sensing virtual fencing and weather forecasts

• Objective measures available for optimising market specifications, backgrounding

• Value-based pricing built into data systems• Tropical legumes impacting 40% of properties• Compliance of welfare standards (lower

mortality, polled stock, chemical spaying)• Genomic trait data provided at bull purchase• Freedom from exotic disease maintained

FarmS of 2030

MLA – to 2020 and beyond

• In response to feedback, MLA ensures producers at a regional

level have direct input into setting R&D priorities

• MLA is focussed on:

– delivering value to all levy payers

– ensuring effective communications via a range of channels on

levy investment and return on investment

• MLA is a service provider to the red meat and livestock industry

and understands the needs of producers.

• MLA aims to be the go-to organisation for consumer insights,

market information, R&D reporting, driving demand for red meat

and thought leadership including an industry digital strategy

Discussion and questions