Maternal Productivity Project: The Maternal Journal: Giving the girls some credit.
The Beef CRC Maternal Productivity research program is focussed on the maternal contribution to beef productivity. The program is aiming to improve breeding herd efficiency (kg calf / MJ energy per cow and calf unit) by an average of 0.5% per annum in at least 50% of specialist beef enterprises in temperate Australia from 2012.
Currently there are industry concerns about the impact on breeding herd efficiency of adopting selection strategies influencing body composition (e.g. possibly via selection for improved feed efficiency or increased yield) especially in variable nutritional environments. The impact of changing cow body composition will become more important in the future as commercial cow-calf operations are forced into more marginal and variable environments. In contrast, it is anticipated that there will be a trend for greater intensification of growing and finishing systems (e.g.: lot feeding, high performance pasture systems) in order to meet demanding market requirements for end-product yield and quality. Under this scenario the beef industry requires resilient maternal genotypes (cows) and production systems that can efficiently utilise variable feed resources. Females will need to efficiently store and mobilise body tissue as required whilst also having the potential to produce progeny that meet high quality market targets. The industry currently lacks the knowledge to effectively balance these potentially conflicting requirements. This research is designed to bridge the knowledge gap and involves two cattle projects being run simultaneously.
The research station project being run at Vasse WA and Struan SA is intensive and involves raising females under controlled stocking rates to provide information on feed efficiency as well as more detailed measures of reproductive performance. All of the measurements taken on industry herds will also be recorded on experimental cattle on research stations.
Some interesting global snippets that will hopefully allow you to visualise that with strong commitment and a decent season, the Australian Beef Industry can experience some of the supposed “soft commodity boom”.
1. A recent tour to Texas, Oklahoma & Kansas illuminated the following observation:
♣ The world revolves around the US Corn price schedule which is strongly challenged due to recent floods in Iowa and increased consumption via beef and dairy feedlots, chicken & pork industries and ethanol production.
Australian grain price responds to US corn price on a weekly basis.
“Centre of the plate” protein will increase in the USA due to price escalation of corn from past levels of 250-300¢ / bushel to a current high of 850¢ / bushel and above.
The major poultry producer in the USA, Pilgrims, lost $890 million dollars due to increased feed costs alone. Obviously if chicken and pork are going to cost more to produce, current feedlot losses of $80-$140/hd will be rectified via price increase to consumers.
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Note the increase in corn yields in the table above since the advent of Genetically Modified (GM) corn from the mid nineties.
♣ The World needs feeding – more people means more protein is required.
Click here to view : World Report: Beef Consumption By Population extract.
♣ USA beef cattle herds are dominated by a large number of small herds, which obviously does not improve carcase uniformity. See below graph from www.cattlenetwork.com:
Click here to view: 2007 US Beef Cow Operations & Inventory extract.
♣ Changes to the Australian Export Markets can be seen in the table provided by Meat & Livestock Australia in the June 25th edition of The Weekly Times newspaper:
(below right)
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2. Sorting Through BVDV Vaccine Issues
Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) is a popular topic today, particularly BVDV vaccines. One point of discussion is whether BVDV vaccine strains should be rotated. When the genetic diversity of BVD is being discussed, it is often likened to a swarm of bees in that the virus’ are diverse and not necessarily genetically alike. Most researchers have
categorised BVD virus strains found in cattle into the following four groups:
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, referred to as genotypes.
Some general statements about BVDV vaccines:
♣ If you vaccinate with a vaccine containing a single genotype of BVD virus, (a type 1 virus, for example), you can expect at least some protection from other genotypes (such as type 2). This also is know as cross-protection.
♣ The protection will be enhanced or made more reliable if the vaccine strain used is in the same broad genotype group (type 1 or 2) as the wild type BVD virus to which the animal is exposed.
♣ When foetal infection and protection from persistent infection is considered, statement number 2 (above), becomes even more critical.
♣ No vaccine will protect all foetuses from infection from all strains of BVD viruses.
♣ Having a type 1 and a type 2 BVD virus in a vaccine program is essential to broad protection.
♣ If you use a BVDV vaccine that contains both a type 1 and type 2 strain to provide antigenic diversity and get the broadest antigenic spread in a vaccine program, there is no scientifically justified reason to rotate vaccines.
NOTE: All backgrounding and some feedlots ear notch all purchased cattle and eliminate persistent infections (PI) within hours of purchase to prevent cross infection.
3. “Dining In” May 2008 Angus Journal (US) pg 166
In 2006, Food Technology magazine reported the economic slowdown was causing more consumers to cook at home. It also reported 77% of consumers ate dinner “in” at least five days a week.
4. “Communicating Beef’s Story” May 2008 Angus Journal (US) pg 192
The world of technology is fast-paced and ever-changing. It’s time that producers get caught up to speed. The fastest way to spread your story, and, more importantly, beef’s story, is through the internet. Today’s younger generation spends 85% of their time on a computer it seems; therefore, the best way to educate them on the importance of the beef industry and agriculture just might be through e-communication.
“Knowledge is Power” - Albert Einstein
For more information please email Reiland : Mark Lucas