Pasture update | Fleurieu Peninsula, SA

MLA and the Grassland Society of Southern Australia, together with Fleurieu Beef Group and Fleurieu Forward Farming Group, are bringing together a range of speakers to present up-to-date research topics at an MLA Pasture update.

Speakers and topics:

1. Professor Wayne Pitchford, Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Adelaide:

• two local case studies using EBVs to discover opportunities to maximise productivity in a commercial grassfed beef herd.

2. Five minute snapshots of five animal science student post-graduate degree projects related to pastures and beef production:

• public attitudes to animal welfare – Emily Buddle, PhD student
• handling pasture finished cattle in Lairage – Farrah Preston, PhD student
• modelling nutrient requirements for finishing grassfed steers – Curtis Vilani, Honours student
• carcase pricing feedback to producers – Chloe Trotta, Honours student
• genomic selection in Waygu cattle – Rudi McEwin, PhD student.

3. Melissa Rebbeck, consultant, climate and agricultural support and Greg Butler, consultant soil and soil biology:

• key pasture productivity results from local soil health trial sites on acid sandy soils
• retaining soil moisture and nutrients in sandy soils.

4. David Brown, consultant, Holmes Sackett, Wagga Wagga:

• beef business profit drivers.

5. MLA speaker (TBA):

• MLA’s sustainable feedbase R&D outcomes
• handy tools and resources from MLA.

6. Melissa Rebbeck and Greg Butler, consultants:

• farm walk to local beef producer Geoff Bowles’ property with a pasture/soils/biochar focus
• assess pasture quality (and quantity) for growing beef weaners
• inspect soil structure and soil profile with different soil treatments.