More Beef from Pastures National Co-ordinator

Summary

MLA's More Beef from Pastures (MBfP) ongoing program was first developed in 2004 as a delivery framework for outputs from research and development (R&D) activities in southern beef production systems. The goal of More Beef from Pastures is The overall goal of the program is to achieve a sustainable (economic and environmental) increase in kilograms of beef produced per hectare through optimal management of the feedbase.
The program seeks to achieve its goals through the provision of principle and procedure-based information (detailed in the program manual) and tools extended through partnerships with contracted MBfP State Coordinators. The programs manual is an information package designed to deliver the essential principles and practices for a successful beef business. The manual draws on the latest R&D outputs, as well as the knowledge, skills and experience of producer advocates who helped write the seven modules. Producer Advocates play an important ongoing role in the program by fulfilling a peer support and program advocacy function. Every state coordinates a range of events, activities, workshops, demonstration sites, forums and coaching days that bring the principles, practices and tools from the MBfP program directly to producers.
The purpose of these activities is to raise awareness of MBfP and associated resources, build knowledge, skills and confidence, as well as implementing producer practice change activities. These projects have funded many aspects of this program including the contracting of national and state coordinators, producer tool and manual development, communication tools (such as newsletters), provision of training for deliverers, advocates, expos, evaluation, coordinators meetings and administration.
 
Project B.MBP.0006, Development BeefSpecs Tool
The purpose of this contract was to allocate funds to developing the desktop version of the BeefSpecs tool to subsequently become another tool delivered through the More Beef from Pastures program.
Current market specifications for beef cattle are primarily based on live and/or carcase weight and rump (P8) fat thickness.  BeefSpecs is a simple tool which allows the user to explore factors which affect fat deposition (and therefore thickness) at a future point in an animal's growth path, as dictated by its live weight and age.  This information can then be used to determine if and what management changes are needed to alter that growth path and assist a greater proportion of animals to meet target market specifications. The BeefSpecs tool was developed as part of the Beef CRC program and has been provided to MLA to turn into a producer friendly tool to help business management and meeting market specifications.