Conference Overview
Global market opportunities
The potential for growth in the beef cattle genetics industry is enormous and Australia is at the forefront.
The Bayer and Bioniche International Beef Cattle Genetics Conference, and the Genetics and Reproduction Technologies Marketplace, hosted by Bayer Australia Ltd, promoted the latest research and technologies, and allowed producers to follow up on new business concepts and contacts.
The conference brought together internationally recognised experts in the commercial application of Beef Cattle Genetics and Genomics. A highlight of the conference was the two keynote addresses. On Sunday Dr Peter Barnard, General Manager International Markets and Economic Services, Meat & Livestock Australia outlined the International Market Opportunities for Beef. On Monday Professor Mike Goddard delivered the genomic predictions to BREEDPLAN – major research results from the Beef CRC.
The program for the conference is available here.
DAY ONE PRESENTATIONS IN FULL
Dr Peter Barnard, MLA - Global market prospects for beef and competition from other meat products
Brian Burns – Senior Research Fellow, Genetics, Animal Breeding & Reproduction, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation - Male fertility
Raysildo Lobo – President ANCP, Brazil - Brazilian experience in selection for fertility in zebu breeds including incorporation of DNA marker technology
Steve Skinner – Manager, International Beef Recording Scheme - BREEDPLAN technology and the various companion products – BreedObject, TakeStock, Breed Audit
Jack Allen – Technical Director, Agricultural Business Research Institute, Armidale - The countries which use BREEDPLAN technology
Craig Huffhines – Executive Vice President, American Hereford Association - A case study of international genetic evaluations – Pan American Evaluation
Rob Banks – Manager, Program Development and Evaluation, Meat & Livestock Australia - MateSel – a new genetic tool for the beef industry
Wayne Pitchford - Maternal productivity research results for Bos Taurus breeds in Southern Australia
Steve Skinner and Andrew Byrne - BREEDPLAN International Technology
Craig Huffhines and Brad Crook - International Genetic Evaluations
Arthur Rickards – Business Development Consultant, ABRI, University of New England, Armidale & Don Nicol – Breedlink Pty Ltd, Cattle Breeding Consultants - What Australia offers as a source of world leading genetics and genetic technologies (The full research paper is available here.)
DAY TWO PRESENTATIONS IN FULL
Mike Goddard - University of Melbourne and DPI Victoria - Beef CRC delivers genomic predictions to BREEDPLAN - making EBVs more accurate
Peter Parnell – Chief Executive Officer, Angus Australia - How Australian Angus is applying genomics technology to its breeding programs
Dorian Garrick – Iowa State University - A case study of the American Hereford/Iowa State University collaboration in genomics
Gabriel A. Bo (IRAC – Argentina) - Bioniche Animal Health - Developments in Al techniques for delivery of elite genetics
Nigel Alexander – CEO, The North Australian Pastoral - Composite breeding to meet market end points
Richard Eldershaw – Livestock Manager, Rangers Valley Cattle Station - How genetics can be used to improve profitability through the supply chain
Nick Cameron – Manager, Nindooinbah - Conducting large ET programs in the sub-tropics
Mike Goddard – University of Melbourne and DPI Victoria - Can collaboration between countries accelerate genomic developments and how genomics will change the beef industry over the next 10 years
Marketplace
After the conference a number of international delegates attended the Bayer Genetics and Reproduction Technologies Marketplace during the week of the exposition.
The Marketplace provided the ideal post-conference venue to see in detail how the latest research is applied, as well as played host to a number of free seminars highlighting cutting edge technology.
Who attended?
- beef industry groups and breed society representatives;
- university and genetics research centres scientists and staff;
- commercial beef genetics research and development organisations;
- companies wanting to promote new technologies;
- commercial beef cattle breeders;
- stud cattle operators;
- artificial breeding companies;
- government officials working in animal quarantine and biosecurity agencies;
- government officials working in import / export protocol management agencies;
- government officials in charge of state and national departments of agriculture;
- commercial genetics import and export companies; and,
- beef cattle genetics industry investors.
