P.PSH.1671 - Livestock Matters 2026
WALRC annually hosts a free event on farm in WA to engage producers and discuss research priorities.
| Project start date: | 06 February 2026 |
| Project end date: | 30 November 2026 |
| Publication date: | 11 June 2026 |
| Project status: | In progress |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | Western Australia |
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Summary
Livestock Matters is a free, on-farm extension initiative built around the guiding question, ‘what are the barriers to increasing productivity on your farm?’, engaging producers to surface practical constraints and opportunities directly from their experience. These insights, gathered through forum discussions and post-event surveys, are used by WALRC and MLA to inform trusted two-way communication and to develop and finalise the next round of MLA-funded R&D priorities, while also strengthening industry engagement, fostering optimism, and supporting participation, adoption and resilience during challenging periods.
Objectives
The project successfully delivered a sheep-focused forum in the Great Southern region, exceeding attendance targets with over 130 participants. All promotional, delivery, and evaluation objectives were achieved, with strong engagement reflected in 85 completed post-event surveys.
Key findings
The event achieved strong engagement, exceeding attendance targets and resulting in a minor budget variance due to increased participation. Post-event review processes identified key successes, areas for improvement, and industry priorities to inform future investment and submissions to MLA.
Benefits to industry
The forum delivered strong industry benefits through effective knowledge transfer and engagement, with 96.5% of participants reporting they learned something new. It also identified clear priorities for future research and strengthened industry collaboration, supporting improved decision-making and long-term sector sustainability.
MLA action
MLA continues to work with WALRC to collect and address RD&A priorities. Issues discussed at this event have been developed into priorities submitted to MLA to be developed into research.
Future research
High levels of attendance and engagement provided clear direction on industry research priorities and reinforced the importance of effective extension. While key knowledge gaps were identified, a major challenge remains the translation of research into practice, with future investment needed to support both targeted R&D and improved adoption pathways. WALRC will submit prioritised recommendations to MLA based on combined insights from recent forums.
More information
| Project manager: | Sienna Doolan |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
