
Herd management
Enhancing breeding herd performance through improved systems and interventions.
Northern Breeding Business (NB2) is a strategic RD&A partnership which aims to improve the long-term viability and sustainability of the northern Australian beef industry by:
NB2 provides northern beef business owners and managers with a unique opportunity to set directions for their business whilst working alongside other producers to exchange ideas and learn about new research and technologies.
Benefits include:
NB2 is a producer-directed research and adoption program exploring opportunities to improve reproductive rates, decrease mortality, increase turn-off weights and improve genetic potential in northern herds by:
Enhancing breeding herd performance through improved systems and interventions.
Exploring issues in rangeland management and the long-term sustainability of the northern beef industry.
Working in groups of up to 10 producers, with the support of a trained facilitator and producer coordinator, NB2 will support northern beef businesses to:
As part of the Pathway to practice pillar, seven regionally diverse producer groups have been established across northern Australia to provide direction and insight for the NB2 project. The groups are located across Queensland, Northern Territory and the Kimberley, Pilbara in Western Australia. Find out more.
Any producer who currently operates a beef breeding business in the northern Regional Beef Research Committee regions is welcome to join these groups (provided they meet certain criteria).
Each producer group will be supported by a producer coordinator and a trained group facilitator/s, including state department extension staff and qualified private consultants.
MLA is seeking expressions of interest for individuals interested in facilitating groups within the Northern Breeding Business (NB2) program. NB2 aims to bring together groups of up to 10 producers to measure business, herd and feedbase performance, then share perspectives and ideas to improve enterprise productivity and profitability. The role of group facilitator is key in bringing the group together, providing support for data collection, coordinating training activities, and facilitating constructive discussion within the group.
For more information download this Expression of interest
Expressions of interest should be submitted by email to asmith@mla.com.au by COB 31 July 2023.
For more information please contact:
Ainsley Smith
Beef Productivity Project Manager
Email: asmith@mla.com.au
Phone: 0474 199 470
Customised herd management plan
NB2 will provide producers with a process to identify issues limiting the performance of their breeder herd as well as overall productivity. To address the issues identified, participants will have the opportunity to build a customised, cost-effective breeder herd management plan.
Learn from your peers
Participants will be able to interact and share ideas with other producers in a group-learning environment under the guidance of a consultant.
Understand your business
Over a two to three year period, the NB2 groups will support producers with the implementation and monitoring of herd management plans. Participants will gain a better understanding of their overall business as part of this process.
Here are two resources to help identify a calf mortality or reproductive efficiency problem:
This will be different for each producer. Factors impacting the time involved for each participant include:
There will be several professional development days (in a group-learning environment) over a two to three year period. A checklist covering what producers need to do to participate will be provided.
The fee to join an NB2 producer group is $2,000/per business (including GST).
There may also be costs in gathering the required information, depending on the individual’s situation. For example, if you’re not already pregnancy testing (preferably with foetal aging), this will be an additional expense. Some of the recommended changes could involve capital costs, which will be accompanied by a cost-benefit analysis.
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