Angus Bulletin Summer 2023

Angus BULLETIN

Angus Hoofprint

In the first nine months of 2022, a total of 240,113 purebred Angus cattle had been listed through AuctionsPlus

ASBP Cohort 13 Sires Announced

The Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP) has seen the entry of 27 new bulls

In this issue...

Talking R&D at the Efficient Beef Field Day

The topic of efficient beef is one of hot discussion within the beef industry

The reach of the Angus Foundation

Over the course of 2022, several young people in the industry were afforded opportunities

Distributed by the Angus Society of Australia | Summer 2023

Presidents Report

Erica Halliday, President and Board Chairperson

Change is inevitable and it can be confronting or it can be welcomed.

At Angus Australia we have had many changes over the past year and as a Board we have tried to work with those changes to make life better for our members. We made a distinct effort to reach out and listen to you and with our new management team we sat down and decided what we wanted to change in creating our five year strategy. To this end we have heard that you enjoy the competitive advantage that our research and development has given us, but you want simpler ways of recording and selling your animals. If you have a complaint or misunderstanding you want to be heard, and mostly you want to connect with other members and the office.

With regard to Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and technology change, it is coming at us rapidly and most of us have embraced things like genomics and structural EBVs with gusto. While we do not have definitive answers in all these areas we know more than we ever have, and we are striving to do better all the time.

When Steve Miller from AGBU described the enhancements to our TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE) to the Genetic Evaluation Consultative Committee (which is a group of members) he made the analogy of tuning a vintage car. It may still run but it would do much better with a tune up, and if we used some new technology it could run better than it ever has before. In the case of TACE, the new genetic parameters are allowing us to better analyse EBVs (especially for the carcase traits). The upside of this is that we are now receiving more accurate and meaningful results, particularly reflective of current day Angus cattle and production systems. With the enhancements, we also acknowledge that some EBVs for some animals, especially for those carcase traits, may now change.

In deciding when to release TACE enhancements, we knew that the sooner the change happened,the sooner members would be in a position to use that information to make better breeding decisions. We empathise with those people who have some animals that now rank differently for their EBVs, but we believe it is more important to progress with the enhancements for the overall benefit to TACE and our members using the EBVs for their breeding decisions.

As I have always said, everyone has a right to breed the type of cattle that they feel suit their own specific country, markets and brand and it is the job of Angus Australia to provide the tools for them to do that. This is in the form of providing excellent registration and performance recording services, as well as marketing and research and development. Our commitment is to continually make these tools better and easier to use and we recognise that diversity in both genetics and minds will only make our breed greater as a result. The market in the end is the ultimate judge.

On the domestic front our members have weathered the combined forces of La Nina and Dipole events which have created record rainfalls across the country and devastating floods. Our thoughts go out to those affected and we are heartened to hear so many stories of members helping fellow members with offers of hay and agistment.

The generosity and kindness of our Angus family never ceases to inspire me.

The plans of the New Zealand Government to tax methane emissions of farm animals and the potential for Australia to sign Jo Bidens Methane Pledge should concern all beef producers. While Angus Australia with Meat and Livestock Australia and others are looking for ways to reduce methane emission from cattle on both a genetic and management front, we should not lose sight of the bigger picture. That is that despite methane emissions, beef production has the potential to be carbon neutral. Full stop. With increasing studies showing us that beef production in well managed grazing situations can actually be a net sequester of carbon, we know that not only can we hit net zero, but we can actually be part of the solution to climate change. If we lose sight of this bigger picture, we run the risk of resources being incorrectly allocated in both Australia and New Zealand (ie trees instead of farms), while the world is increasingly starving for protein.

On a happier note, I would like to acknowledge the many successes this year with record sales and some of the best grazing seasons in living memory. Special mention here must go to Millah Murrah with their world record breaking bull sale result. What an amazing and well deserved accolade. I would like to thank my fellow Board Members for their support and the amount of work and effort that they have put in, along with Scott and his amazing team at Angus Australia. We wish everyone a safe and happy Christmas. Erica.

President Erica Halliday & CEO Scott Wright

CEO Report

Scott Wright, Chief Executive Officer

Strategy is the word that has become etched into my mind this year.

Strategy is those few top-level decisions which the Board has agreed that we need to get right over the next 3 - 5 years. Those decisions chart our course and help us stay focused when either new challenges or opportunities present themselves. They help us gain clarity in an increasingly noisy world.

The new 5-year strategic plan has dominated my time and thinking. Together with the whole Board we have worked hard to distill down into a highly objective plan the collective thoughts, comments and wisdom of the membership, directors and staff. I have enjoyed the process immensely; in some ways it is like sniffing the wind to pick up on “throw away” lines that capture real gems of wisdom.

Thank you to everyone involved - the process has been long and intense. I am sure that some members speaking with me back in January have wondered when their ideas might find oxygen. It was a huge project to connect with the entire membership and to try and distill all of the collective wisdom into something workable - thank you for your patience! Finally, we are here and early in 2023 it will be released to the membership.

The new 5-year strategic plan will be formed around 6 pillars that seek to build on past success and push us forward into “blue oceans”. It is an exciting time to imagine where the breed could continue to develop as we look towards 2030. I would like to thank especially Erica Halliday for her constant encouragement but also all the directors and staff for their good nature, perseverance, thoughts and support.

When I answered phone calls from members in tears during the drought - I couldn’t imagine similar conversations with regards to floods. Our heart goes out to all who have been affected, if there is anything we can do at Angus Australia please get in touch with our staff. We have received and made many phone calls, but I am sure that there are many producers who have been missed.

By the time this bulletin goes to print members will have seen the release of our 2022 annual Trans Tasman Angus Cattle Evaluation (TACE) enhancements.

These changes bring real benefits to our TACE analysis and were needed. However, when there is change there is often a re-rankings of animals which will have consequences, some good and some bad, in terms of members and their selection decisions. If you have animals affected significantly or you’d like to discuss the changes I encourage you to get in touch with either our Extension team or Genetic Improvement team. Our staff are here to help, please make a call if you need any assistance or clarification.

What keeps us all in business is the ‘Angus Premium’! It is hard to overstate the importance that it plays at every step in the supply chain. The clearest objective and independent measure of success this year was the AuctionsPlus “The Breed Hoofprint” report which compared ten major beef breeds in terms of both seedstock bulls and commercial feeder steers. It shows clearly the Angus premium from commercial AuctionsPlus data and tells the story of the continued value that commercial beef producers place upon the Angus breed.

It has been a pleasure to connect with all our member groups this year. Most recently I had a very nice meeting with QLD Angus and we welcomed Warren Salter into the Chairmans position. Throughout 2023 it is our anticipation to connect with all the affiliated Angus groups and assist in making these groups even more active and useful in their very important role of connecting regional members with their bull buying clients. Our affiliated Angus groups are also a great way for myself to connect with members and get good, honest feedback. Please get in touch if your group has an event in 2023.

Could I take this opportunity to thank every member for their continued support of Angus Australia through 2022 and for your most sincere welcome as your new CEO. May you all have a very blessed Christmas and New Year period. I hope that you all can have some “down time” and enjoy time with family and friends. Finally, thank you to our wonderful staff who make the execution of our plans possible.

Yours sincerely, Scott Wright (CEO)

Left: HR Manager Kathryn Duddy, Extension Manager Jake Phillips, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer Cheyne Twist, Life Member Bill Cornell, Extenions Officer Nancy Crawshaw, Marketing & Communications Manager Diana Wood, & Senior Member Services Officer Adam Allingham at the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth Roundup, Right: Bill Cornell with Scott Wright at the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth Roundup

Images: Showcase By Branded Ag

Angus Australia’s “All Blacks”

Scott Wright, Chief Executive Officer

May 2021 saw a group of twenty four dedicated performance Angus breeders move their recording from Angus New Zealand to Angus Australia. This group is known collectively as AngusPRO.

Since that time another nine breeders moved their recording from Angus New Zealand to Angus Australia. Five New Zealand herds are not part of AngusPRO, however most are affiliated with that group. It is easy to have missed the inclusion of our new members however those members and staff who have been involved with our New Zealand members have been thoroughly impressed by their professionalism and quality of breeding. Our New Zealand members now contribute approximately 9,500 cows on inventory and are an important part of Angus Australia.

The AngusPRO group is headed by Tim Brittain. Tim is well known to many Australian members and is also the Secretary General of the World Angus Secretariat.

Our New Zealand members moved their recording to Angus Australia for many reasons however listed amongst them was a desire to work alongside like-minded breeders and to utilise Angus Australia’s technology, marketing and genetic improvement platforms.

Yes, there has been tension between the groups at the time of the move however Angus Australia has worked hard to maintain relationships with both Angus New Zealand and AngusPRO.

Angus Australia warmly welcomes our New Zealand members. If any of our Australian members have questions about this new section of members, please contact the CEO.

Angus Australia Farewells Ron Bower

Diana Wood, Marketing & Communications Manager

Ron spent the best part of his career at Angus Australia as the Accountant and in more recent years took on the role of Human Resources Manager.

As a man that was greatly admired by the staff of Angus Australia and of course the members, he will be missed by everyone who interacted with him during this time.

While at Angus Australia Ron served under three CEO’s and while he will tell you it was a privilege for him, the words below will tell you that it is around the other way.

The staff and members of Angus Australia wish Ron all the best for the future.

Graham Truscott, CEO Angus Australia 1994 - 2009

Soon after I took on the CEO role with the Angus Society, I met Ron as a real estate agent when our family was searching for a home in Armidale. I needed an accountant for the Society and Ron impressed me greatly, but sadly declined the job offer, being loyally committed to his company. Years later, again on the trail of an accountant, Fred Bell called me and personally recommended Ron, advising “You’ll never get a better bloke for the job.” And Fred was right, Ron took on the role, changed the whole face of finance in the Society – and became a great friend of mine. Ron’s diligence and accuracy always guaranteed our financial reports were correct to the cent. He introduced clear processes and developed trusting relationships with all staff, but perhaps even more importantly, with the members. Through “drought and flooding rains” Ron could pick up the phone to a member doing it tough and with care, kindness and concern, always arrive at an agreed repayment position resulting in a win-win for both parties. As the management team grew, Ron, with his real-world stock agency and real estate experience, became an invaluable advisor to our team, often contributing those gems of wisdom so needed for innovative and successful solutions. CEOs come and go, but Ron became an institution in Angus Australia, loved and respected by one and all. I can only wish my dear friend and colleague a joyful retirement, free to delight in grandchildren, cars, sun and surf.

its investments, physical resources and compliance requirements. On numerous occasions, the Society’s auditors commented to the CEO, and to the Board that Ron’s management of financial compliance was flawless. Of even greater importance was the critical role that Ron performed at the office as a stable influence, mentor and friend to the numerous staff who have served Angus Australia over the past 3 decades. Ron’s welcoming and accommodating nature has been particularly comforting to new staff and those who faced personal or professional challenges.

The transition of Ron’s role to Human Resources Manager in recent years was a natural and successful progression during the past several years leading up to Ron’s eventual retirement. Again, Ron’s dedication and competency in this role contributed enormously to the harmony and productivity of the Angus Australia office.

Angus Australia, and its members, are much indebted to the enormous effort, skills and dedication expressed by Ron during his distinguished career serving the Society.

Scott Wright, CEO Angus Australia 2022 - Current There

is a proverb that says:

Dr Peter Parnell, CEO Angus Australia 2009-2022

It was an absolute delight to have spent my career at Angus Australia working alongside Ron. Ron was the one constant during my role as Breed Development Manager in the late 1990’s, and throughout my role as CEO between 2009 and 2022. At all times Ron provided great support, encouragement and friendship, not just to me, but to my fellow Managers and staff, Directors and the entire membership.

During his role as the Society’s Accountant for many years, Ron performed an impeccable job at overseeing the Society’s daily financial transactions and managing

“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

The words diligence, integrity, perseverance, loyalty and industriousness come to mind when I think of Ron Bower and the work that he has done for “The Angus Society of Australia”. He is one of those people whose qualities are beginning to fade in our world.

Ron was always first into the office, always last out. He worked many weekends, many holidays without reward. Truly serving the society and putting it before himself, Ron managed to maintain relationships with everyone he interacted with. Wherever I go members ask me “How is Ron? Please say hello”.

After almost twenty-four years of service to Angus Australia, Ron Bower has retired from his position.

It is a rare achievement to work for three CEO’s. While Ron and I have comparatively only know each other for the last five years, I am indebted to him for giving me a role at Angus and for mentoring me as I moved through the organisation. We have good financial reserves at the society, which we could attribute to a number of factors. However, the most significant reason is that a man called Ron cared enough to be diligent and a superb steward over such a length of time.

On behalf of the current Board and Staff, Ron, may you have a blessed retirement - Thank you for your service!

Left to right: President Erica Halliday, Ron Bower & CEO Scott Wright, Ron Bower and Sinclair Munro NSW State Committee President in 2014and Ron Bower at his 20 years pf service celebration

Rennylea Angus

Sold: 212 | Top: $65,000 | $22,546

2022 Sale Season - CHA-CHING!

Diana Wood, Marketing & Communications Manager

Another year of smashing past records and rewriting new ones for the Angus breed has been the forefront of most media publications again this year, sharing the headlines of rainfall that will bog your tractor and lettuce priced at $10.

With the numbers climbing it was predicted to be another good year for the Angus market and it surely did not disappoint. And for those who mind a good statistic either, below is a brief summary of the by year stats for Angus bulls sold at suction. If you’d like to see the full bull sale statistics you can see them here, https://www.angusaustralia.com. au/news-events/sale-statistics-record-prices.

YEAR NO. OF SALES BULLS SOLD

TOP $ AVERAGE $

2022 207 11,811 $200,000 $15,770

2021 197 9,794 $280,000 $12,653

2020 174 8,695 $140,000 $8,106 2019 186 8,141 $160,000 $6,197

2018 182 9,245 $54,000 $6,837

2017 167 9,297 $110,000 $7,634 2016 158 8,405 $85,000 $7,375

Queensland

Total Sales: 15

Bulls Sold: 1,110

Top Price: $75,000

Top Bull: Ascot Rockafella R368 PV– QQFR368

Top Average: $24,507 – Ascot Angus Overall Average: $16,445

Queensland studs were definitely putting the best of the best out this year and it shows in the states results. Compared to 2020, the sale numbers are down but boy oh boy with a top price and a top average like the above no wonder there was overall average increase of 34%!

A state top price of $75,000 and an average of $24,507that’s right, you don’t need to go to Specsavers, you read it right.

Clearing 67 bulls, there was high demand for Ascot Angus bulls, and the bull that gained plenty of interest was Ascot

Rockafella R368PV (QQFR368). Going under the hammer for $75,000, Harvey, Jason and Denise Black, Mt Eniskillen, Tambo, QLD, secured the popular sire. Ascot’s average was up by 10% compared to last years average of $22,373, and their $24,507 average placed them in the top 10 averages for 2022 as the sixth highest average this year.

Another stud record average was made in early August, when JK Cattle Co. set their own record of $20,206 for 39 Angus bulls sold, Thus, making the JK Cattle Co. sale average the second highest for Queensland in 2022.

Tasmania

Total Sales: 12 Bulls Sold: 770

Top Price: $47,000

Top Bull: Cluden Newry R214 SV – THCR214

Top Average: $15,486 – Landfall Angus

Overall Average: $12,436

I know I keep saying this, but it’s definitely another year of high averages, and Tasmania is yet again proving that the bulls down south can get those punchy numbers.

Cluden Newry Angus has certainly put Tassie back on the “buy bulls here” map, securing top priced bull for the state.

Cluden Newry R214SV (THCR214) sold under the hammer for $47,000, selling to Jodie Foster of Boonaroo Angus. Being their autumn bull sale, Cluden Newry’s average for their 76 Sire Assured bulls sold was at $11,187.

Keeping the fellow Tasmanians on their toes with a cracking sale average was none other than Landfall Angus at their spring bull sale. Producing the goods once again, it was a perfect sale result to round off the year. Securing the

highest average and the second highest average for TAS, the results were in and looked very favourable for 2022. Their spring bull sale saw 241 Sire Assured bulls sell to an average of $15,486 (Landfall’s highest average to date) and their autumn bull sale trucking 210 bulls to an average of $13,933.

Western Australia

Total Sales: 25

Bulls Sold: 1,023

Top Price: $72,000

Top Bull: Coonamble Frontman R501 PV – WDCR501

Top Average: $15,316 – Mordallup Angus

Overall Average: $11,729

They say west is best, and that’s what seems to be coming out of WA at the moment. Bulls that are ticking all the right boxes, and an increase in the overall average of a whopping 29% from last year’s overall average of $9,067.

Emerging from Boyanup with a benchmark average of $15,316 was Mordallup Angus. Topping the average for the state with 77 bulls sold and topping their April sale twice with a top price of $32,000, Mordallup’s average was up 105% compared to last year’s average of $7,446.

Claiming second highest average and top priced bull with a ‘breaking record’ sale once again was Coonamble Angus. With 133 Sire Assured bulls selling to generate a sale average of $14,397, top priced bull Coonamble Frontman R501PV (WDCR501) sold for $72,000 and took home top dog honors beating the previous record of $32,000, making R501 was the highest priced bull sold this year in WA. Return buyers making this exciting purchase was the Bairstow family, Arizona Farms, Lake Grace.

Victoria

Total Sales: 38

Bulls Sold: 2,140

Top Price: $130,000

Top Bull: Te Mania Reaves R574 SV – VTMR574

Top Average: $20,752 – Banquet Angus

Overall Average: $13,366

Outstanding results coming out of Victoria this year across the board, with the number of sales up, number of bulls sold up, top price up and averages up! Things couldn’t be better for the studs when sales are reaching overall averages of $13,366 - that’s an increase of 31%! It’s no wonder bulls like Te Mania Reaves R574SV (VTMR574) are topping a price of $130,000.

Sold at Te Mania Angus’s Autumn bull sale in March, Te Mania Reaves R574SV was snavelled up by Boonaroo Angus. Delighted with her purchase, Jodie Foster, Principal of Boonaroo Angus said, “The most complete bull in the sale. Weight for age, muscling, body depth, really good structure and a combination of muscle, fat cover and marbling - just very much the complete bull, he covered every base and we couldn't be happier to have a bull like this come into our program - we're rapt”.

Earlier in the sale proved to be fruitful for Te Mania Angus, selling Lot 3 Te Mania Rhynie R1095PV (VMTR1095) for a record price of $120,000 before being succeeded by Reaves R574. Purchased in a syndicate consisting of Rennylea

Angus, Landfall Angus, Kunuma Angus and Bullseye Angus, the purchase of Rhynie R1095 had everybody talking. Rennylea stud co-principal Bryan Corrigan said the bull was a "very balanced bull and ticks a lot of boxes for our breeding objectives". Dean Lynch, Stud Principal of Kunuma Angus, also commented saying, “We are the highest Angus stud in Australia and our bulls are bred under harsh conditions and we have to have cattle that do, we're after do-ability and so are our clients and that bull’s going to fit the bill”.

All in all, the sale results for Te Mania Angus would definitely have had the team stoked, 165 Sire Assured bulls sold, an average of $18,437, giving them the second highest average for VIC and their sale toppers.

Another sale later in the season and a close call, when Alpine Angus emerged smashing their own record for the second year running at their spring sale, selling Alpine 38 Special S021PV (CGK21S021) for $120,000. Father and daughter purchasers Paul Solway and Siobhan Cowan, Arkle Angus, made the special trip from WA to purchase the 38 Special son. “We originally saw the bull six weeks ago on a trip through the area, and he was just a standout phenotypically for us. Structurally he is just excellent, and he is by 38 Special, who is a sire we have heard some really good things about, and we have used him ourselves and like what we see," Ms Cowan said.

Both Te Mania Rhynie R1095PV and Alpine 38 Special S021PV ranked equal sixth for top priced bulls in 2022, while Te Mania Reaves R574SV ranked at fifth position.

The highest average recorded for Victoria was Banquet Angus at their September bull sale for the second year running, surpassing their 2021 September sale average of $16,718. 32 bulls sold to an average of $20,752, a 24% increase in this result compared to their 2021 sale.

DC: Te Mania Reaves R574 SV,. Image: Stock and Land

South Australia

Total Sales: 18

Bulls Sold: 960

Top Price: $40,000

Top Bull: Mandayen Paratrooper R477 PV– MANR477

Top Average: $19,689 – Sterita Park Angus Overall Average: $14,229

The heat was certainly turned up in South Australia this year with results jumping well above what was expected, up 34% compared to the 2021 average of $10,585 and setting a competitive target amongst the state. Setting a strong pace that would be tough to beat and obliterating their 2021 sale average by $7,373, it was clear that the crowd at Sterita Park’s Angus bull sale were wanting a piece of the action.

Selling a total of 106 bulls to a new record average of $19,689 and also setting a new stud record of $38,000 for their top bull, Sterita Park principal Nanni DiGiorgio commented that

the result was “never something he expected in his wildest dreams”, and it’s results like these that dreams are made of.

Commercial buyers certainly upped the ante early at Mandayen Angus’s February sale, producing the highest priced bull for the state. Mandayen Paratrooper R477PV (MANR477), sired by the famous Millah Murrah Paratrooper P15, sold to McCarthy Livestock, Lucindale for a sum of $40,000.

Meanwhile, securing the second highest average was Keringa Angus. Bettering their own average standard, they cleared 48 Sire Assured bulls and made a new stud record average of $18,458 for.

New South Wales

Total Sales: 98 Bulls Sold: 5,760

Top Price: $200,000

Top Bull: Milwillah Jaal R138 PV – NJWR138

Top Average: $43,632 – Millah Murrah Angus

Overall Average: $17,966

Another busy year for New South Wales with bull sales conducted around the state increasing by 23%. Many studs seized the opportunity and were cashing in as the sale results started rolling in, showing what can only be described as ‘record breaking’.

A stud in the Angus industry that needs no introduction has rewritten their own top price record, with Millwillah Angus selling Millwillah Jaal R138PV (NJWR138) for a price of $200,000 to Siobhan Cowan, Arkle Angus. Pleased she made the journey over, Siobhan commented “It was our first chance to see the bull, but we were already excited about his pedigree, he has a special set of figures, but the best thing was his phenotype matched them.”

The records didn’t stop there for Milwillah Angus, not only bettering their own average of 112 bulls sold to a new top average of $30,450, but another bull at the auction also sold under the hammer for a hefty $170,000. The price to Milwillah Powerpoint R318SV (NJWR318), sold to Peakes Angus and Mawarra Angus.

Milwillah’s sale average has ranked the stud as the second highest average for the top 10 averages for 2022. Bulls Jaal R138 was crowned the highest priced bull sold, Powerpoint R318 ranked as the third highest priced bull for 2022.

Recording the highest sale average for the year and yet again breaking their own stud record was Millah Murrah Angus, who sold the 128 Sire Assured bulls that were on offer for an average of $43,632, which is up 28% from last years sale average of $34,221.

Image: Stock journal

D: Coonamble Frontman R501 PV. Image: Farm Weekly

E: Nathan, Anthony & Alex McCarthy, McCarthy Livestock, with Mandy, Zoe & Damian Gommers, Mandayen, Spence Dix and Co director Jono Spence and Elders Victoria Stud Stock manager Ross Milne with Mandayen Paratrooper R477.

Millah Murrah also had some bulls that placed in the high positions for the top priced bulls, along with some fellow studs around NSW whose sales had extraordinary results and ranked them into top 10 priced bulls and top 10 averages for 2022.

The top 10 priced bulls and top 10 averages for 2022 are:

Knowla Angus

Ranking in second position for top priced bull, Knowla So Right S48PV (BLA21S48) sold for $190,000 to joint purchase of Spry’s Angus and Cottage Creek Angus. Their sale average of $26,512 has ranked them as the fourth highest for 2022.

Millah Murrah Angus

Ranking in fourth position for top priced bull, Millah Murrah Sugar Ray S76PV (NMM21S76) sold for $160,000 to joint purchase of Ascot Cattle Co. and JT Angus. Ranking in seventh position for top priced bull, Millah Murrah Stormtrooper S235PV (NMM21S235) sold for $110,000 to joint purchase of Heart Angus and Palgrove Pastoral.

Ranking in equal eighth position for top priced bull, Millah Murrah Stormtrooper S52PV (NMM21S52) sold for $100,000 to Bassett Cattle Co. Roma, QLD, and Millah Murrah Sugar PV (NMM21S273) sold for $100,000 to Mr David McLeod, NT.

Waitara Angus

Ranking in equal seventh position for top priced bull, Waitara GK Safekeeping S56PV (BSC21S56) sold for $110,000 to a syndicate sale of Merridale Angus, Crawford Angus, Cascade Angus and Little Meadows Angus.

Clunie Range Angus

Had a sale average of $25,212 that has ranked them as the fifth highest for 2022.

Texas Angus

Ranking average in third position selling a total of $28,057.

Hazledean Angus

A sale average ranking of top 8 for 2022, with a top average of $24,013 at their autumn bull sale.

Peakes Angus

Strong averages all round with Peakes ranking in as the ninth highest average for 2022 with their sale average of $22,878.

Rennylea Angus

Last but not least the tenth ranking average stud for 2022, with 212 bulls sold for a sale average of $22,546.

Milwillah Jaal R138 PV

Angus “Hoofprint”

In the first nine months of 2022, a total of 240,113 purebred Angus cattle had been listed through AuctionsPlus’ weekly commercial cattle sales. The “Hoofprint” of Angus cattle offered on AuctionsPlus extends across the east coast of Australia, from Central Queensland to Tasmania and across to SA, with pockets in WA and the NT. The “heartland” of Angus for AuctionsPlus is undoubtedly the NSW New England region between Glen Innes, Armidale and Walcha (see Figure 1).

NSW commands a 64% share of national listings, while Victoria accounts for 18%, SA 7%, Queensland 6% and Tasmania 4%. On the purchasing side of the market, a total of 196,357 head have been purchased so far in 2022, 57% in NSW, 20% in Queensland, 14% in Victoria, 5% in SA and 3% in Tasmania.

Figure 1: AuctionsPlus Listings of Angus Cattle 1st January – 30th September 2022

The top three listing regions in 2022 starts with the NSW Northern Tablelands, with 32,000 head. Following closely behind was the NSW Northwest Slopes and Plains (31,081 head) and Central West (27,510 head). Across Australia, the top-ranking locations was Walcha, NSW, with 5,779 head, followed by Armidale, NSW (5,497 head) and Holbrook, NSW (3,550 head).

Angus purchases by state

Analysis of purchases of Angus cattle by state reveals the regional movement of cattle due to changing seasonal conditions over the last four years. During the extensive drought of 2019, many cattle listed from NSW and Queensland were secured by Victorian producers. Victoria’s share of purchases increased from 18% in 2018, to 28% in 2019, while Queensland’s share fell from 18% to 11%, and NSW’s share fell from 52% to 50% (see Figure 2).

When the drought broke in early 2020, national listings and purchases on AuctionsPlus increased significantly, with NSW’s share of purchases rising from 50% in 2019, to 62% in 2020. Queensland’s share of purchases took longer to recover, due to disappointing wet seasons, but eventually increased to 20% of national listings on the back of substantial rain in 2022.

AuctionsPlus Purchases of Angus Cattle by State

Price Trends

Price fluctuations for young (200-400kg steers and heifers) Angus cattle sold on AuctionsPlus are consistent with that of the broader markets (see Figure 3). After an astounding run-up in cattle prices from early 2020, the third quarter of 2022 saw the first significant decline in prices – largely driven by a sharp drop in market sentiment following the widespread coverage of exotic disease concerns.

During the third quarter of 2022, Angus cattle prices on AuctionsPlus averaged 6% lower than the previous quarter but 3% higher than the corresponding quarter in 2021. Demand for ready-to-join heifers remains strong with 280-330kg and 330-400kg heifers earning higher prices on average than the equivalent steers. Heifers weighing 330-400kg averaged $2,340/head across 5,418 head, while 9,064 steers weighing 330-400kg averaged $2,258/head. PTIC heifers averaged $2,771/head across 8,943 head for the quarter, while 5,556 PTIC cows averaged $2,856/head.

Angus bull sales on AuctionsPlus go from strength to strength

Angus breeders have been long-term advocates of the AuctionsPlus platform and continue to reap the rewards. Over 130 Angus bull sales were interfaced with AuctionsPlus in 2022. A total of 6,407 of the 6,695 bulls offered in 2022 were sold, achieving a clearance rate of 96% and an average price of $15,374/head. The top price so far in 2022 for an Angus bull on AuctionsPlus was secured by lot 25 Knowla So Right S48, which sold for $190,000 at the Knowla Annual sale on 29th July.

Month Lots Listed

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Sam Hamilton, Marketing Officer – Sale Catalogues

2022 Catalogues Produced between January – November

Semen/ Embryo Service

Standard Catalogue Service

Private Treaty Sales (Standard Catalogue Service)

Customised Catalogue Service

Full Design Catalogue Service

Month Total Catalogue Requests

January 104 2 3 2 1 8

February 2,685 5 18 16 3 42 March 2,529 19 1 12 4 36 April 368 3 2 4 1 10 May 537 2 2 1 5 3 13 June 914 3 7 4 4 18 July 1,216 14 4 2 20 August 3,881 29 16 10 55 September 3,534 22 22 8 52 October 323 3 3 2 3 1 12 November 215 2 1 3 December 50 1 1

2022 Totals 16,348 18 122 6 87 37 270

2012 Catalogues Produced between January - November

Month Lots Listed Semen/ Embryo Service

Standard Catalogue Service

Private Treaty Sales (Standard Catalogue Service)

Customised Catalogue Service

Full Design Catalogue Service

Month Total Catalogue Requests

January 142 2 2 4 February 1,058 17 4 10 31 March 1,110 13 1 5 19 April 376 8 5 13 May 227 4 1 3 8 June 581 5 3 8 July 400 8 5 13 August 2,351 28 1 9 38 September 1,208 17 6 23 October 285 6 2 8 November December

2012 Totals 7,738 108 7 50 165

As you can see from the above statistics, the sale catalogue service that Angus Australia offers to its members has grown quite significantly over the last 10 years.

The math is simple, more members + catalogue service requests = more catalogues requested/produced.

From the table above it is clear which months are punching out the most catalogues for sales; February, March, July, August and September, are our indicated ‘peak periods’.

Moving forward, as we experience high requests for our catalogue services, we are processing catalogues on a first in first served basis upon receival of all information. This is why having all your ‘bulls’ in a row leading up to your sale catalogue production will make the process far easier, as all of the sale animal’s data will be current and correct and being organised with all your additional data and information will make for a smoother process for your Graphic Designer.

Once your catalogue is received, it is placed into a work queue. Please allow for at least 7-10 working days for your CUSTOMISED or FULL DESIGN catalogue to be processed. Standard catalogues will be turned around within 3 days, provided all required information is received and animal registrations are in order.

Where does my catalogue sit in terms of Standard, Customised and Full Design?

Standard Catalogue – You have your catalogue listed online, you receive either a CSV data extract or a PDF with standard animal information (e.g. no shading of EBVs, no additional animal information). The standard catalogue PDF is automatically generated from angus.tech therefore no additions or changes can be made. Usually produced within 1-3 working days.

Customised Catalogue – You have your catalogue listed online and you receive a PDF of your sale lots that are in your selected/designed template layout, with alterations or inclusions to the specific template (e.g. shading of EBVs, additional animal information, two or three generation pedigree). As there are additional features to your template layout, regardless of if you have been using this layout for a period of time it is still classed as a ‘customised catalogue’ as this requires manual processing, and it is not available through the standard catalogue service. Usually produced within 7-10 working days.

Full Design Catalogue – You have your catalogue listed online and you receive a catalogue PDF that contains all information, made into a physical catalogue ready to be printed. As there are additional features to your catalogue layout or updates/changes have been made, regardless of if you have been using this layout for a period of time it is still classed as a ‘full design catalogue’ as this requires manual processing. Usually produced within 7-10 working days.

Observing when our peak production periods are in the lead up to Autumn and Spring sales, it is important that members looking to use the Angus Australia sale catalogue service provide the necessary information for their catalogue with ample time prior to their desired TransTasman Cattle Evaluation (TACE) analysis run. It is recommended that members provide their sale catalogue information at least 7 days prior to the relevant TACE run to ensure that your catalogue is produced within the relevant time period advised for catalogue production.

You can find the 2023 TACE Analysis Dates by scanning the QR code below.

If you have any questions or queries regarding our sale catalogue services or the process, please contact: sam@ angusaustralia.com.au

TACE dates

ASBP Cohort 13 Sires Announced

The Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP) has seen the entry of 27 new bulls which were selected from 55 nominations from Angus Australia members.

A listing of the Cohort 13 sires (table 1), and previous cohorts sire lists, are available from Sire Benchmarking catalogue listing on angus.tech.

Christian Duff, Angus Australia’s General Manager - Genetic Improvement said “The Cohort 13 sires have been used in FTAI programs to produce the Cohort 13 calves, which will be born in the spring of 2023. They will be comprehensively genotyped and phenotyped from birth to slaughter in the steers and birth to first calving in the heifers.”

Further, the Cohort 13 sires are described in the following groups:

· Australian – Twenty-five (25) Australian bred sires

· New Zealand – Two (2) New Zealand bred sires, and Link bulls - Two sires that will provide links to the previous Cohort (Cohort 12) being Hazeldean Q1229 and Bongongo Q227.

Mr Duff advised “The 27 bulls continue the high-performance nature of ASBP sires with the group averaging in the top 5% for the $A and $A-L Indexes. Importantly, this is coupled with genetic diversity and being representative of the modern Australian Angus population, which is important for an effective reference population.”

A summary of the sires EBVs (Estimated Breeding Values) are listed in table 2.

Across the 13 Cohorts of the ASBP, there has now been 437 modern Angus bulls enter this industry leading research and development program.

Mr Duff added “The 2022 AI (Artificial Insemination) program to produce the Cohort 13 calves has been completed with 1,646 Angus females joined across 5 co-operator herds. New sires were joined to 60 Angus females on average with the aim to produce approximately 30 calves for each sire.

This is from a fixed time AI program with one round of insemination, utilising Vetoquinol advice and products such as Cue-Mate devices.”

The Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP) is a major R&D initiative of Angus Australia with support from Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and industry partners such as Vetoquinol, Rangers Valley, Stockyard, John Dee Abattoir, Neogen and Zoetis.

The objective of the ASBP is to “Grow the comprehensive phenotype and genotype reference population on contemporary Australian Angus animals, particularly on hard to measure traits, for enhanced genetic evaluation, collaborative research and innovative development.”

Table 2 – Average, maximum and minimum EBVs and Indexes of the 27 ASBP Cohort 13 sires

Talking R&D at the Efficient Beef Field Day

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

The topic of efficient beef is one of hot discussion within the beef industry and is at the core of much research and development being undertaken in order to continue progression in the industry.

On November 25th, Angus Australia, in collaboration with the University of New England (UNE), Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Vytelle and NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), hosted the Efficient Beef Field Day at the UNE Smart Farms Tullimba Research Feedlot. The field day provided an opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest research developments from industry collaboration with informative presentations from representatives from Angus Australia, UNE, Vytelle and NSW DPI.

Presentations were followed by the opportunity to view Angus Sire Benchmarking Program Cohort 11 steers, Southern Multibreed Project steers, and feed intake and methane data recording equipment used at the research facility.

About Tullimba

The Tullimba Research Feedlot was established by UNE in 1994 with the purpose to conduct feedlot research. Located 40 minutes from Armidale, the feedlot has capacity of 1000 head on 740 hectares. Conducting research into feed efficiency, meat quality, animal nutrition and performance and animal behaviour and welfare, the feedlot works with industry groups across various projects that furthers the research and development happening to produce sustainable and efficient beef.

“In half of the feedlot, we undertake a lot of feed management research with nutrition, also feed additives and animal health and welfare, and trying to optimise feedlot-based research. On the other half of the feedlot we focus on feed efficiency research, and it has been used to measure animals for Angus reference populations for genetic evaluation since 2010,” said Dr Sam Clarke, UNE.

Developing Research in Eating Quality

As part of the Efficient Beef Field Day, we were introduced to Andrew Lynn, a PHD student at UNE who through his studies looks at the genomic prediction of consumer satisfaction of Australian beef, which is done in a combined genetic and meat science project.

“Essentially in meat science we sit here feeding these cattle and at the end of the day, they're going to be processed for the consumers. We need to be able to essentially evaluate how good that meat is based on how we treat it through its life, including their genetic background,” said Mr Lynn.

Highlighting that consumers want tender, juicy and consistent beef, the research conducted by Mr Lynn and others looks into testing eating quality in beef through various methods outside of consumer testing. In doing so, they are looking for genetic markers and DNA linkage that in turn develops a genomic prediction that will tell us the eating quality of meat produced by an animal.

Mr Lynn identifies that through this work, an eventual EBV for eating quality would be the desired outcome for

producers, particularly those in the supply chain who are producing, slaughtering and then marketing their own beef.

“There's no mechanical measurement and no way that you can gauge how good a piece of beef is going to eat satisfactorily just by taking a measurement. We have to have consumers do it. But the problem is, why don't we do more consumer satisfaction testing? It's expensive. First, we've got to buy the meat, then we've got to pay people to tell us how good it is,” said Mr Lynn.

“It gets expensive and it's really hard to collect this data. So, we’ve got to start thinking about other ways we can collect this information. What about genomic prediction? If we can take the DNA and find genetic markers that tell us how good that piece of beef is without needing the mechanical measurements, without even having to kill the animal, we can take a calf that's just dropped out of its mum, take a DNA sample and tell how good it's going eat, given the right environment.”

Through this project, which incorporates Australia, the USA and Ireland, researchers are also looking to see if this information is then transferable across international data, and across beef breeds.

Angus across industry

The crowd was also addressed by Dr Kath Donoghue, a research scientist at NSW DPI, who spoke about the work being conducted through the Southern Multibreed Project, a five-year collaborative project being conducted by NSW DPI and UNE.

“The first project objective is to create a database of headto-head comparisons from several different breeds and that would be potentially used to underpin a BREEDPLAN, temperate multibreed evaluation,” said Dr Donoghue.

“Secondly, and just as importantly, is to measure those difficult, high quality, hard to measure traits such as female fertility, feed efficiency, retail beef yield, immune competence and the list goes on. And finally, to create a large genomic research population from several different breeds, not only for this project, but for future use.”

The project is conducted across five different research stations, with Angus the only breed involved in the project being located across all five locations.

Of the approximate 4,800 calves that have been born as part of the project, just under 1,500 of those were Angus or Angus influenced.

Vytelle’s involvement in industry research

Andrew Donoghue, Vytelle Regional Manager Australia/New Zealand, shared Vytelle’s involvement with the research being conducted in the feedlot, following the companies merging with GrowSafe two years ago.

Following this, Vytelle now provide the GrowSafe devices used within the facility to measure feed intake data.

“As a company we're looking to address what we call the triple challenge, addressing the need for increased demand for protein globally, doing it sustainably and being kind to the environment, but also making it economic for the producer,” said Mr Donoghue.

“The biggest constraints of this in the past has been slow genetic progress due to a lack of labour, limited data around all of this and unpredictable results, particularly with artificial breeding technologies.”

“So that's where we come in and allow you to advance the right genetics faster. There are three elements to the business. Firstly, is basically the former GrowtSafe business, therefore phenotype data and capture for net feed intake and insights around breeding values for feed efficiency and efficiency traits. Now we combine that with advanced IVF services and basically generating more progeny from better animals.”

“The beef industry is a long way behind in efficiency, compared to other livestock species, and these tools allow people to start to make that change. Until we start to measure things, you can't make changes. What trait are we looking at? Net feed intake is the one that drives feed efficiency, and it's basically looking at the difference between an animal’s actual intake and their expected intake for a given body, size and growth rate. Are they eating more or less than what they should?”

“It's a moderately heritable trait, it's independent of body weight and size, and it's not a trait that you can detect visually, you have to measure for it. The key driver for efficiency is net feed intake.”

“Why are we doing net feed intake? If you were just to focus on average daily gain and traits like feed conversion ratio by default drive daily gain rather than full efficiency, genetically

if you looked at average daily gain, 10% improvement will give you an 18% improvement in profit. If you focus on net feed improvement and feed efficiency, 10% improvement will give you a 43% improvement in profit. So, it's fairly important to make sure you're using the right trait and select input.”

Low Methane Beef

Dr Tom Granleese, NSW DPI, gave an overview of the Low Methane Beef Project, a collaborative $15 million project led by University of New England (UNE), with Angus Australia being a key collaborator, along with the NSW Government and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).

The project aims to deliver decision making tools to identify cattle with genetic advantages for high productivity and low greenhouse gas impact. It will focus on compiling existing and creating new data on beef cattle methane emissions, measured specifically for genetic evaluation, with the aim to generate methane emission research breeding values.

With the project now underway, animals within the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program are now being recorded through machines that measure carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen whilst the animal is situated in the machine. “We're aiming to develop a pipeline for emission data and we're forming a reference population. Eventually we want this data to create Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) so the breeders can start selecting for the lower emitters. And then obviously your clients, if you're a seedstock producer, will then multiply out those lower emitting genetics.”

“Another really important question that we're asking in this project is, is methane produced on pasture the same as methane produced in the feedlot?”

Ideally, within five years the project looks to have developed EBVs for use by producers to select animals based on genetic prediction of their methane emissions. From now, the project is working on building records on animals from both the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program and the Southern Multibreed Project.

Efficiency is achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted resource, effort or expense

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“We've got 1200 existing records, from Angus animals from the first pilot project. Over the next four years we're going to do 650 to 750 steers per year from the Multibreed Project here in the feedlot, and doing their sisters out in the paddock,” said Dr Granleese.

“We are then we're doing around 400 Angus steers per year from the ASBP, collecting data on traits to measure the methane, hydrogen, carbon dioxide and daily feed intake.”

“There's been some modelling done which shows, in 2019, if we we put a price on carbon, include it into an economic selection index, and used it in selection we can reduce methane output by 1% per year. Over 20 years, potentially we can reduce it down by 20%, which is pretty exciting.”

“If we just continue as we're going what we're doing is actually increasing methane output per beef livestock unit. If we start measuring and then selecting for methane, we're not just maintaining, we're able to reduce methane emissions. So, over the next 20 years we're hoping to reduce carbon dioxide equivalents by about twelve megatons over that time period, remembering that genetic change is permanent, accumulative and long lasting.”

Updates on Angus Sire Benchmarking

A draw card for the Efficient Beef Field Day was the opportunity to view steers currently in the feedlot from Cohort 11 of the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ABSP). Furthermore, Angus Australia General Manager – Genetic Improvement Christian Duff gave an update on the program and current work being undertaken through collaboration within the industry, including the Low Methane Beef Project. The objective of the ASBP is to grow the comprehensive phenotype and genotype reference population on contemporary Australian Angus animals particularly for hard-to-measure traits, for enhanced genetic evaluation, collaborative research and innovative development.

The collaborative research undertaken within the program is largely focused on using Angus Australia's comprehensive phenotype, pedigree and genotype database, harnessing additional benefit from the collective investment of Angus Australia members.

Mr Duff shared the latest of the program, which has recently seen the selection of its Cohort 13 sires. Cohort 13 will see 27 new bulls enter the program, who be joined to approximately 1,800 Angus cows across collaborator herds using fixed time artificial insemination. Historically the program has inducted 550 bulls over 13 years. Progeny will be phenotyped and genotyped and with the data attributed to the reference population feeding into the

TransTasman Cattle Evaluation and continuing to enhance the genetic evaluation available to Angus producers. Circling back to the topic of the event, Mr Duff also highlighted the work being done in the ASBP on feed efficiency.

“Efficiency is achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted resource, effort or expense. So how has the ASBP contributed to beef efficiency and to our efficiency of our members?” said Mr Duff.

“I would argue the ASBP is positively contributing to Beef Efficiency in several ways. Some are more apparent and applicable now and some probably more for the future. The first one is just around productivity. Through the accuracy of selection, our producers have been able to be more productive through their genetic selection. More calves, more weight, more yield, more quality.”

“Product intensity is probably another thing. An Angus today has more genetic potential and value compared to an Angus 30 years ago. If you just look at an animal or bull of a similar age for example, we expect more productivity out of today’s Angus through genetic selection and the ASBP has contributed to part of that. As it stands at the moment, we have over 10,000 animals with feed intake recorded, with half of those with genotypes as well, which feeds into our genetic evaluation.”

Methane Data Recording equipment

A starring role for Verified Black Angus Beef

Diana Wood, Marketing & Communications Manager

The Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ competition hosted at the Angus Australia office demonstrated the full paddock to palate experience for consumers and allowed Angus producers to experience first-hand preparation of the premium Angus product they contribute to.

The competition saw fifteen of the best pitmasters from around Australia go to head-to-head preparing cuts from Verified Black Angus Beef brands, NH Foods Australia’s Angus Reserve (beef cheeks and picanha), Jack’s Creek Black Angus (tritip) and Macka’s Australian Black Angus Beef (brisket), for the 260 punters in attendance.

Shannon Walker from Foxtel’s Meatstock Butcher Wars Competition was MC for the day and kept attendees entertained sharing tricks of the butcher trade and interviews with the brand owners and competing teams. As someone who is extremely passionate about the red meat industry and the butchery trade, Shannon was thrilled to be hosting the competition and hoped that the punters would leave not only with full bellies, but with a few tricks up their sleeve to take home and hopefully a great appreciation for their local butcher.

‘Events like these are important because it brings people together and it lets people get together and learn from each other.’

‘The atmosphere is fantastic and to have some of the best teams in Australia competing, is a great outcome.’

Meat & Livestock Australia Corporate Butcher, Doug Piper was also on hand with demonstrations of a whole rump breakdown, whole blade breakdown and rib set breakdown. With a passion for promoting Australian beef, Doug loved that the Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ Competition was bringing all facets of the supply chain together.

‘This is a great event to attend because of the education and information about what sort of cuts of meat you can use, where all the meat comes from and importantly it joins the farmer and the household together.’

‘It is giving everyone a better understanding of where the meat comes from, rubbing shoulders with the producers and being able to go home and go ‘wow’ I can make that at home.’

‘And interacting with the processors and butchers and talking with the people manning the BBQs, it all just adds to the experience.

Angus Australia’s Commercial Supply Chain Manager, Liz Pearson said that the event is run to allow producers to taste the amazing Angus beef that many producers in attendance would have contributed to the production of and allow producers to gain insight from the brand owners and the pitmasters about the beef traits they are chasing.

‘The producers are as passionate about breeding the cattle they do, as the pitmasters are about preparing the beef and it is such an important event to connect Angus producers with the people that consume the beef.’

The Grand Champions at the end of the night were the Smooth & SmOakey Salad Dodgers, sponsored by Figtree Park Angus who were experiencing their first win of the year after a few bridesmaid finishes and hoping that it might move them up the ladder in the Australian Barbecue Alliance rankings .

When the team were asked about their experience of cooking only with Angus beef for the competition and spending time with the beef producers, they were nothing but complimentary of the unique experience.

‘Working with all the meat sponsors here today and using all all Angus product was a great cooking experience.’

‘It was really interesting talking with the producers, as they are the ones putting the calves on the ground, whereas we just see the beef in the box, so I loved cooking in front of them and hope they loved the eating experience.’

The Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ competition was hosted at the Angus Australia office demonstrating the full paddock to palate experience for consumers and allowing Angus producers to experience first-hand preparation of the premium Angus product they contribute to.

Thank you to our sponsors

The Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ Competition would not have been possible without the support of its fabulous SPONSORS.

COMPETITION RESULTS

ANGUS RESERVE BEEF CHEEKS

1st – Country Boys

2nd – Smoked Beyond Smoked

3rd – Jack’s Creek BBQ Team

4th – Signature Smoke

5th – Smooth & SmOakey Salad Dodgers

ANGUS RESERVE PICANHA

1st – Meat Graffiti BBQ

2nd – Pit Crew BBQ

3rd – Jack’s Creek BBQ Team

4th – Butterbeard BBQ = 5th – Lamb Shank Redemption

= 5th – Smooth & SmOakey Salad Dodgers

JACK’S CREEK BLACK ANGUS TRITIP

1st – Smooth & SmOakey Salad Dodgers

2nd – Jack’s Creek BBQ Team

3rd – Smokin’ Hot N Saucy = 4th – The Raw Meat Experts = 4th – Big GC’s BBQ

MACKA’S AUSTRALIAN BLACK ANGUS BEEF BRISKET

1st – Big GC’s BBQ

2nd – The Raw Meat Experts

3rd – Smooth & SmOakey Salad Dodgers

4th – Meat Graffiti BBQ

5th – Country Boys

DESSERT

1st – Country Boys

2nd – Smokin’ Hot N Saucy

3rd – Signature Smoke

4th – Lamb Shank Redemption

5th – Big GC’s BBQ

GRAND CHAMPION

Smooth & SmOakey Salad Dodgers

RESERVE GRAND CHAMPION

Jack’s Creek BBQ Team

3rd – Meat Graffiti BBQ

4th – Country Boys

5th – Pit Crew BBQ

6th – The Raw Meat Experts

7th – Smoked Beyond Smoked

8th – Butterbeard BBQ = 9th – Big GC’s BBQ = 9th – Smokin’ Hot N Saucy

Around the Verified Black Angus Beef BBQ competition

Making the switch to Angus

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

It is always a pleasure to learn what young people in the industry are up to and how they are making their mark through hard work - and Jamie Pepper is no exception.

A cattle and beef farmer based in the southwest of Victoria, Jamie Pepper farms his family property, running 1,400ha at Tahara, located 25km west of Hamilton township, with the landscape mix of tableland flat country and undulating, hill country.

Jamie has had a long-time affiliation in the beef industry, however, has only in recent years begun his association with the Angus breed.

“My family have been beef breeding for decades and in recent years when I returned to the farm, I introduced some Angus cows to our operation.”

“They are very much a separate enterprise on the farm, with different calving times and market focus. This is my third year joining Angus cows and I am very slowly growing the herd.”

The family’s enterprise is one a many moving parts, with an Autumn calving Hereford herd and a Spring calving Angus herd. They have the diversity of a small Poll Dorset stud, selling 50-70 rams annually, as well as a Merino and Prime Lamb production enterprise.

Throwing back to 2020, the Pepper’s purchased their first 19 pregnancy tested in calf Angus heifers via a dispersal sale, and since Jamie has worked to continue to grow their Angus herd from the current 8% share hold.

“My long-term plan is to continue to grow my Angus herd and slowly decrease Hereford numbers,” said Jamie.

For their first joining season, Jamie utilised an artificial insemination program for his herd of Angus. He joins heifers at 15 months of age, which ensures they calve down at 2 years.

“Because I only have a small herd and I want to increase numbers through natural increase, I thought using AI technology is a great way of getting positive genetic gain in my herd,” Jamie.

“My AI programs for 2020 and 2021 were quite successful and I will AI my cows again in 2022. AI technology is crucial so I can get the best genetics and grow my herd as every heifer counts.”

Following their AI round, Jamie joins the females for 6 weeks or two mating cycles to cover the animals that were unsuccessfully AI’d.

Joining in early November, Jamie ensures there is plenty of grass around and that the cows are in great condition during the period.

“My key drivers of production are to calve starting late August to avoid the cold and lack of grass growth in early August. I also wean at a time in early March where I don’t have to feed the cow and calf, rather just the weaned calves and the cows can make do on the rank grass in other areas of the farm,” said Jamie.

“I’m very much focused on timings for the least number of inputs I have to put into the cows, but still maintaining a high level of animal production. This is understandably season dependent.”

When it comes to bulls suitable to his program, Jamie has a number of key considerations that he takes into account firstly when selecting the bulls, and then eventually integrating them into the herd.

“I like to purchase bulls which are from a similar geographical area to where I farm. Fortunately, in the western district of Victoria, we are blessed with wonderful Angus studs, so I don’t have to travel too far to buy a good bull,” said Jamie.

“In terms of integrating them into the herd, I put all new bulls in a small paddock next to the bull paddock for a few days and then I will feed all of the bulls a bale of hay and put the new bull through into the bull paddock. I find the hay keeps all the bulls happily distracted and don’t notice as much a new bull entering the paddock.”

When selecting genetics for their herd, Jamie seeks animals that are stylised with a large frame and nice rump, utilising Estimated Breeding Values to ascertain growth weights of progeny.

Success for me is growing my new Angus herd steadily over the next few years

The Pepper’s herd turns off weaners to sell through the Mortlake Saleyards, aiming at selling steers at around 14 months of age at approximately 440kg.

The herd is EU accredited - which Jamie believes assists in the marketability of their cattle - and partakes in MSA grading.

“We have been EU accredited since 2001 and we believe it value-adds to the marketability of our animals. This is perhaps not as prevalent the last few years with very strong and firm cattle prices,” said Jamie.

Jamie adheres to low stress management practices with his cattle, citing that “quiet cattle are good cattle".

“I am a big believer in my handling technique with cattle. I love quiet cows and handle them as stress-free as I can,” said Jamie.

“This is done by never using dogs and single mustering (not having multiple bikes mustering stock in the paddock). In the yards we take our time with drafting and performing the relevant animal husbandry tasks.”

As he continues his journey within the beef industry, Jamie is committed to the development of his businesses, and is making a concerted effort to do this through not only practical measures, but also personally through developmental opportunities.

“Success for me is growing my new Angus herd steadily over the next few years.”

“For our business overall, our short-term goals are to continue increasing our stocking rate and to continue our path of a more environmentally sustainable and diverse farming landscape, by planting trees and fencing off areas identified as eroding and waterways,” he said.

“I became an Angus Australia member because I think it is important to support organisations/society’s which help to value-add to our livestock and can also lead to great opportunities, like the GenAngus Future Leaders Program.”

Learning opportunities abound

In 2021, Jamie was selected as part of the GenAngus Future Leaders Program, which saw him take part in a three-day intensive workshop covering business fundamentals.

“I applied for GenAngus because I was new to the Angus breed and Angus Australia, and I wanted to gain more skills and knowledge with my Angus herd. As I am very much in a growing phase, informed genetic and marketing decisions are vital to help grow the Angus enterprise,” said Jamie.

“I saw the program as a great way to connect with other Angus producers, with a good mix of some who are starting out and some who are more established, to learn more about the Angus breed and for practical guidance to help me make better informed management decisions for genetic selection and marketing.”

Reflecting on his main takeaways from the learning experience that was GenAngus, Jamie highlighted presentations that he could directly apply into his developing business.

“Firstly, for me was a presentation about genetic selection. This was very practical and forthright and made me realise that I was trying to select genetics based on subjective traits when I need to be selecting genetics based on objective traits (by using Estimated Breeding Values),” he said.

“This also made me reflect on what traits were important for me and my unique situation so I can be prepared when selecting semen for my AI program. It’s much better to have a plan and a vision, not just making a selection on a whim and hoping it works out.”

Jamie Pepper

“The personal branding and social media presentations I found fascinating as well (and I didn’t think it would!).

Since the GenAngus Program I have made an effort to promote myself more on social media and to use social media as a professional tool for my business. Social media is engrained in our 21st century lives, we must use it to our advantage.”

“We also had fantastic sessions on financial literacy and succession planning. Both of these sessions gave me a lot to think about and consider and I took a lot of new information away.”

Why should others attend GenAngus? When thinking back to his time in the program, Jamie highlighted the range of areas covered by leading experts as a major selling point. “The GenAngus Future Leaders Program was nothing short of exemplary. It exceeded what I expected to gain from the program, and I learnt a lot of practical measures which I can and have implemented with my Angus herd,” said Jamie.

“The program itself is very robust with a great range of presenters on many different topics. Some topics I didn’t even know I needed to know but I left with a lot of practical and helpful information. It is a great credit to the organisers of the program who organised a very multifaceted but engaging program.”

And when asked of the mark it left on his life professionally and personally, Jamie believes he has definitely found benefits to both after his time in the program.

“The GenAngus Future Leaders Program has been hugely beneficial to me professionally. I am more confident with managing my growing Angus herd and I have been given the tools and skills to make better decisions pertaining to my herd,” he said.

“This will help me to grow my Angus numbers sustainably and not to waste years by poor genetic selection decisions. On a personal level, this program helped to grow me by helping me to understand myself as a leader and what my leadership style is as well as understanding and promoting my personal branding.”

Going forth, representing the industry is something Jamie continues to do, and he has placed himself as an advocate across a number of groups in order to do so.

“I think it is important to give back to the agricultural community. Currently I am a recently new board member for Food and Fibre Great South Coast which is a passionate organisation celebrating and advocating all things agriculture within the Great South Coast region of Victoria,” he said.

“I am also a council member of the National Farmers Federation Young Farmers Council which is a proactive space to promote the problems faced in agriculture for young farmers and prosecute policy changes for the benefit of young farmers.”

Growing with Angus in the West

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

While the west truly is its own frontier, Chris Metcalfe and his family are well placed and are forging ahead within the agricultural industry.

Chris Metcalfe calls Manypeaks on the South Coast of Western Australia home. Alongside his parents Richard and Christine and brother Tim, Chris operates a mixed enterprise over approximately 4,000 arable hectarage on predominantly sandy loam duplexes. Seasonally the area sees 650-750mm annual rainfall.

With a history in the industry dating back three generations, the Metcalfe family run 1,500 breeding cows which includes the Koojan Hills Angus stud, Melaleuca Murray Grey Stud and a 700 head commercial herd. Their business is also diverse, with a 2,000 head Dohne ewe flock, mating them to White Suffolk rams to target the prime lamb market.

“I am fortunate to be in business alongside my parents Richard and Christine and my brother Tim,” said Chris. “Richard is my mentor within the ag world and is an exceptional cattleman with a brilliant mind for business strategy. My brother Tim is an extremely dynamic farmer and is pushing the boundaries particularly in terms of pasture production.”

In 2015 the Metcalfe’s purchased the Koojan Hills Angus stud, which was founded by Kojonup cattleman and past Angus Australia president, the late Lew Smit OAM.

“We purchased the Koojan Hills herd off the late Lew Smit in 2015. Up until that point we had been a Murray Grey herd,” said Chris.

“The opportunity to carry on Lew’s life passion for breeding cattle is a real honour and one I don’t take for granted.”

The Metcalfe’s herd is comprised of 50% pure Angus, with their commercial herd predominately Murray Grey cows mated to Angus bulls.

“We find this cross to be working exceptionally well for our target markets as we’re able to combine the muscling of our greys with the softness of the Angus,” said Chris.

Each year the Metcalfe’s seedstock programs supply approximately 170 bulls to the local market.

With an autumn calving herd, the Metcalfe’s utilise a nineweek joining period, with heifers joined at 15 months of age and at a minimum of 320kg.

In 2022 they joined approximately 1,700 cows including 330 heifers. Aiming for an 80-90% PTIC success rate, the Metcalfe’s typically retain and mate 45% of their heifer drop. Identifying the key drivers of production and success for their herd as ease of calving, growth and carcase quality, the Metcalfe’s take into account firstly phenotype and maternal traits, and then hone in on the EBVs that further assist in consistently meeting their breeding objectives for their target markets.

“Phenotype is our priority when selecting genetics as well as ensuring strong maternal backgrounds. In terms of EBV’s we target above average growth and EMA but are happy with breed average for most traits,” said Chris.

“We look very closely at docility and foot EPD’s for American sires which is not always foolproof, but we find is usually a very good guide.”

Their bull selection criteria considers program type, environment/management, pedigree, phenotype and EBV’s, ensuring that when selecting bulls for their herd they are choosing a package best suited not only genomically and phenotypically, but are well fitted within their breeding program and management style.

“It’s always very disappointing culling great looking animals for feet or temperament so we do our best to get this right when selecting sires.”

In their Koojan Hills herd, the Metcalfe’s utilise considered artificial insemination (AI) and embryo transfer (ET) programs, highlighting the ability to accelerate genetic gain in their operations.

“I feel as a seed stock producer it is our role to provide new/ elite genetics that benefit our commercial clients while being careful of not chasing fads and extremes that will be detrimental in the long term or using unproven genetics simply to be a point of difference in a sale catalogue,” said Chris.

“I look up to the breed leading Angus studs who are very successful at backing their own program and prioritise their own bulls for AI/ET. A goal of mine is to emulate these breeders and to confidently back our top herd bulls to perform in our program as well or better than most of the popular AI sires.”

In the lead up to, during and after joining, the Metcalfe’s take care to apply nutrition management to their cow herd.

“Our focus is simply on providing a rising plane of nutrition leading into mating with plenty of fibre and trying to avoid running cows/heifers on the oestrogenic clovers which are prevalent in our area,” said Chris.

“We use boluses in heifers to ensure trace elements and vitamins are at a suitable level with an emphasis on copper and selenium which we are lacking on the south coast of WA.”

With phenotype a sticking point for the family, the female cull is culled on structure and feet, as well as temperament and coat type.

“Structure and feet are a huge focus for us on the south coast. The softer county gives us the opportunity to be very hard on feet,” said Chris.

“We love breeding thick, long, deep bodied cows that are slightly above average in frame with focus on udder quality, temperament, slick coat type. We will cull through the year according to this criteria, as well as progeny performance.”

Participating in MSA grading, the majority of the commercial herd is bred for supermarkets, selling grassfed yearling steers and heifers to Woolworths and Coles to market specifications of 215kg-315kg cwt with 3-18mm P8 fat. Dependent on seasonal outcomes, the Metcalfe’s trade in steers through the winter and spring and finish them into the same market.

When it comes to their management practices, the Metcalfe’s are reactive to their environment, but selective on genetics to respond to any environmental impacts.

“Our beef enterprise is 50% genetics: 50% environment. Alongside genetic improvement we have a strong focus on grazing crops for our grass-fed program,” said Chris. “We utilise grazing canola’s in the summer and other summer forage crops to increase our overall kg beef/ha production, and it also allows us to access the premium market spots e.g., selling finished steers in the winter.”

Considering their location in the most western regions of the country, the Metcalfe’s can face logistical challenges within their business.

“Staffing is a challenge our business and industry is facing currently and will continue to face into the future, particularly in WA where the mining industry has such an enormous pull on the workforce. Another current challenge we are dealing with is supply chain issues for parts/equipment.”

Looking to the future of their operations, the Metcalfe’s are currently in a position of change within their existing model and considering a recent expansion for their business are moving into a stage of development and growth for their herd.

Richard, Tim, Lachlan and Chris Metcalfe

“A significant recent business expansion will see us calve between 2,200-2,300 cows in 2023 and will also see a large increase to our grass-finishing program,” said Chris.

“The aim is to settle at around 2,500 breeders over the next few years and a key to this is improving operating efficiency across all aspects of our business.”

When asked, Chris is optimistic about the Angus breed and its future in the landscape of the Australian beef industry.

“I see the breed continuing to grow particularly into the pastoral rangeland regions. I think the scale of the breed will mean that there will be greater divergence in animal types and not a one size fits all Angus animal.”

“I hope that Angus breeders as a whole can acknowledge this will happen so that it can be used as a tool and a strength instead of creating internal animosity.”

Broadening your landscape at GenAngus Chris was one of ten young people in the beef industry that was selected for the 2021 intake of the GenAngus Future Leaders Program. Taking part in the three-day workshop in November 2021, Chris took plenty away that assisted in his professional and personal development.

“For me, the best thing about being in the cattle industry is the people you get to meet along the way, as just about everybody is supportive of new ideas and giving with their time,” he said.

“There’s some brilliant people in the cattle industry I’ve been lucky enough to meet so far including breeders, agents and vets and this GenAngus Program gave me the chance to meet and learn from a whole new range of experts, as well as interact with some very intelligent young ag professionals

who I hope will be close peers in the beef industry for the rest of my career.”

When asked why he applied for the program, Chris highlighted that his geographic location at times can be isolating when looking to interact with peers in the Angus breed, purely due to lack of opportunity.

“It was primarily to make contacts within the breed as being based in the west networking can be a challenge –particularly during COVID-19. I also saw the program as a great opportunity to learn new skills relevant to growing a beef business.”

And learn he did, with the sentiments of the presentations sticking with him twelve months on from his time in the program.

“I got a lot out of all the presentations but one of the highlights for me was Pete Clark’s (from 21 Whispers) discussion on mindset and self-belief. A lot of his lessons are applicable to everyday life as well as building a business in the ag industry.”

“I also got lot from Simon Quilty from Global Agritrends presentation. Simon gave us a brilliant insight into the world markets and some of his predictions for the shortmedium term future of the beef industry.”

Chris was also encouraging of others, who may be at a stage where GenAngus is of interest to them, to make the leap and apply.

“I think any program that puts you out of your comfort zone and gives you the opportunity to learn new ideas, skills and perspectives from industry leaders is very beneficial to both personal and professional development.”

Member Services Matters

Bernard Beatty, Member Services Manager

Welcome to the latest Member Services Update.

Summer is with us, and haven’t we seen some very interesting weather patterns. The good old Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has certainly been providing wet weather predictions with unfortunate accuracy for some parts of our great lands.

We also know that there are some who would love to see the wet weather head your way.

Our thoughts are with all our members who have experienced recent floods and inundations of homes, properties, and animal losses.

“What you’re going through might be tough, but that’s how tough people are made.” – unanimous

I felt that this quote was appropriate in the recent climate.

I recently had the opportunity to visit a number of our members and would like to acknowledge their hospitality and appreciation of the wonderful work that they are doing.

Update on Changes within the MSO Team and how we are supporting our members.

We welcome Raelene Mold to the MSO team. Raelene started with us in September and comes with a wealth of experience in the industry. Raelene is also a member of Angus Australia and has worked with several other members. We will be introducing each of the member services officers in the coming Bulletins. This edition we will be introducing Rachael Constable.

As you know, we have been allocating specific MSO staff to our members, and we feel that this has allowed a more consistent approach to providing services to our members.

Genomic and DNA Services

If you are just starting out using these services we offer, you will find our website to be a useful resource in working through the best options and tests for your individual operation.

https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/member-services/dna

This has important information about how to submit your DNA and what the fees and charges are.

You are able to submit your orders online, and then post in your DNA samples to our office. Just sign into angus.tech and click on the DNA Services tab to create an order. Please contact any of our MSO team who can assist you in submitting and creating an order.

Helpful hints & tips (“for you and me”)

If you are using our Calf Record Forms (Excel version) and are typing your information into this file, please save the file and email this to our regos email address. This really helps the MSO team in loading the data into the database.

Angus Australia Regulations – reminders and updates

This section will provide you with explanations or reminders around certain sections of the regulations that may be pertinent to your business and practices. We will quote the regulation number and content of that section for you. (PS – if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact our team).

14. TRANSTASMAN ANGUS CATTLE EVALUATION

14.1 By nominating that they wish to utilise genetic evaluation services, members agree to the terms and conditions detailed in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation Member Agreement. Violation of these conditions may result in the cancellation of genetic evaluation services.

14.3 Only members who have nominated that they wish to utilise genetic evaluation services are eligible to submit performance and genomic information for inclusion in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation for the production of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs). This regulation reminds us and our members that they do need to be currently enrolled in this service so as to allow you to submit performance data and access the EBVs relevant to your membership and herd.

We do at times have members enquire about why they don’t have any EBVs for their animals. And sometimes it can be as simple as not having been current with this service, or the fees have not been paid.

DNA services can also be delayed if members have not enrolled in the TACE component of our membership services. If you have any questions about this do not hesitate in contacting Angus Australia.

Privacy settings in angus.Tech – have you updated this so others can see your business online?

We are still getting feedback from some of our Angus community and key stakeholders in regard to not being able to “see” members on our website. If you are unsure as to how you would like your information to be made

available via angus.tech, please contact our team who can assist in updating this for you.

Or you can update your own settings within angus.tech under the Update Account Details tab.

We are aware that there are privacy issues and rules and regulations that govern your privacy and personal information. However, for a number of our members who do hold sales, and do sell under private treaty, you may want to have your details made available to prospective buyers.

Other matters

Memberships – did you know that if you want to register animals and then utilise our genetic evaluation services, you need to be enrolled in Animal Registry Services and Genetic Evaluation Service Fee. This information is located on our website.

Contact

If you require any information, help or assistance, please don’t hesitate and contact our Member Services Team at Angus Australia on (02) 6773 4600 or email office@ angusaustralia.com.au

For any registrations please email: regos@angusaustralia.com.au

For any DNA services please email: dna@angusaustralia.com.au

For any membership enquiries please email: office@angusaustralia.com.au

For any TACE information to be entered into the database, please email: tace@angusaustralia.com.au

If you want to discuss any other matters, concerns, suggestions for improvement, and any compliments about the team, please contact myself, Bernard Beatty – Member Services Manager on 02 6773 4646 or bernard.beatty@ angusaustralia.com.au.

Meet Your Member Services Officer

Name: Rachael Constable

How long have you been working at AA? Previously from 2008 to 2012 and then came back in March 2022

Where were you born? Lismore

Where do you live?

Own and run a cattle property alongside my husband southeast of Glen Innes. We run about 150 Red Poll breeders.

Where / what was your first job? Jillaroo at Jeogla and Wallamombi stations east of Armidale

What are your interests outside of work? Showing cattle and steers

What is your favourite thing to do when you’re not working?

More like a different kind of working, but anything on the farm

Rachaels favourite quote; It’s hard to soar like an eagle when you are surrounded by turkeys

Rachael has been tasked with assisting members in parts of Victoria and also assists the New Zealand and Queensland members. She also helps with other members when required.

Rachael has a wealth of experience, having worked in the industry around the New England region of NSW for many years.

Rachael has a deep understanding of the industry at large and extensive experience with all of the member service processes. This makes her a great support for our members and her colleagues.

Nancy Crawshaw joins extension team

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

Angus Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Nancy Crawshaw in the role of Extension Officer.

Nancy developed a passion for agriculture and genetics growing up on her parents’ sheep, beef, and Angus Stud property in Nuhaka, Northen Hawkes Bay, located on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.

At University, Nancy pursued a career in agricultural science and discovered meat science through her study abroad program in America. Nancy enjoys learning about the role genetics/environment play to produce a high-quality product for the end consumer.

In her role at Angus Australia, Nancy will be working within the member engagement team under Extension Manager Jake Phillips and will be responsible for providing support and education to Angus Australia members in the application of genetic improvement technologies and other Angus Australia services. Nancy looks forward to working hands on with Angus members and producers. “My role will involve working with Angus producers to help explain the tools and technologies available to them, and also work with them to achieve their individual breeding objectives and goals for their herds,” she said.

Nancy has also been involved in the programs and initiatives provided by Angus Australia as a member of the

2022 cohort of the Gen Angus Future Leaders Program, which saw her take part in the three-day intensive leadership workshop.

Angus Australia CEO Scott Wright says of Nancy’s appointment, “Part of the Angus Australia strategy is to build a team of highly competent Extension Officers. During the recruitment process we quickly identified Nancy’s depth of knowledge and immense passion for the Angus breed.” “Immediately we could see that she would be a superb fit. I am delighted to welcome Nancy to Angus Australia and can see great value ahead for our members.”

To contact Nancy email nancy.crawshaw@angusaustralia. com.au or phone 0436 337 652.

WATCH

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=naPOFx4Oqbs

For the love of beef

Jack’s Creek would like to thank all the vendors who have trusted and worked with us.

We wish you all a Merry Christmas.

Pinkeye Insights

Christian Duff, General Manager – Genetic Improvement

Insights from a recent research study about pinkeye (infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis) in Australian Angus cattle are now available.

This study being jointly funded by Angus Australia and CSIRO. The underpinning survey was conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, with the related analysis carried out by Dr Pâmela Alexandre from CSIRO’s Animal Genomics team.

The survey attracted responses from 238 participants across all states of Australia. It showed that pink eye affected most Angus herds, with the incidence averaging 5% of animals per year, but occasionally being much higher. The data and insights from this survey will help create strategies to reduce pinkeye incidence, particularly through the development of a standardised pink eye phenotyping guide.

Annual Enhancements to TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation December 2022

A number of significant enhancements were recently made to the calculation of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for Angus cattle in Australia and New Zealand.

The enhancements were part of the annual updates that Angus Australia makes to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, with the enhancements implemented in the December 2022 analysis.

Angus Australia’s General Manager Genetic Improvement, Mr Christian Duff explained that Angus Australia is focussed on providing a world leading genetic evaluation service to Angus breeders.

“The annual updates that are made to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation ensure that the EBVs published for Angus animals continue to be the best possible estimate of an animal’s breeding value, maximising the genetic improvement that is being achieved in Angus breeding programs”, said Mr Duff.

“The enhancements are made possible through strong collaboration with R&D and service delivery partners, particularly the Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit (AGBU), the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI) and CSIRO - Australia’s national science agency.”, Mr. Duff added.

The enhancements implemented in 2022 focussed on providing Angus breeders with the tools to make more accurate selection decisions from the availability of next generation breeding values, particularly for the EBVs related to carcase weight, quality and yield, while also introducing evaluation efficiencies that will ensure the long term viability of the genetic evaluation.

The enhancements implemented in 2022 broadly fell into five main categories:

· New variance components (adjustment factors, heritabilities, genetic correlations)

· New algorithm for calculating EBV Accuracies (TBLUP)

· New software for Docility EBVs

· Publication of Leg Angle EBVs

Publication of ImmuneDEX RBVs for genotyped animals

Angus Australia’s Genetic Evaluation Manager, Mr Andrew Byrne, highlighted that the introduction of new variance components represented one of the most significant updates to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation in recent times.

“The availability of comprehensive phenotypic measurements on modern Angus animals in the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program, particularly abattoir carcase measurements, has provided geneticists at AGBU in Armidale with an invaluable resource for the estimation of variance components, such as the heritability of each trait and the genetic relationship between different traits”.

“The availability of the new variance component estimates will result in the calculation of EBVs that better predict the breeding values of contemporary Angus animals”, said Mr Byrne.

Detailed information about the enhancements that were implemented into the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation are provided on the following pages.

Acknowledgements

The enhancements to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation in December 2022 were the result of considerable collaboration between Angus Australia and a number of livestock genetics research and service delivery organisations.

Angus Australia would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to: staff at the Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit (AGBU), in particular Dr Steve Miller, Dr Andrew Swan, Dr Gilbert Jeyaruban, Dr David Johnston, Dr Brad Walmsley and Dr Natalie Connors staff at the Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI), in particular Dr Brad Crook staff at Angus Genetics Inc, in particular Ms Kelli Rettalick, Dr Andre Garcia and Dr Duc Lu

· staff at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), in particular Dr Toni Reverter, Dr Brad Hine, Dr Laercio Portoneto, Dr Pamela Alexandre and Dr Aaron Ingham

Enhancement 1 – New Variance Components

Foreword – Dr Steve Miller, AGBU

The new variance components that were implemented into the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation have been the result of a very significant piece of work by AGBU geneticists, primarily Dr. Gilbert Jeyaruban. I recently described these updates to Angus Australia’s Genetic Evaluation Consultative Committee using a car analogy. Internally when the ‘technicians and engineers’ discuss how a genetic evaluation runs, such as the fortnightly TACE evaluation, it is similar to how a mechanic might describe an engine running. Nowadays with onboard computers, electronic ignitions and fuel injection, the idea of a regular ‘tune up’ does not mean the same thing as it did to cars from the mid 1970’s and earlier. In that era, a mechanic would put his hand on top of the air breather housing, which was typically fastened with a wing nut to the carburettor, which would sit atop your V8. Any vibrations would be related to a mis-fire and a well-tuned engine would balance a dime on its edge atop the engine, although I have never seen this accomplished. A well-tuned engine includes many inter-related systems including ignition, fuel and timing. The ignition system would include point and spark plug gaps, as well as timing of the spark related to the piston’s position and RPM. The valve timing relative to the pistons would be factory set, but the high and low speed mixtures on the carburettor would be adjusted to suit the engine. The genetic evaluation, like an engine relies on a number of interrelated systems that all come together to make an evaluation ‘hum’. Like an out of tune engine, when these systems are not optimized, the engine

Foreword – Dr Brad Crook, ABRI

Incorporating the latest developments in Australian beef genetics research is one of ABRI’s highest priorities when it comes to providing commercial genetic evaluation services. Of equal importance is giving consideration to client requests for the research and development they see as needed to ensure the genetic evaluation services reflect the data their members are recording. Balancing these priorities and undertaking the test evaluations needed to progress R&D towards commercial implementation is a core task of the genetic evaluation service provided by ABRI.

As populations change over time and as additional performance records are accumulated – especially for traits that are either less common in their levels of recording (e.g., because of cost) or for newly-introduced traits which are still gaining uptake among seedstock breeders – it is necessary to regularly update the variance components used in the evaluation. Whether we a talking about beef evaluations (such as the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation) or evaluations provided for other livestock species, both within and outside of Australia, a consistent

will still run and go down the road, but it won’t ‘hum’ and perform as it could. Performance of the genetic evaluation is not related to horse power or balancing a dime atop an air breather, but is related to the accuracy and predictability of the breeding values produced.

The genetic evaluation includes inter-related systems that come together to form an accurate prediction of EBVs. Elements of the system include data edits, adjustment factors for known effects such as age, parameters including measures of variation in traits, heritabilities and correlations between traits, alignment of genomic information and finally post-processing of results to present the EBV on a usable and consistent scale. This system is like an engine and to run properly, each of these factors needs to be adjusted to the breed and these require updating periodically, just like an engine requires periodic ‘tuning’. This ‘tuning’ of evaluations is just one such activity that AGBU undertakes to keep the genetic evaluation system accurate. Unlike a tune up on your car that might take a couple hours of shop time, this tuning of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation is much more significant, and in this case, has taken months of work from experienced scientists running large analyses on large computers. This development work at AGBU is made possible predominantly from research revenue from Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) that supports beef genetic evaluations in Australia such as TACE.

feature of all is the routine updating and implementation of variance components that best describe the current recorded population.

In the case of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, there has been considerable increase in the number of records available since the last set of variance components were implemented in 2014, especially for traits related to the carcase endpoint and for net feed intake.

With the implementation of updated variance components in December 2022, the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation will utilise the latest developments in Australian Angus genetics research as well as responding to the request of Angus Australia to ensure the parameters used in the evaluation reflect the on-going investment in data collection by its members.

Enhancement 1 – New Variance Components

The most significant enhancement implemented in December 2022, and one of the most important developments within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation in recent times, is the updating of the variance components that are modelled within the genetic evaluation.

What Are Variance Components?

Variance components are an integral component of the ‘EBV calculation formula’ and can broadly be grouped into three different categories:

Adjustment factors: Within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, performance measurements are pre-adjusted to account for non-genetic differences in the age of animals, the age of their dam (e.g. animals reared by maiden heifers versus mature females), and in the case of measurements collected in abattoir, differences in the carcase weight of animals.

Different adjustments are utilised for the performance measurements of heifers and bulls, and for animals born in different calving seasons, with different methodology used to make the adjustments depending on the trait being analysed. For example, performance measurements may be pre-adjusted using either a linear, multiplicative or quadratic adjustment methodology, subject to what is most appropriate for that trait.

Heritability: Heritability refers to the proportion of the variation observed in the performance of animals within a contemporary group that is due to differences in the animal’s genetics.

Different heritabilities are modelled for each trait within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, with the heritability playing an important role in determining how much influence an animal’s performance measurement will have on its EBV.

For traits with a higher heritability: · the animal’s own performance measurement will have a higher influence on its EBV, by comparison to the performance measurements of the animal’s relatives

Figure 1 – Example of the pre-adjustment of a weight trait to remove any differences in performance that are due to differences in the age of animals on the day of measurement

direct performance measurements for the trait will have a higher influence on the EBVs that are calculated, relative to the performance measurements for indirect ‘correlated’ traits

the EBVs that are calculated will have higher EBV accuracy values

· there will be more spread in the EBV values that are published for animals

Genetic Correlation Between Traits: The genetic correlation refers to the genetic relationship that exists between traits. In other words, the genetic correlation refers to the change

The variance components that are modelled in the main multi-trait component of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation have been updated.

that will result in the genetics for other traits, if the genetics of animals are changed for a specific trait. For example, if the genetics of animals are changed for 400 day weight through selection, how much resultant change will occur in ‘correlated’ traits like 600 day weight or carcase weight, due to the genetic relationship that exists between the traits.

Within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, the genetic correlation between a trait and all other traits is modelled, and determines how much influence the performance measurements for the trait will have on the EBVs that are calculated for the other traits. The genetic correlation that is modelled between traits is of particular importance when performance measurements are not routinely collected for the EBV being published (e.g. retail beef yield).

How Are the Variance Components in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation Determined?

The variance components that are modelled in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation are derived from analysis of the performance data that has been submitted to Angus Australia and Angus New Zealand.

In this manner, the variance components are specific to the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation, and are appropriate for the performance data that is being analysed in the genetic evaluation.

The variance components are not updated at each analysis, but rather are periodically reviewed and updated from time to time.

The periodic updating of the variance components is important in ensuring that the genetic evaluation can make the most appropriate use of the performance information that is available when predicting the breeding value for an animal.

What Variance Components Will be Updated?

Deriving the variance components is a considerable task and scientists at the Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit (AGBU) in Armidale have recently completed the reestimation of the variance components for all traits that are analysed in the main multi-trait component of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation.

This comprises the variance components for all traits within the genetic evaluation, with the exception of calving ease, docility, claw set and foot angle.

The variance components that are modelled in the main multi-trait component of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation were last updated in April 2014, and so the update to the variance components in December 2022 is one of the most important updates in recent times.

In association with the updating of the variance components, a number of associated changes were also be made to the manner in which performance data is analysed within the genetic evaluation, including:

· removal of the pre-adjustment of retail beef yield measurements for differences in carcase weight.

· analysis of MSA marbling score data as a genetically correlated trait to IMF. Previously MSA marbling score data was converted into an IMF measurement, and analysed alongside IMF measurements that had been collected on carcases in the abattoir.

Large Increase in the Amount of Performance Data Available

The updating of the variance components in December 2022 is of particular importance as there has been a large increase in the amount of performance information that is available for the re-estimation of the variance components, particularly for the carcase and feed efficiency traits.

As illustrated in table 1, there was a comparatively small amount of data available for the abattoir carcase and feed efficiency traits in April 2014, however the comprehensive collection of these hard-to-measure traits in the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP), and from some member herds, has collectively compiled a considerably larger dataset from which variance components can be estimated for these traits.

Furthermore, the performance measurements in the ASBP have been collected on modern, contemporary Angus animals, enabling variance components to be calculated that are relevant to the current population. Of most note is retail beef yield, where the majority of the performance measurements used to estimate variance components for this trait in April 2014 had been collected on animals born in the mid-1990s (see figure 2).

Trait Group

Weight traits

Scan traits

Carcase traits

Fertility

Feed efficiency

Figure 2 – The phenotypes collected from boned-out carcases in the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program have provided an invaluable resource for the estimation of variance components for retail beef yield

Table 1 – Number of performance measurements used to estimate the variance components

Trait

Birth weight

200 day weight 400 day weight 600 day weight

Mature cow weight

Rump fat (Heifer)

Rib fat (Heifer) EMA (Heifer) IMF (Heifer)

Rump fat (Bull) Rib fat (Bull) EMA (Bull) IMF (Bull)

Carcase weight

Rib fat

Rump fat

EMA

Retail beef yield

IMF MSA marble score

Gestation length

Scrotal size Days to calving

April 2014

308,938 273,546 186,377 108,691 82,576

73,865 73,581 74,338 70,752 76,265 76,249 77,243 73,044

7,115 1,419 4,319 2,996 1,069 5,832 0*

108,747 63,564 175,703

December 2022

592,028 496,566 361,856 199,954 182,044

149,420 148,372 150,699 150,356 162,195 161,481 165,858 163,911

18,651 5,088 15,097 7,712 2,241 8,042 10,332

229,740 146,396 193,521

NFI-F 2,983 1,315 3,068 6,912

NFI-P

* MSA marble score measurements are included in the IMF total in 2014

Changes to Variance Components

The most considerable changes to variance components occurred for the carcase and feed efficiency traits. These changes will improve how the abattoir carcase and net feed intake measurements are utilised within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation.

Of particular note is: more appropriate pre-adjustment of abattoir carcase measurements to remove the effect of differences in age (carcase weight) and dressed carcase weight (carcase rib fat, carcase rump fat, carcase EMA, carcase IMF).

an increase in the heritability of carcase weight, carcase rump fat, carcase EMA and carcase IMF

· a decrease heritability of carcase rib fat, carcase retail beef yield and net feed intake

While there were some minor changes, the variance components that are modelled for the weight, scan and fertility traits have remained largely unchanged.

Changes to EBVs

While there was general alignment of the EBVs, the updating of the variance components resulted in considerable changes to the EBVs that are calculated within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation for some traits and animals.

To illustrate the change that occurred, the change in EBVs for young bulls (i.e. 2020 born males) and the change in EBVs for sires is provided in Table 2.

The correlation listed provides an indication of the amount of re-ranking that occurred, with values close to 1.00 indicating minimal re-ranking will occur. As is evident in the table, considerable re-ranking was evident for the carcase and NFI EBVs, with minimal re-ranking for the weight and fertility traits.

The regression co-efficient listed provides an indication in the amount of change that occurred in the spread (or variation) of EBV values between animals. Values less than 1.00 indicate a reduction in the spread of EBVs, while values greater than 1.00 indicate an increase in the spread of EBVs.

As is evident in the table, a considerable increase in spread was observed to the carcase weight, EMA, rib fat, rump fat and IMF EBVs, while a considerable decrease in spread was observed in retail beef yield, NFI and days to calving EBVs. Minimal change was observed to the spread of weight EBVs.

While not detailed in the table, changes in the EBV accuracy values that are published alongside each EBV was also observed as a result of the updating of the variance components.

Table 2 – EBV Change Observed within the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation

EBV

Gestation Length

Birth Weight 200 Day Growth 400 Day Weight 600 Day Weight

Mature Cow Weight Milk

Scrotal Size Days to Calving

Carcase Weight

EMA

Rib Fat Rump Fat

Retail Beef Yield IMF NFI-F $A $A-L

1.00 1.00 0.99 1.00 1.00 0.99 0.99 1.00 n.a 0.95 0.96 0.96 0.93 0.89 0.95 0.91 0.93 0.97

0.98 1.01 1.05 1.05 1.01 0.99 1.00 1.03 n.a 1.13 1.20 1.15 1.22 0.53 1.24 0.84 0.82 0.88

1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 0.97 1.00 0.98 0.98 0.97 0.95 0.93 0.86 0.95 0.96 0.98 0.99

0.98 1.01 1.05 1.04 1.00 1.00 0.87 1.03 0.77 1.08 1.19 1.18 1.22 0.54 1.12 0.89 0.89 0.91

EBVs for Widely Used Sires

Table 2 provides an indication of the changes that occurred to EBVs at a population level. To illustrate the change that occurred in the EBVs for individual animals, the change in the percentile band value for each EBV for the most widely used sires in the Angus breed in the past 2 years is presented in table 3.

A value of 0 in the figure indicates that there was no change in the percentile band in which the sire sits for that EBV. Positive values (highlighted in red) in the figure indicate that the percentile band value increased, while negative values (highlighted in blue) indicate the percentile band value decreased. For example, if a sire’s percentile band value for a particular EBV changed from the 30th percentile to the 10th percentile, the value in table 3 would -20.

As illustrated, considerable re-ranking was observed in the carcase traits, with the percentile band value for some individual sires changing by as much as +/- 50 percentile units. Some re-ranking occurred in NFI and Days to Calving EBVs, while minimal change was observed in the ranking of individual animals for the weight traits.

Impact on Selection Indexes

The changes that occurred to the EBVs that are calculated also resulted in some changes to the selection indexes that are published for animals.

Most of the changes in selection indexes can be attributed to changes in the spread of EBV values, along with reranking of animals for the Retail Beef Yield, IMF and Days to Calving EBVs.

Changes to EBV Reference Tables

The changes that occurred to the EBVs that are calculated also resulted in some changes to the breed average EBVs and percentile band tables. It will be important for Angus breeders to take time to review the EBV reference tables to “re-benchmark” themselves.

Table 3Change in EBV Percentile Band for Most Widely Used Sires

Predictive Ability of New EBVs

Scientists at the Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit have conducted a number of forward validation analyses to assess the robustness of the EBVs that are now published following the updating of the variance components that are applied in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation. Specifically, forward validation analyses were conducted using a method that removed all performance measurements collected on animals born from 2018 onwards. EBVs were calculated for these animals with their performance measurements removed, and the EBVs were then used as a validation dataset by comparing the EBVs that were calculated to the performance measurements for these animals.

Three statistics were reviewed to assess the robustness of EBVs, being the prediction accuracy, bias and dispersion, as displayed in Table 4.

The forward validation analyses have demonstrated that the EBVs calculated using the updated variance components are reliably predicting the breeding value of animals, and can be used with confidence by Angus breeders in Australia and New Zealand.

> Main impacts

Table 4 – Forward Validation Analysis Results Demonstrating Predictive Ability of New EBVs

Trait Prediction Accuracy Bias Dispersion

GL 0.67 0.01 0.97

BW 0.81 -0.01 1.03

WW 0.81 -0.07 1.04

YW 0.81 -0.07 1.02

FW 0.82 -0.03 1.01

MCW 0.84 0.03 1.03

CWT 0.66 0.03 1.06

CRF 0.66 -0.07 0.99

CP8 0.64 -0.04 1.04

CEMA 0.69 0.01 1.16

CRBY 0.60 -0.04 1.01

CIMF 0.73 0.02 1.18

DTC 0.54 0.01 1.11

The updating of all variance components in the main multi-trait component of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation resulted in considerable changes to the EBVs and EBV accuracies that are published for Angus animals. Changes were particularly be observed in Carcase Weight, EMA, Rib Fat, Rump Fat, Retail Beef Yield, IMF, Days to Calving and NFI-F EBVs and EBV accuracies, with resultant changes also observed in selection index values.

Enhancement 2 – New Algorithm for Calculating EBV Accuracies

The algorithm used to calculate the EBV accuracy values has been improved and is now more efficient, precise and faster.

The large number of genotypes included in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation adds considerable complexity to the computation demands required for the successful operation of the genetic evaluation.

To address the increased computation complexity, staff at the Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit (AGBU) have developed new, more efficient algorithms for the calculation of EBVs and the associated EBV accuracy values.

The new algorithm for calculating EBVs, known as TBLUP, was introduced into the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation as part of the annual enhancements in December 2020. A new algorithm for calculating the accuracy value that is published alongside each EBV has now been implemented in December 2022.

The new algorithm for calculating EBV accuracy values has several advantages, including:

Efficiency: The new algorithm is more efficient and will cater for the large number of genotypes that are likely to be submitted for inclusion in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation in future years.

· Speed: The new algorithm is faster and provides considerable savings in memory usage and run time, enabling the bi-monthly schedule for the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation to be maintained.

> Main impacts

Figure 3 – More efficient algorithms have been developed to cater for the large number of genotypes now being included in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation

· Precision: The new algorithm is more precise in describing the data that is contributing to the estimation of the breeding value.

The new algorithm for calculating EBV accuracy was implemented into the genetic evaluations conducted by Sheep Genetics Australia for the Merino, Terminal and Maternal breeds in May 2022, and will now be progressively introduced to the BREEDPLAN genetic evaluations conducted for other beef breeds both domestically and internationally.

The new algorithm has resulted in some changes to the EBV accuracy values that are published for Angus animals. Animals most impacted will be those with genomic information and limited trait recording, and non-genotyped relatives of genomically tested animals.

The new algorithm has not resulted in any changes to the EBVs that are published, only the EBV accuracy values.

Enhancement 3 – New Software for Docility EBVs

Docility EBVs are calculated within a separate, single trait analysis within the TransTasman Angus cattle evaluation.

Previously animals were only included in the docility analysis if they had been scored for docility, or had progeny or grand-progeny scored for docility.

New software has been implemented whereby all animals from the main-multi trait component of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation are included in the docility analysis, resulting in the publication of Docility EBVs for a greater number of animals.

While all animals from the main multi-trait component of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation will now be included in the docility analysis, similar to other EBVs, Docility EBVs will only be published if they meet the minimum accuracy threshold of 25%.

> Main impacts

· Docility EBVs for more animals: More than 90% of animals will now have a Docility EBV published. Previously, Docility EBVs were published for approximately 25% of animals.

· Docility EBVs published for animals without docility scores: Animals may now have Docility EBVs published despite having never been scored for docility, or having being bred in a herd that has never collected docility scores. The EBVs published for these animals will be calculated from the docility scores collected on relatives in other herds, subject to the EBV meeting the minimum accuracy threshold.

New Breed Average EBV: The breed average EBV for Docility is approximately +20. The increase from the previous breed average EBV of +7 is due to the inclusion of more animals in the docility analysis, along with the implementation of a base adjustment aiming to minimise the number of animals with a negative Docility EBV value.

· Changes to Docility EBVs: While minimal change in the ranking of animals occurred, the implementation of a base adjustment resulted in an increase in the magnitude of the Docility EBV that is published for most animals. In circumstances where the ranking of some individual animals has also changed for docility, the change is due to the inclusion of more complete pedigree information in the docility analysis for these animals, better linking the animals to their relatives.

Figure 4 – More than 90% of animals will now have a Docility EBV published in the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation

The software used to calculate Docility EBVs has been updated, resulting in the publication of Docility EBVs for more animals.

Enhancement 4 – Publication of Leg Angle EBVs

A new Leg Angle EBV will now be published.

Leg Angle EBVs will now be published for Angus animals recorded with Angus Australia, complementing the existing Claw Set and Foot Angle EBVs.

Leg Angle EBVs (Leg) are estimates of genetic differences in rear leg structure when viewed from the side.

Leg Angle EBVs are calculated from a subjective assessment of rear leg structure when viewed from the side (angle at the front of the hock), and are expressed in score units. Lower Leg Angle EBVs indicate an animal is expected to produce progeny with, on average, a lower score for leg angle (i.e. straighter angle through the hock joint).

Leg Angle EBVs are calculated using a similar analytical model to the model used for Claw Set and Foot Angle, including: a single trait, linear model

· facility to incorporate breeder assessed scores, along with scores collected by an accredited assessor

facility to incorporate multiple scores per animal facility to incorporate scores on both yearling animals and mature females

· facility to incorporate genomic information into the calculation of EBVs facility to only incorporate scores of 5 – 9 in the calculation of EBVs

In contrast to the Claw Set and Foot Angle EBVs, scores are only included in the calculation of Leg Angle EBVs for animals recorded with Angus Australia. Leg Angle EBVs are not published for animals recorded with the American or Canadian Angus Associations.

> Main impacts

Leg Angle EBVs will now be published for Angus animals recorded with Angus Australia

Figure 6 - Leg Angle EBV distribution for sires with 5 or more progeny scored for leg angle.

Figure 5 - Leg Angle EBVs are estimates of genetic differences in rear leg structure when viewed from the side.

Enhancement 5 – Publication of ImmuneDEX RBVs for genotyped animals

ImmuneDEX RBVs will now be published for all animals with a genotype.

ImmuneDEX Research Breeding Values (RBVs) will now be published for all animals that have a suitable genomic profile, being HD50K for Angus or Angus GS, or their predecessors.

ImmuneDEX RBVs provide estimates of genetic differences between animals for overall immune competence, a key component of resilience.

ImmuneDEX RBVs are calculated from an animal’s genomic profile, based on a genomic reference population comprised of animals primarily from the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program. Animals in the genomic reference population have been assessed for immune competence combining measures of antibody-mediated immune responses (Ab_IR), through a blood test, and cell-mediated immune responses (Cell_IR), through a skin reaction test.

Higher ImmuneDEX RBVs indicate an animal is expected to produce progeny with an enhanced ability to resist disease challenges and therefore have lower disease incidence. Lower ImmuneDEX RBVs indicate an animal is expected to produce progeny with a higher incidence of disease and associated production losses.

The availability of ImmuneDEX RBVs on a larger number of animals will enable Angus breeders to place selection emphasis on immune competence and resilience traits, while continuing selection for other traits of importance within their breeding objective.

> Main impacts

ImmuneDEX Research Breeding Values will now be published for all animals that have a suitable genomic profile, being HD50K for Angus or Angus GS, or their predecessors.

Other Enhancements

In addition, a number of other enhancements were also implemented. These enhancements were less significant, but formed an important part of the ongoing maintenance of the TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation.

Maintenance of Genomic Pipeline

Several elements of the pipeline by which genomic information is incorporated into the calculation of EBVs have been updated, including:

· Re-estimation of the reference haplotype library: The reference haplotype library that is used when converting (imputing) the raw genotypes from different genotyping platforms into a standard set of SNPs for use in the genetic evaluation has been updated. Some changes in EBVs were observed for animals with low density genotypes (i.e. <20K) or their close relatives as a result of this enhancement.

Incorporation of additional SNPs: The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that are used in the genetic evaluation have been updated to include additional SNPs from the latest genotyping platforms.

· Re-estimation of the allele frequencies: Allele frequencies are used to assess whether an animal is sufficiently related to the genomic reference population

to enable the utilisation of its genomic information in the genetic evaluation. The allele frequencies used as part of these quality assurance checks and may result in the inclusion of a small number of genotypes that were previously excluded, or conversely the exclusion of a small number of genotypes that were previously included in the genetic evaluation.

The updating of these elements has resulted in minor changes in EBVs and EBV accuracies for most animals.

Importation of Overseas EPDs

A revised set of EPDs have been included for imported animals that are recorded with the American and Canadian Angus Associations. The inclusion of updated EPDs has resulted in changes to the EBVs for some imported animals, and their relatives.

EPDs will no longer be updated for imported animals that are recorded with the Red Angus Association of America.

Angus Verified NVDs & Guidelines

BLACK ANGUS CATTLE ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES

Straight black hided Presenting Angus characteristics

Small amount of white underline (not visible from the front of the animal)

No white legs, feet or tail · No horns · Scurs accepted, not fixed to the skull

No bos indicus or dairy characteristics

Angus cross Angus Angus

Example of ACCEPTABLE Breed Description

Northern America Beef Supply Chain Study Tour – Part 2

Liz Pearson, Commercial Supply Chain Manager

In part one we covered a brief background on some of the ranchers, feedyards and processors visited in US and Canada.

Part two covers the ins-and-outs of the American Angus Association’s commercial programs and it’s Certified Angus Beef brand.

American Angus Association

At the American Angus Association (AAA) head office in St Joseph, Missouri, I was enthusiastically greeted by the AAA team.

As in Canada, the key programs of interest at AAA were their commercial verification and marketing programs.

AngusLink includes a Genetic Merit Scorecard (GM Scorecard). The GM Scorecard, with associated electronic ID (EID) tags, gives ranchers the ability to effectively communicate the genetic merit of their cattle to potential buyers, differentiate their cattle from others on sale day, and have electronic identification to maintain their verification status.

The GM scorecard also serves as a platform for the rancher to track genetic progress to ensure next year’s calf crop is better than the last.

Targeting the Brand

An extension from AngusLink is the ‘Targeting the Brand’ marketing program that identifies high performing registered Angus bulls and Angus Verified cattle.

The Targeting the Brand logo is used for marketing purposes in bull sale catalogues and online commercial cattle sales. Its use requires compliance to the following criteria:

1. Registered Angus bulls with above average Marbling and Feeder Index.

2. Angus Verified cattle with a GM Scorecard Grid Score of 125 or great.

It’s interesting to note that only 25% of Angus bulls in the US meet this requirement.

AngusLink

AngusLink is a suite of value-added programs for commercial producers where different USDA Process Verified Programs (PVP) are validated for a supporting claim when selling cattle.

These PVPs include Age & Source, HGP Free, Calf Management, Cattle Care, NeverEver3 (no antibiotics or HGPs, and no animal by-products fed), Good Agricultural Practises and the US version of Angus Verified. Any cattle that have these verifications are essentially called ‘Program Cattle’ and bring premiums in different marketplaces.

In 2021, AngusLink cattle earned an average premium of $0.43 AUD/kg liveweight, increasing from a $0.34 AUD/ kg liveweight premium in 2020. Similar to the Canadian market, Angus Verified cattle in the US have a minimum Angus breed content of 50% and must be sired by a registered Angus bull.

Targeting the Brand helps commercial bull buying customers easily find bulls with added carcass value and brings premiums for bulls that achieve this status.

Similarly, commercial Angus Verified cattle gain market premiums based on expected superior carcass performance.

Joe Goggins of Vermilion Ranch and Northern Livestock Video Auctions in Billings, Montana said the AngusLink program is a major component of online video sales and is seen as the base standard for Angus cattle.

“Angus is the base price in the US and there are only discounts for everything else,” said Joe Joe also observed that for AngusLink to continue its success, it needed to be directly linked to Certified Angus Beef premiums and promoted by seedstock breeders to highlight superior performing bulls.

This sentiment was echoed by Art (new appointed Board member of AAA) and Stacy Butler from Spring Cove Ranch Angus in Bliss, Idaho who believed enrolling cattle in Angus

Welcome back for part two of this series where we delve into the Northern America commercial Angus cattle industry.

Casey Cobb & Liz Pearson

A: Dalhart Cattle Feeders, Dalhart, Texas, B: Casey Cobb, Dalhart Cattle Feeders Feedlot Manager with Angus Australia’s Liz Pearson

Verified with the GM Scorecard was the best solution for commercial producers to have that competitive edge, along with the associated EIDs that the major four processors, JBS Cargill, Tyson Foods and National Beef all preferred.

Rancher Neil Helmick near Boise, Idaho said that AngusLink had opened markets for their operation with processors coming directly to them to purchase cattle, receiving a $0.85 AUD/kg premium in 2021.

Morgan Ranches Dave and Ann Rutan, located at Rome, Oregon and Jordan Valley, Idaho have enrolled cattle in AngusLink since 2008 and sold over 10,000 calves through the program.

Dave commented that they didn’t get much benefit initially when the program was new, however over time and as acceptability for AngusLink has grown in the market, they are enjoying reputation and premiums for their ‘program cattle’.

“AngusLink cattle bring a premium over Angus anything else,” said Dave Feedlot Manager, Casey Cobb of Dalhart Cattle Feeders in Texas believes that AngusLink provides great traceability for their business, and this is highlighted by the use of EID tags, which are not mandatory in the US, unlike in Australia with NLIS

Certified Angus Beef

Certified Angus Beef (CAB), located in Wooster, Ohio is a subsidiary company of the American Angus Association and is the single largest branded beef brand in the world.

My time at CAB was a definite highlight of the tour. On arrival I presented to the full staff monthly breakfast, fielding fantastic enthusiasm and engagement from the whole team, even if they only picked up every 3rd word I said as they struggled with my ‘Ocker’ accent.

This was followed by a site tour, several meetings and a stunning CAB lunch prepared by on-staff chef, Brad Parker.

CAB has an outstanding facility, which has grown considerably over the past 5 years, housing 130 of its 160 staff, Culinary Centre consisting of fully equipped catering kitchen, carcass breakdown rooms and 120 person dining space, merchandise store and a newly completed CAB owned print shop, point-of-sale warehouse, and meeting room facility across the road.

Additionally, CAB has recently purchased a 109 acre farm located within 10 minutes of their facility. The farm is leased back to the original owner to run a small Angus herd to be used by CAB to expose and educate its customers to how cattle and beef are raised.

The CAB business model is quite unique in that it licenses all processors, distributors, and food service businesses. Each of these sectors in the supply chain report product sales back to CAB which allows CAB to follow their product right through the supply chain and ensure their brand is only being used by those businesses that they partner with.

It would be remiss of me not to briefly describe the US beef grading system at this point while talking about CAB. The US grading system has three grades. Prime, Choice and Select with Prime being the best and Select at the bottom. Having a uniquely simple system has ensured that from the producer, right through the consumer, there is an understanding and awareness of the grades, and this influences the purchasing decisions of the customer.

For reference, the minimum grade required to qualify for CAB is upper 2/3 Choice and Prime, along with 10 carcass specification that must also be met.

CAB Carcass Specification

1. Modest or high marbling 2. Medium to fine marbling texture 3. Less than 30 months of age 4. 10 to 16 square inch ribeye area 5. 476kg hot carcass weight or less 6. 1 inch or less fat thickness 7. Superior muscling 8. Practically free of capillary ruptures 9. No dark cutters

10.No neck hump exceeding 2 inches

It was only 10 years ago that a mere 18% of animals identified as Angus met the brand requirements, whereas now that has jumped to a healthy 36% acceptability as Angus genetics have improved over time and made it easier for CAB to meet the growing demand for their product. The identification of an Angus animal in the US is significantly different to Australia.

C: Billings Live Stock Commission sale barn owned by the Goggins family, Billings, Montana, D: Morgan Ranches at Rome, Oregon, E: Ginette Gottswiller from American Angus Association with Angus Australia’s Liz Pearson

CAB utilises the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) definition of Angus for acceptance to the brand which states ‘the main body must be solid black with no other colour behind the shoulder, above the flanks, or breaking the midline behind the shoulders, excluding the tail’.

Cattle are reviewed for hide colour on entry to the kill floor and if they meet all 10 carcass specification for eating quality when graded, they’re considered eligible for the CAB brand.

5.9 million cattle were certified through the program in 2021. CAB enjoys outstanding consumer trust and loyalty with a recent survey showing 98% of consumer know the CAB brand. Quite inspiring!

Joe Goggins supports CAB and believes there is an opportunity for a purebred Angus CAB product to be developed to further drive premiums for ranchers. This sentiment was echoed by Texas rancher, Bodey Langford, keen to see an Angus genetic component added to the CAB requirements rather than just a ‘black’ component.

Art & Stacy Butler of Spring Cove Ranch in Bliss, Idaho, who were the 2019 recipient of the CAB Seedstock Commitment to Excellence Award, believe the promotion of CAB drives demand for Angus cattle and that ultimately marble score and eating quality would dictate if the carcass was identified as CAB, maintaining a better eating experience for the consumer.

Art went on further to comment after hearing about Angus in Australia that “it would appear while demand for Angus has turned the Australian herd ‘Angus’, in our case here, it has turned the US herd ‘black’”.

Feedlot Manager, Casey Cobb of Dalhart Cattle Feeders in Texas believed that the premiums that go along with being Angus and CAB were not always being passed back onto the rancher.

“If the cattle are Angus or black but don’t meet the CAB carcass requirements, they don’t make it into the brand, and we don’t get the CAB premium,” said Casey.

Casey highlighted that CAB was the only premium for Angus cattle available to the feed yard but went on to say “Ranchers who are already part of the existing Angus Verified program

will be in the box seat once those premiums start to flow back….and I truly believe that it will”

Founder and CEO of Harmony Beef in Calgary, Alberta Canada is a loyal supporter of CAB and an enthusiastic processor of the brand, sighting constant demand for the product being one of the major upsides to the program.

Harmony Beef is a family-owned business and process 550 head/day.

With the significant investment and support from CAB driving demand for the product through the distribution, food service and consumers sectors, it is an ideal system to ensure processors can easily find premium markets to move the product into.

Jeff Lawrick, Customer Marketing Manager from Gordon Food Service, which is the 3rd largest food distributor in the world commented that for their business, “CAB is a real differentiator in the market”.

“The scale and support from CAB are second to none and highly valued by us,” said Mr Lawrick.

Mr Lawrick went on to say, “The CAB Barn program is something we really like and use to connect our customers to the ranchers who are producing the product”.

Distributor Franklin Hall, CEO and owner of Lone Star Meats based in Austin, Texas emphasised that through their support, CAB had made Lone Star Meats part of an elite group, and this went a long way to cementing the relationship and how they work together.

“CAB is what we call ‘the right customer’, ‘the gold standard’, and we want to focus on those relationships,” said Mr Hall. Like all opportunities however, there also come risks.

Risks include cases where CAB product is sold by a processor to a non-licensed distributor, who then on sells the product at a discounted price to gain market share, leading to eroded premiums received for CAB product at times.

A further identified risk lies in the lack of Angus genetic component required for CAB acceptance with animals being identified soles on coat colour. This may lead to product not always be Angus.

This risk can be mitigated in part by the brand carcass specifications that maintain the high eating quality standard of CAB product.

Mr Hall spoke to this saying that not only does the product have consistent, superior eating quality, but that CAB bring the importance of Angus heritage to the brand.

Mr Hall went on to say, “CAB enjoys huge trust from consumers based on delivering a quality eating product every day of the week and that is what is most important to the consumer”.

“When it comes to breed, the customer doesn’t get that caught up in the weeds,” said Mr Hall.

With many sectors of the supply chain investing heavily in CAB, expect that they will work very hard to protect the CAB brand and that investment.

Angus is the base price in the US and there are only discounts for everything else - Joe Goggins, Vermilion Ranch

Bodey Langford, Langford Cattle Co, Lockhart, Texas

G H

I K

J

A: Angus cows on Helmick’s Ranch at Boise, Idaho, B: Art & Stacy Butler, Spring Cove Ranch, Bliss, Idaho, C: CAB product in Buehler’s Fresh Food Supermarket in Wooster, Ohio, D: CAB executive offices, Culinary Centre and barn, Wooster, Ohio USA, E: Rich Vesta, Harmony Beef, Calgary, Alberta, Canada with Angus Australia’s Liz Pearson, F: Morgan Ranches at Jordan Valley, Idaho, G: Kelli Retallick – Angus Genetics Inc President, Mark McCully - CEO, Ginette Gottswiller – Director of Verification Services & Troy Marshall – Director of Commercial Industry Relations from American Angus Association with Angus Australia’s Liz Pearson, H: CAB President, John Stika with Liz Pearson , I: CAB full time Chef, Brad Parker with Liz Pearson, K: Billings Live Stock Commission sale barn owned by the Goggins family, Billings, Montana

Around the Shows

PERTH ROYAL

-

2022 ROYAL MELBOURNE SHOW - E: All Breeds Pair & All Breeds Junior Pair and Junior &Grand

Angus Bull: Nampara Silverado S221 - Nampara Pastoral Company. Image: Stock Journal, F: Junior Champion Angus Female and Interbreed Junior Heifer: Diamond Ms Sleepless in Seattle S410, exhibited by Diamond Angus, G: Senior & Grand Champion Angus Female and Supreme Angus Exhibit and Reserve Interbreed Senior Female: Diamond Ms Quick Thrill Q419, exhibited by Diamond Angus, G: Interbreed Breeders Group: Diamond Angus. Images: Showcase by Branded Ag

2022

A: Interbreed Breeders Group of three bulls: Tullibardine Angus. Image: Farm Weekly, B: Interbreed Breeders Group of three heifers: Venturon Livestock. Image: Farm Weekly, C: Junior & Grand Champion Bull: Venturon Sugar Daddy S120, exhibited by Venturon Livestock, D: Junior & Grand Champion Female and Supreme Exhibit: Venturon Diana S134, exhibited by Venturon Livestock. Image: Farm Weekly.

Champion

Royal Carcase Success

Diana Wood, Marketing & Communications Manager

The live judging at Perth saw a 441kg Limousin - Angus cross steer exhibited by Murdoch University, named Grand Champion after taking out the medium weight category.

In the lightweight section the University exhibited a a 383kg Limousin-Angus heifer for the Champion.

Reserve champion in the extra heavyweight category went to the WA College of Agriculture, Denmark, with a 548kg Limousin-Angus.

Murdoch University also had success in the carcase competition, winning the Grand Champion Carcase with their heavy weight carcase champion, a510kg live weight Limousin-Angus cross steer. The carcase dressed at 59.4% with rib of 100mm and P8 of 7mm and the equal biggest eye muscle area of 103 cmsq.

Murdoch were also successful in mediumweight carcase category with another Limousin-Angus cross steer being named Champion and in the extra heavy weight section, they won Champion and Reserve Champion carcase with Limousine-Angus cross steers.

In the Melbourne Led Steer and Carcase Competition, Gundagai High School exhibited an Angus steer to take out the Reserve Champion School Steer.

While in the Borthwick Trophy for a Team of 3 purebred steers, the Angus team, all exhibited by the Gundagai High School were placed second.

Both Perth and Melbourne Royal Shows saw Angus and Angus Influenced genetics have success across their hoof and hook competitions.

Angus National Conference Angus National Conference Angus National Conference SAve the date

A: Cheyne Twist, Angus Australia, Brad Gilmour, Director & Sam Hamilton Angus Australia, B: Dr Toni Reverter Dr Brad Hine Christian Duff Ag Catalyst, C: Monique McKinnon - Lily Christian - Damine Thomson - Sam Finlayson at the Efficient Beef Field Day, D: Jack Laurie and Andrew Shofay, Macka's Angus at the Veridied Black Angus Beef BBQ Competition, E: Jack Phillips Angus Australia & Bronson McLay NH Foods Australia, F: Nancy Crawshaw & Ruby Canning at the Efficient Beef Field Day, G: Robyn Kelly & Cheyne Twist Angus Australia and Gary Kelly

Rounding up a cracking four days in Wodonga

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

Coming together for the first time since 2020, Angus Youth members from almost all states took part in the event which saw the cumulation of two and a half years of work from the Roundup Organising committee come to fruition with an excellent event filled with not only the traditional Roundup activities, but also some new additions to the program.

Roundup kicked off on Thursday with the how to’s when it comes to washing and drying, leading and parading workshops and parading practice, the tried-and-true Barnyard Olympics and a cooking demonstration from celebrity chef Fast Ed thanks to Verified Black Angus Beef brand, Angus Reserve.

The following days were of blur of activity, with education sessions from various experts in the industry, the Chute to Showring Competition, Junior Judging, cattle classes, with the Roundup concluding on Sunday with the paraders classes and final presentations.

Outside of the shed, the Special Dinner Dance once again proved a fantastically successful event, with over $20,000 raised for the Angus Youth program with funds going towards the continued development of initiatives that support youth development and education to benefit the Australian beef industry.

NH Foods Australia Angus Youth Roundup Committee

A big thank you goes out to the committee, the sponsors, the cattle providers, the volunteers and the parents, who without their support Roundup would not be able to take place. And of course to the participants, who are the future of the beef industry, thank you for joining Angus Australia for this fun filled, educational event.

WATCH

https://www.youtube.com/

The NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup was four days of fun, learning and all things cattle when over 100 participants gathered at the Wodonga Showgrounds on October 6th to 9th.

The Roundup Awards Winners

A: Best presented heifer, B: Supreme Exhibit, C: Champon Senior Parader, D: Champion Intermediate Parader, E: Reserve Junior Parader, F: Champion Pee Wee Parader, G: Reserve Intermediate Parader, H: Reserve Junior Parader, I: Reserve Senior Parader, J:Best Maintained Stall, K: Reserve Sub Intermediate Parader, L: Champion Team

The Roundup Awards Winners

A: Chute to showring, B: Judging Pee Wees, C: Judging Juniors, D: Judging Seniors, E: Judging Sub inters, F: Junior Awards Herdsperson, G: EJ Angus Encouragement Award recipient Angus Lee, with Carol Grylls, H: Intermediates Herdsperson, I: Grand Champion Parader, J: Grand Champion, K: Juniors Meat Judging, L: Matthew George Citizenship Award recipient Mitchell Duddy, with Willie and Joanne Milne and David & Lorrain George, M: Pee Wee Awards Herdsperson

Images: Showcase by Branded

The Roundup Awards Winners

A: Pee Wees Meat judging, B: Senior Awards Herdsperson, C: Seniors Meat judging, D: Sub Intermediate Awards Herdsperson, E: Sub Intermediates Meat Judging, F: Bred & Owned, G: Senior Champ Heifer, H: Junior Champ Heifer, I: Champion Bull, J: Commercial Exhibit, K: Judging Sub inters

A big thank you!

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

Without the generosity of the many sponsors that come on board each year, the Roundup would not be possible.

Chair of the Roundup Organising Committee Annie Pumpa reflected this sentiment at the recent NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup, “I want to thank all our sponsors, particularly NH Foods Australia. It's no secret that an event like this doesn't happen without the monetary involvement from our sponsors, particularly our major sponsor, NH Foods Australia.

“The partnership and the relationship that we've built with them over the last three years, I really do hope that is nurtured into the future, because a brand like that, they're not necessarily in the front or middle or the back end of supply chain, but they understand the value of young people in our industry and they're really devoted to upskilling and being part of that story.”

In 2022, the crowd were lucky to have some of sponsors on hand to assist in bringing the Roundup to life.

Bronson McLay, Livestock Buyer for NH Foods Whyalla Beef & Wingham Beef Exports, was on the ground representing major sponsor NH Foods Australia.

“On behalf of NH Foods Australia, we're very grateful to sponsor an event like this as it's a great event,” said Bronson.

“Just to have a look around and see all these young ones that are really getting involved, it makes me quite happy. It's a really good place in the industry at the moment and Angus Australia and the Angus breeders are doing a great job.”

“Putting on this event takes a fair bit of effort, especially over the last couple of years to get things happening, so we appreciate that we can be involved and that we can be a sponsor.”

Daryl Holder from The Cattle Shop had the kids in raptures during his education sessions as he demonstrated how to create a halter for their heifer.

Being a long-time supporter of the Angus Youth program and Roundup, Daryl knows how important these events are for young people in the industry.

“I’ve probably been coming to Roundup since about 2007 or 2008. I’ve missed a couple of the last few but it’s great to be back supporting the youth.”

Daryl’s gauge of why it is important to support these events is simple.

“Looking at the kids and seeing the smiles on their faces when they achieve making a halter. You try and make it fun and educational for them and then they get to keep that halter and go home with it.

“Then just to see some of the kids when they first get here when they haven’t even met their animals through to the Saturday and Sunday when they are just so confident and are having so much fun, having met all these people and made mates they will keep for years and years to come.”

When it comes to the why, Daryl emphasised the passing of the torch of industry knowledge.

“It’s good to have knowledge, but it’s better to be a teacher and to supply that knowledge onto these young people who are coming through. If we don’t nurture those kids, where are we going to be?

“There are no trade secrets here, we’ve got so many people here that have got knowledge that they can give to the kids just to make their life easier, and you get such a reward from giving a little bit to the kids because even if they get a just a little bit out of what you tell them it’s fantastic.”

Brett Tindal, Livestock Channel Manager, and Hannah Powe, Livestock Editor, represented The Land with boots on the ground at the event.

Australian Community Media and its various mastheads have been sponsors of the Roundup for over 20 years.

“As part of my role for the last 20 years through Rural Press, Fairfax and now ACM we have been a supporter of the Angus Youth Roundup as a sponsor in the various states, in the Stock & Land, Stock Journal, The Land and Queensland Country Life etc,” said Brett.

“We have always tried to really support the youth programs around the country, especially Angus. You are a big supporter of our business, and we like to give back. We see it as a pathway for these young people coming through that then become our clients and our readers, so we like to be engaged with them from the start.”

Hannah highlighted that supporting the event comes with the built-in advantage of stories about what the up in comers of the industry are doing.

“These types of environments are the perfect opportunity to gain so many insightful stories about what the kids are doing, how people are getting involved in agriculture and the good stories people like to hear,” said Hannah.

“A lot of the people that are here, they are the sons and daughters of people we cover a lot in the paper so it’s good to see what they are doing, how they are upskilling and what the future looks like for our industry.”

Hannah, a former participant of the Roundup for many years, and Brett, a parent to two competitors this year, both have a firsthand understanding of the importance of the program, not only for their business but for the development of industry.

“It’s not just about showing cattle, it’s exposing them to so many facets of the industry which is so important, and they have got the opportunity to meet people pretty much throughout the whole beef supply chain,” said Hannah.

“Over the last twenty years we have hired 6-7 people that have come through the junior programs. It’s a good sanding out ground for us because if they are learning the skills here, we know they can talk to people, we know they have the skills that we want to bring into our business,” said Brett.

A: Brett Tindal was at the Roundup this year as a sponsor and first time Roundup parent, with Will and Joey both, B: Hannah Powe (left) with Charlotte Nugent, Meg Kealey & Sue Powe has been a competitor, committee member, ballot cattle supplier and sponsor, C: Daryl Holder is always a fan favourite during the education sessions D: Bronson McLay NH Foods Australia

· Kotzur Silos · EJ Angus

Betts Cattle Co QLD State Committee

Holbrook Breeders Australia Proway

TAS Angus Breeders Group

Robinson’s Livestock Nuggets Red Angus

· Flemington Angus · Bolton Girls Red Angus

· Texas Angus · SA State Committee

Ray White Rural Semex

Young Livestock Exporters Network

Ben Nevis Angus Millah Murrah Angus

· North East Angus Group of Victoria

· Karoo Angus · Paringa Livestock

Billaglen Angus Breeder Genetics

Billaglen Pastoral Co

Branded Ag Marketing Bald Blair Angus Breeder Genetics Reilands Angus Bolton Girls Red Angus

Cassie Macdonald

Darby the latest aspiring breeder

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

Attending his first Roundup after hearing about it from his mates, Darby was selected by award sponsor Peter Collins of Merridale Angus, having displayed the characteristics fitting of the recipient of the award over the course of the four-day event.

First introduced in 2015, the Merridale Aspiring Breeder Award was established by the Collins family in recognition of an Angus Youth member who does not already have an Angus stud or the financial backing to start their own immediately but has a strong desire to breed their own Angus cattle. The recipient receives a registered Angus heifer kindly donated by the Collins family.

When asked on what prompted the establishment of this opportunity for a young industry member, Mr Collins said, “When our children were going through the Roundup program, we found that there were a lot of children who were looking for ballot heifers, for example we supplied 15 at Bendigo one year.

“I felt there was a really good opportunity that if Merridale could provide a young person a chance to own a heifer it could be the making of someone going into agriculture or becoming a farmer.”

Mr Collins highlights that when looking for their recipient each year, he seeks someone who actively shows their potential but may not have been afforded the same opportunities as many others around them.

“It’s for an aspiring breeder, but it’s probably not for those kids who’ve got all the opportunity in the world, whose dad has 500 cows,” said Mr Collins.

“It’s more or less for the young person who has two or three cows at home, or their grandparents had cows, or they may not have the ability to buy an animal for themselves. If we can give them that one leg up, then maybe we can help them have a stud of their own and to inspire them to become Angus breeders.

“We are looking for someone who is really passionate about Angus cattle, someone who is a good person – they don’t have to have the best boots or the best clothes – but someone that might just need that leg up.”

When it came to the selection of Darby as recipient of this year’s award, Mr Collins saw not only his potential, but his enthusiasm throughout the event to help others around him.

“His manner, his politeness, he was willing to help the little ones and the big ones, to meet all Angus Australia officials and was always involved. We had some really good contestants, but he really stood out because he had all those really great qualities,” said Mr Collins.

Darby was forthcoming in how chuffed he was with his selection for the award and recognised the importance of people like the Collins family in their support for the Angus Youth program.

“It doesn’t feel real honestly, I’m a bit over the moon. I’m very keen and pleased with this opportunity Peter has given me and I will be sure to pay it forward and help out more youth,” said Darby.

“I’d love to help out some more of the younger kids as well that haven’t been as fortunate as I have, as this has really given me the opportunity to grow bigger and help the next youth generation.”

He also already has big plans for his heifer in the future. “She’s going to be a show heifer. I am going to take her around to all the shows and show her off,” he said.

A resonating cheer went up when Darby McLaren was named the 2022 recipient of the Merridale Aspiring Breeder Award at the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup in October.

Darby in action at the Angus Youth Roundup

“Then I will do an AI program. I wouldn’t mind flushing her as well to put a few in my own commercial cows to get a few more calves on the ground and set up my own stud. It’s really going to help me set up my own stud and get me out there.

“I am very, very grateful for people like Peter who go out and help the youth. It doesn’t happen every day that you win a heifer, and it gives you a great opportunity to really succeed and push yourself. It’s all giving back, and it all works around in a circle.”

His presentation of the Merridale Aspiring Breeder Award capped off a successful Roundup for Darby, who also took home Intermediate Reserve Champion Parader, a top five finish in the Herdsperson Competition and shared Champion Team honours with his fellow team members.

Feature left: Darby McClaren is presented the Merridale Aspiring Breeder Award by Peter Collins, Merridale Angus at the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup, feature right: Darby McClaren is presented Intermediate Reserve Champion Parader at the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup. Pictured with Judge Kate Schoen and Roundup Organising Committee member Monique McKinnon. Images: Showcase by Branded Ag.

Raising a hand for the next generation

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

Taking place on Saturday, October 8th, the Special Dinner Dance brought together over 250 participants, parents and guardians and sponsors.

Supported by dinner partners Red Angus Australia, Nutrien Ag Solutions and Angus Victoria, the evening was full of good fun and even better food, with a delicious entrée and main, featuring NH Foods Australia’s Verified Black Angus Beef Brand, Angus Reserve served up for all to enjoy.

Moving to the main cause of the evening, everyone involved dug deep in the name of generosity, with fundraising efforts raising over $25,000 for the Angus Youth.

Auction items ranged from semen packages, fine art and more and were in hot demand with the silent and live auctions attracting bidders from the audience and via AuctionsPlus. The auction was conducted by Peter Goldbolt from Nutrien Ag. All funds raised from the evenings efforts go to support youth development and education that benefits the Australian beef industry.

These programs are designed to encourage and assist the involvement of young people in the Australian beef industry, to provide professional development opportunities for young beef breeders.

“We extend a huge thank you to everyone who donated to the cause and assisted in raising a huge figure for the Angus Youth programs,” said Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake Phillips.

“Without the support of those who donate, the opportunities provided by the Angus Youth program and the Angus Foundation would not be possible. Through contributing to the program, you are assisting young people from all walks of life, including many who will go on to forge careers in the cattle industry, who otherwise may not have had the chance to take part in such activities.”

“We really do say a big thank you to all those that have been so generous.”

Live Auction Item Purchaser

Bolton Girls Red Angus – 15 semen straws Red Lazy MC Hollywood 127C CANM1889374 Powe

Bolton Girls Red Angus – 5 semen straws Red Lazy MC Hollywood 127C CANM1889374

Bald Blair Angus – ‘Kelly’s Cottage’ Twonight farm stay and tour located at Bald Blair Angus at Guyra

Mavstar Photography – 11 x 4 fine art framed print – buyers’ choice of image

Dusty-Belle Country – Handmade cowhide overnight bag and purse

Zoetis – 20 x HD 50k DNA tests

Branded Ag Marketing – Photo Package10 high resolution images form any show (past, present, or future)

Breeder Genetics – 10 semen straws – 5 x straws of each sire ($250 per straw) Baldridge Alternative E125 & So Right S48

Cassie Macdonald Art – One-of-a-kind Angus bull painting

Target Livestock & Marketing – 5 semen straws – buyers’ choice - HF Alcatraz 60F or Schiefelbein Showman 338

Mystery Item- Nuggets Red Angus & Jake and Lucy Bourne (Guinea Fowls)

Murdeduke Angus - 15 semen straws –Murderduke Quarterback Q11

Images: Showcase by Branded Ag. Right top: Peter Goldbolt from Nutrien on the rostrum,

Right bottom: Angus Australia Extension, Jake Phillips spotting during the auction

A crowd favourite for the Roundup crew is the Special Dinner Dance, and 2022 saw no exception.

Family

Nuggets Red Angus (Charlotte, Jemima and Oscar Nugent)

Annie Pumpa

NH Foods Australia

Jonathan Spence

Lachie Wilson

Laura Cunningham

Nick Moyle

Toni Nugent

Stuart Hann

Brenton Sessions

Daniel George

Balloting out a great time

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

One of the unique details of Roundup is the event is open to everyone, from novice to experienced, and for those who may not have cattle for themselves.

To make this possible, the event relies on the support of ballot cattle suppliers to provide animals for participants who do not have access to their own animals.

Ballot cattle sponsors come on board each year to provide animals, with many providing ballot animals many years after their own children have gone through the program, however, are still wanting to provide support and lending a hand to the continuation of the event.

At the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup, a major supplier of cattle was Natalie and Stuart Hann of Nampara Angus, who attended Roundup with four of their own children.

Providing 13 head for event after an 11-hour trip from Lucindale, South Australia, Stuart was aware of the impact ballot cattle suppliers can have for young people in the industry that don’t have the same start as everyone else. “We didn’t have a stud when I was a kid, and I couldn’t have wanted anything else more. Through a long time and a lot of hard work we have gotten to 300 odd cows and now if a kid wants to go to a heifer show which I enjoyed so much, a place where I met my wife, I guess I can’t say no.

“I guess it’s about providing that opportunity. We are not all good at sport, we are not all good at school and this is something that takes you away from all that and for most of the kids that we have got on board it’s addictive and we can’t get rid of them.”

Reflecting on his history with the event and why he has come back on board as a ballot cattle supplier, Stuart says the benefit for him as a supplier is mutual.

“As a kid I came to Roundup when it was at Hamilton 20 or 25 years ago. For us it’s a bit of promotion because if we can put a team together that’s relatively consistent it’s a good thing for Nampara, but it’s all about getting those kids on board and getting them in there and doing stuff.

“These kids are finding they’re meeting kids from Victoria to Tamworth and sometimes further and that’s not something you can do at school and at sport.”

Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake Phillips reflected on how important the opportunity can be for people who are not necessarily involved in the Angus breed and can take part in the Roundup event because of the generosity of supporters like the ballot cattle suppliers.

“This event really means a lot to me because the Angus Roundup, it changed my life,” said Jake.

“I had pretty much no involvement with the Angus breed until then. I travelled all that way from South Australia to Glen Innes in New South Wales and had a ballot animal that someone had broken in for me and stayed with people I never knew.

“But if you fast forward eleven years’ time I’ve got Angus cows on my own now, I work for Angus Australia and I have this absolute life privilege to support these young people on the committee.

“I was thinking about how that one event, those three or four days in 2011, sent me to New Zealand on the TransTasman Exchange, I was also able to represent as an Angus Youth Ambassador and it changed my life because now, I’m very proud to come back and pay it forward.” Thank you to all our ballot cattle suppliers, without your support the Roundup would not be possible.

From Pee Wee to Seniors, the Roundup Perspective

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

One of special things about a Roundup event is the combination of young people taking part, whether it’s their first event or their last.

We had the pleasure of meeting our youngest competitor experiencing it all for the first time, and catching up with our oldest, who was taking to the Roundup ring for the final time.

Eight-year-old Anna Sagasser and her family travelled over 600km to attend not only her first ever Roundup, but her first heifer show - and there was plenty of fun had.

Joined by her heifer Twiggy, provided to her by the Hann family of Nampara Angus, Anna was still as enthusiastic on day four as she was on kick off day of the event.

Some of the highlights for Anna over the course of Roundup were the cattle classes and education sessions but most of all the auctioneer’s school with Nutrien Ag Solutions.

“It has been really good and exciting. It has been my first Roundup and it’s been really fun,” said Anna.

“I’ve learnt how to brush and wash properly, and everything is included and based on the heifer.”

Anna was also very complimentary of the Angus breed when she highlighted, “They make good meat, and they are just friendly and nice.”

When it comes to selling the Roundup event if asked about it by her friends, Anna said the most exciting part to tell them about was “All of it!”

Janet Cantwell, Mullion, NSW, is really looking forward to the future as she rounded out her final days at her last Roundup and heifer show.

At 25, Janet has reached the next stage of her life in the agricultural industry and was taking part in her last foray into junior showing. She expressed while it was a sad prospect, it was an exciting one as well.

“It’s kind of sad, but also kind of exciting at the same time. This is my third Roundup, I started in 2016 when I was 17 so I wasn’t one who came through from when I was a little kid.

“But it’s exciting, you meet new people at every one. It’s great seeing friends again, obviously after COVID-19 and not having heifer shows and the fact not everyone is going to shows. And obviously working with our buddies.”

When asked about what spurred her interest in the industry a bit later in life than some of her peers, Janet explained that it started when she moved to her grandparent’s farm. “I started getting involved (in showing cattle) through the show team at school and then we bought our first cattle. From there I just flew with it and caught the show bug.”

The 2022 NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup held some education sessions of note for Janet, particularly those hosted by Angus Australia regarding breeding and genetics, which she found of keen interest considering her position coming from breeding cattle outside of the Angus breed.

“The breeding and genetics sessions were interesting, it’s good to see how different breeds do things from my perspective,” said Janet.

“I have a Bachelor of Agriculture degree and am currently doing a master’s in business management so seeing how different breeds adapt to their breed and how different societies manage, that is interesting to me because reproduction is my thing.”

When asked the reason she kept coming back to Roundup over the years Janet said, “It’s educating the little kids who

have started showing from a young age and keeping their passion for cattle.

“Teaching one kid just one thing and to see them coming back, for example there are children here that I have had at other heifer shows and they will come and see you in the shed first. It’s that connection and networking in the industry.

“Through my three Roundups things have changed immensely. I have grown as a person and am more confident within myself. Obviously, each heifer show is an aim to grow, and Roundup has given me the opportunity to make connections that may not have been involved in the Angus breed.”

“The stud that I balloted with in Armidale (2019), Carleon Angus actually messaged me after and paid for my entry to go to the National All Breeds to be a buddy for their son, and now I still message them occasionally, so just checking in with people is the biggest thing I have taken.

“You meet so many people and the connections you make, even if it doesn’t continue right here right now, continues into the future.”

And it might not be the last we see of Janet when it comes to being involved in Roundup.

“There have been talks today with helping the current stud I am balloted with Dalwhinnie Angus, with breaking in their heifers for next year, so possibly.”

Looking to her future in the industry, Janet has some targets she is looking to tick off.

“I want to continue breeding and growing our stud and becoming a bigger stud producer to sell bulls."

To round out her Roundup experience, Janet completed her weekend with a top five finish in the herdsperson competition.

Anna Sagasser & Janet Cantwell

The first go around

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

was it quite a few of

first

One of those taking part in their first Roundup as a parent was Lachie Wilson of Murdeduke Angus, Winchelsea, Victoria. Lachie has a strong existing background in the Angus breed as a seedstock producer, and currently serves as a bull owner representative on the Angus Australia Angus Sire Benchmarking Program Consultative Committee, a position he has held since 2018.

Even with his history with the Angus breed being what it is, Lachie had his first foray into the Angus Youth program as his daughters Heidi and Eliza took part in the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth National Roundup.

Coming in a little green to the heifer show lifestyle, Lachie reflected that for his girls the opportunity to come to Roundup allows them to see another side to beef industry that they had not been exposed to yet.

“It’s a different side of the industry than what we are used to, but I think it’s great. The girls have met a lot of new and likeminded kids and are settling in well and everyone has been friendly,” said Lachie.

“I guess it gives them exposure and hopefully stems their interest in agriculture moving forward and as we all know, we need to nurture young talent for agriculture to grow.”

When asked about it from his perspective as a parent of participants, Lachie said that while it was his first Roundup, it was great to get a hands-on experience over the four days. “It’s been good as a parent, because the show side of the industry is foreign to me, so I’ve been a little out of my comfort zone. Everyone has been welcoming and giving me jobs to do and stirring me up a bit, but it’s great.”

When asked whether his girls have got the bug, and if we will be seeing the Wilson family on the show circuit for the next 20 years, Lachie said, “We’ll see, time will tell. We’ve got to break the pony bug first, but we see how it stems. I guess the way I viewed it without being fully committed is that we can show them what happens and see if they like it, and if they want to go on with it, they are more than welcome to.”

Not only

the participants first time taking part in a Roundup, but it was also the

time for many of the parents who made to trip to attend with their children.

Images: Showcase by Branded Ag. Top: Heidi Wilson (purple coat) during the Education sessions, middle: Eliza Wilson in the Paraders Competitions, bottom: Lachie, Eliza and Heidi Wilson

Cooking with

Verified Black Angus Beef

Slow Cooked Angus Reserve Chuck Nachos with Hide-And-Seek Vegetables

Serves

10

INGREDIENTS.

1kg Angus Reserve beef chuck, diced

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Prep (Mins)

15

sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper

1½L beef stock

2 brown onions, sliced

2 carrots, diced

2 sticks celery, diced

½ head fennel, diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

½ tsp fennel seeds

500ml tomato passata

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp red wine vinegar

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp dried Italian herbs

1 tsp ground cumin

2 x 400g cans black beans, drained and rinsed

4 cup corn chips

4 cups grated tasty cheese (opt.)

Cook (Mins)

210

Di culty

easy

METHOD.

1. Fry the beef in half the oil on a hot barbecue plate for 5 minutes, until very well-browned. Season with salt and pepper, then combine with the stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 3 hours, until tender. Pour the liquid into a second saucepan and boil until reduced to one cup.

2. Pour the remaining oil on the hot plate, then fry the onion, carrots, celery, fennel, garlic and fennel seeds for 10 minutes, mixing regularly, until lightly browned. Transfer to a food processor and purée until very smooth.

3. Combine the vegetable mixture with the beef cooking liquid, passata, sugar, vinegar, and spices in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Mix in the beef and beans, then simmer again. Spoon into bowls and top with corn chips. Scatter with cheese if using, then bake briefly to melt.

A dinner of Angus Reserve with Fast Ed

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

With NH Foods Australia the major sponsor for the 2022 event, their Verified Black Angus beef brand Angus Reserve was front and centre during the demonstration, which saw Fast Ed cook up a feast of mouth-watering Slow Cooked Angus Reserve Chuck Nachos with Hide-AndSeek Vegetables.

The demonstration had linkage to messages shared with attendees in other sessions with various relevant experts throughout Roundup regarding meat science and supply chain distribution.

“First and foremost, I hope to inspire some of these incredible young people to think about not only what the breeding, rearing, showing, judging and management of cattle is all about, as that is really important, particularly if you are going into the farming world,” said Fast Ed. “But that you always need to remember that end user is not the farmer or the chef, the end user is the consumer.”

“And so, it’s a matter of keeping in mind what you are doing and why you are doing it and talking to them about how their work on farm translates to happy customers.”

During the demonstration Fast Ed highlighted meat cuts, where they come from and how to ultimately use the whole carcase whilst cooking and limiting wastage in the kitchen.

“It is my aim to share some knowledge about primary and secondary cuts of meat and how it makes such a fundamental difference to what we do, why you would grill some and slow cook others and talking about things like how muscle fibres work. And finally, I guess to show them a delicious dish for dinner.”

Not only were they treated to a tasty dinner thanks to Fast Ed, but the participants were also given some insight into his life and career, and how he came to be in the position he is today.

Starting out in kitchens as a teen after struggling to find his niche in the classroom, Fast Ed looked back at his beginnings and shared about his come up.

“When I was fourteen my father told me do you have a bike? I said yes and he said go for a ride and don’t come back until you have a job. So, I did and worked as a kitchen hand and after a couple of months I started to be a chef’s assistant and started to cook, and I fell in love with this thing,” he said.

“I ended up doing quite well in school and studied a law degree in Sydney, which I really hated. I loved the intellectual side of it, but I didn’t want to spend my life in a law office surrounded by lawyers when I loved being in a kitchen surrounded by chefs. So, I threw in the towel there so to speak and picked up a tea towel.”

When the floor was opened to questions from the Roundup participants, one question to Fast Ed, ‘what set you apart from the other chefs?’, brought out some sage advice for listening ears.

There were plenty of delights over the course of four days at Roundup, and at the top of the list was one of the culinary kind with celebrity chef and Angus Reserve brand ambassador ‘Fast Ed’ Halmagyi hosting a cooking demonstration for the crowd.

“People said to me, are you just in the right place at the right time? Maybe a bit, but I reckon that is missing the most important part of finding any kind of success in life. It's right place, right time, right attitude. Each and every one of you has opportunities put in front of you each and every day and the question is, are you able to see it? Do you recognise it, or does it pass you by? If you see it, are you ready to do something about it?”

“If you do something about it, are you prepared to do the hard bits as well as the easy bits? In the end getting ahead in life is not about what you're prepared to do but it's about what you're prepared to give up, because you've usually got plenty of choices but what are you prepared to really work hard for?”

“When I started working on television, for the first two years I earned zero dollars. I did it for free. In fact, the first year I paid for the ingredients,” he continued.

“I didn't want to be on television and had no interest in it at all. But I knew that it might open some doors for me. I didn't think it would last, but I was prepared to back myself. I had been able to see that it was an opportunity worth pursuing and I had to be prepared to go after it eventually.”

“The trick is not to make yourself the highest paid person in the room. The trick is to make yourself the most indispensable person in the room. Make sure people really need to have you around and you're never out of a job.”

“All of you coming here for this event, each and every one of you are going to not only learn things, but you're going to meet people. Those relationships could be the difference between your future success or even more success. And that's why you've got to really latch on to what you can learn and make something of it. I wholeheartedly believe in this.”

Exploring the world of Australian grain fed beef

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing and Communications Officer

They say there is no wealth like knowledge and with this in mind an important investment for Angus Australia is one into the transaction of knowledge to the younger generations that make up the wider beef industry.

One of the avenues pursued to assist in the development of ag up and comers is encouraging exposure across the various sectors, including to the grain-fed beef industry, through the offering of the Angus Foundation BeefEx conference scholarships.

In 2022 Jack Jansen and Brooke Barnes were both selected for the Angus Foundation BeefEx scholarships, taking part in the industry conference when it was hosted by the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) in Brisbane, Queensland, in early October.

Alongside Jack and Brooke were 2021 SmartBeef scholarship recipients Georgia Laurie and Phoebe Christie, who attended BeefEx in lieu of the SmartBeef conference following its cancellation in 2021.

During their time in Brisbane, the four scholarship recipients attended seminars, trade shows and networking functions focused on consumer trends, the economics of the beef industry, global markets, leadership producers and finance.

With approximately 40% of cattle in Australia grain fed (Australian Lot Feeders’ Association, 2021), the sector represents a large portion of the agricultural industry and sees people from a variety of relating careers come together to make up the workforce.

BeefEx, which is held biennially, draws together feedlot operators and their staff, nutritionists, veterinarians, backgrounders, regulators, service providers, transport operators and others involved in the grain fed industry and beef supply chain.

Jack Jansen initially applied for the scholarship due to his aspirations to work in the feedlotting industry following the completion of his Bachelor of Rural Science degree. At the conclusion the two-day event, Mr Jansen had taken plenty away in terms of his wider understanding of what was coming out of the sector.

“The 2022 BeefEx conference was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the latest innovations, technologies and opportunities within the feedlot industry and celebrate its community,” said Mr Jansen.

“In addition, the Performance Feed's welcome function provided the chance to catch up and network with people from across the supply chain, highlighting everyone's passion for producing quality beef and their excitement for the days ahead.”

The following days were a blur of presentations, learning opportunities and networking.

“Wednesday was filled with excellent presentations from diverse speakers covering current consumer trends, leadership and supply chain management,” said Mr Jansen. “A highlight for me was the presentation by former Federal Treasurer Peter Costello, who affirmed the favourable position of the Australian beef industry to capitalise in international markets during the current economic chaos.”

“The communication of research presentations was also fascinating, with presentations on the application of genomics, shade and bunk scanning technologies by recent honours and PhD students.

“Thursday also boasted an impressive line-up of speakers as we heard about the developing carcase technologies, the impact of lairage time on meat quality and lessons that the feedlot industry can learn from dairy farmers.”

Brooke Barnes had expectations of the experience prior to taking part in the event, which were most definitely met.

“Prior to attending the conference, I was seeking to gain an insight into the Australian feedlot industry with a finer focus on the supply chain; new research; and new technologies, along with how the industry is adapting globally,” said Ms Barnes.

“BeefEx enabled me to gain a great understanding of the above, combined with the opportunity to network extensively with like-minded, passionate individuals.”

Highlighting the size and impact of the industry in Australia and in turn its continued development to meet changing landscapes, Ms Barnes reflected on a number of sessions of interest to her.

“As the Australian agricultural industry is a globally recognised market leader, the growing demand for

the Australian feedlot industry is representative of the premium products produced.”

“Globally as we embark on the fourth Industrial Revolution, the future grain-fed industry will be required to adopt and incorporate both existing and emerging technologies to aid in the production, processing, and quality determination of red-meat products,” she said.

“Anna Speer discussed how Greenstock was focusing on incorporating more improved sustainability practices into the business, whilst ensuring livestock, and product quality would not be impacted.

“Anna covered current consumer trends of health, authenticity, convenience, and product affordability, whilst delving into what the future markets may be demanding. The ability to create new product developments to deliver sustainable, convenient, and quality products from pen to plate, Anna believes, will have a major presence in the future.”

She continued, “Melissa George from Bovine Dynamics provided an insight into a short duration lairage project conducted and the emerging results. The effects lairage duration has on carcase yield, quality, and microbiological status was assessed in order to address the incidence of dark-cutting meat occurring within the industry.

“Professor Graham Gardner from ALMTECH covered emerging carcase measurement technologies, along with challenges faced within the industry.”

2021 scholarship recipient Phoebe Christie was pleased to finally attend the industry event following the cancellation of the SmartBeef conference the year prior and reflected on the opportunity to network with other like-minded people with interests similar to her own.

“Over the two days, I had the opportunity to interact with multiple trade stallholders, affording me valuable networking opportunities and attending social events that allowed me to interact with like-minded attendees,” she said.

“The conference opened with an introduction by ALFA President Barb Madden with a supply chain discussion reviewing the journey from pen to plate. It was enlightening to hear about past, present, and future challenges that have and continue to shape the Australian grain fed Beef Industry.”

Fellow 2021 scholarship recipient Georgia Laurie remarked on the variation of topics addressed during the conference, including an emphasis on how the agricultural industry goes forward with the growing spotlight of consumer expectations, and in turn the resulting spread of miseducation and misinformation.

“All presenters and guest speakers were incredible to listen to, with speakers ranging from veterinarians and researchers to presenters who spoke on the role that red meat plays as a nutrient-dense source of protein for its consumers,” said Ms Laurie.

“There was an extensive discussion about how the Australian agriculture industry needs to present itself to the broader community. As we all know, media and influencers have a massive role in manipulating consumer trends and opinions, getting these people onside is integral for improving the perception of beef production in Australia,” she continued.

Ms Laurie was also able to apply her own experience as an Angus producer to the content she was engaging in, drawing from her personal operations at home to contextualise what she had learnt.

“As a producer of Angus steers, it emphasised the role that feedlots have in the beef industry and the level of expertise that goes into turning our 460kg steer into a fully finished product in the most efficient way, all whilst getting treated with the uppermost care.

“I encourage all youth members to apply for this as we all must understand the whole beef supply chain to the best of our ability - it doesn't end when the cattle leave the property.”

... a fantastic opportunity to learn about the latest innovations, technologies and opportunities within the feedlot industry and celebrate its community

“

Jack Jansen

Top tips for recovering after a natural disaster

Through a strategic collaboration, Achmea Australia and Angus Australia are working together to support farmers through sharing risk management strategies and best practices, and promoting sustainability.

Richard Officer, Achmea Australia’s National Strategic Alliance Manager, said in line with its purpose of keeping farmers farming, Achmea Australia’s focus is on getting clients’ operations back up and running again.

“The recent floods have had devastating impacts on cattle farming communities across some parts of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria,” Richard said. “Growing up in mixed farming outside Boomi on the northwest plains of NSW, I know how harsh mother nature can be.”

“For cattle farmers, there is the unpredictability of the flood itself, with choosing the right location to move livestock, concerns about fencing and lack of feed. When waters have receded, you have ongoing risks to livestock health, reduced pasture quality and concerns around the availability of hay,” Richard explained.

“It is during these times that farming communities really show their resilience, but it can be a long road to recovery.”

Danielle Whitelock, General Manager – Client Experience, has led Achmea Australia’s team of Claims Specialists through several recent catastrophes including bushfires, cyclones and floods. Danielle shares her strategies to help agribusinesses in their post-disaster recovery, with mental health support a priority.

1. Mental health support. Dealing with the effects of a disaster can have an emotional impact, and it is important to check in with yourself, your family, friends and neighbours and ask: ‘R U OK?’. Professional mental health support is available from organisations such as Beyond Blue, Lifeline Australia, or your local GP or mental health practitioner.

2. Check your policy and Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). As part of the claims process, it is worth reviewing these important insurance documents to check what you are covered for.

3. Provide detail. When you are ready to lodge a claim with your insurer, be prepared to provide a detailed description of what has happened. If English is your second language, it may be beneficial to have a support person or an interpreter with you to assist with your claim.

4. Gather information to provide evidence. If you have documentation to support your claim, such as receipts, videos or photos for the item(s) you wish to repair or replace, have it ready to use as supporting evidence.

5. Ask for help if you need it. If you are suffering financial hardship because of the event, speak to your insurer. Most insurers will have a financial hardship policy, or they may be able to refer you to external counselling or financial assistance.

“When someone experiences a major catastrophe, it is common to feel overwhelmed,” Danielle said.

“At Achmea Australia, our focus is on knowledge-sharing, prevention and risk mitigation to help even the most seasoned agribusiness prepare for and recover from these unprecedented events.”

To find out more about the strategic alliance between Angus Australia and Achmea Australia, please visit www.achmea.com.au/strategic-alliances.

Insurance issued by Achmea Schadeverzekeringen N.V. (Achmea) ABN 86 158 237 702 AFSL 433984.

The information in this document is general advice only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs (your personal circumstances). This means any advice may not be appropriate for your circumstances. Before using this information to decide whether to purchase the insurance policy, you will need to consider the appropriateness of any general information or advice we give you and how it relates to your specific situation to ensure the insurance cover meets your needs and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination (TMD) available from the ‘Downloads’ section of our website achmea.com.au/downloads. For feedback and complaints, visit achmea.com.au/complaints. To view Achmea Australia’s privacy statement, visit achmea.com.au/privacy. Achmea Australia does not warrant that the information contained herein is accurate, reliable, complete or up to date, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, disclaims all liability of Achmea Australia and its Associates for any loss or damage suffered by any person by reason of the use by that person of, or their reliance on, any information contained in this document or any error or defect in on this document, whether arising from the negligence of Achmea Australia or its Associates or otherwise.

About Achmea Australia

Achmea Australia is part of the Achmea Group, which is one of the largest insurance companies in the Netherlands. The Achmea Group has approximately 13 million clients worldwide and is fully dedicated to farm insurance in Australia. Insurance issued by Achmea Schadeverzekeringen N.V. (Achmea) ABN 86 158 237 702 AFSL 433984.

Four scholarships awarded by the Angus Foundation to the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course

Dzintra Menesis, Marketing Officer – Graphic Design

Angus Youth members will take to the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course again thanks to the Angus Foundation scholarships, with William Crane, Meg Kealey, Hannah Bamford, and Nicola Miller all set to attend the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course in December 2022.

The Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course, run by Angus NSW Committee, is widely recognised as the most practical and hands-on beef cattle selection course of its kind in Australia and covers a wide range of topics. Participants will learn about EBVs, structural conformation, and market selection using Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus breeds and their crosses as well as gain valuable skills, information, and networking opportunities throughout the course.

"Although each of our scholarship recipients have different levels of experience and backgrounds, they all share the same enthusiasm for learning about cattle assessment and judging through this scholarship opportunity," said Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake Phillips.

"Throughout the two-day course, recipients will learn practical skills they can immediately apply to their farming operations."

Participants attending the course will gain practical experience and information regarding beef cattle selection, including but not limited to practical knowledge of breeding stock analysis and modern breeding technologies.

In addition, the Angus Foundation Scholarship recipients will learn practical cattle assessment and judging skills.

The 2022 winners will join Candina Crowden, Charlotte Nugent, Hamish Smith, Kristen Fredericksen and Liam Mowbray who were selected for the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course scholarships in 2021.

About the participants:

Hannah Bamford

Hannah entered the agriculture industry only 3 years ago and has not looked back. Previously, Hannah worked for the government on patrol boats, and her first day at an Angus stud was helping put CIDRs in Since then, Hannah has started her own Rural contracting business and spends much of her time working alongside a cattle vet. AI programs are her current primary focus, and at the start of 2022, she sowed 5,500 hectares, calved down 600 head for another farm, and weaned and weighed numerous cattle. Hannah finds working with cattle to be an enriching experience, a passion that she looks forward to broadening for many years to come.

William Crane

During his gap year, 19-year-old William Crane worked for Texas Angus. At Texas he has had the opportunity to expand his knowledge of all things Angus and the importance of keeping the land in good condition. William plans to take another year off so that he can experience some of the large-scale cattle farming of Northern Queensland. Like his parents, he plans to study agricultural science when he begins university studies.

Meg Kealey

Born in Walcha NSW and raised in a commercial cattle operation, Meg Kealey has always been involved in the beef industry and feels fortunate to be mentored by great people within the Angus breed. She is entering her final year of high school at TAS in Armidale. After school, she plans to work at the Top End of Australia in large-scale beef production before earning a university degree in the agricultural field. Through the Angus Youth program, she's developed her judging skills and competed in Roundups. She's grateful for this opportunity provided by Angus Australia to expand her knowledge of beef selection across a range of aspects within the industry and looks forward to the Tocal Beef Assessment course as a chance to meet new people and further develop as a young judge.

Nicola Miller

Nicola is from Dubbo NSW. At the age of 5, Nicola's parents purchased a small mob of Black Angus cattle. Little did she know that this would be the beginning of her journey within the Australian beef industry. In 2018 she had her first experience with show cattle, and by 2020 she was a member of her school cattle show team. By the time Sydney Royal 2022 came around, Nicola managed to be awarded Reserve Champion Junior Judge, and has since begun her journey in establishing her own Angus stud. As a result of attending the Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment School, Nicola believes she will gain valuable insight into the Australian beef industry, establish valuable connections, and improve her judging skills.

Left to Right: Hannah Bamford, William Crane, Meg Kealey and Nicola-Millar

Apply now for the Angus Foundation Cadetships on offer

Diana Wood, Marketing & Communications Manager

Following the success of the launch for the Angus Foundation Industry Cadetship Program in 2022, Angus Australia is pleased to announce that applications are now open for Angus Youth members for three separate cadetship opportunities with:

1. Specialist agricultural insurer, Achmea Australia, 2. Australia’s Digital Ag Market, AuctionsPlus, and

3. Producer of Australia’s premium beef range, NH Foods.

The Angus Foundation Industry Cadetship Program has been designed to encourage and assist the involvement of young people in the Australian beef industry and to provide a vast array of professional development opportunities for young beef breeders.

Achmea Australia Cadetship

Through the cadetship, one successful applicant will be given a four-week placement opportunity to gain practical experience at Achmea Australia, a growing agricultural insurer that plays an integral role in supporting the agriculture sector.

The cadet will experience the day-to-day operations within Achmea Australia, gaining insight into their co-operative heritage and commitment to keep farmers farming. As they follow the client journey, the cadet will experience Achmea Australia’s direct approach to insurance, which includes spending part of their cadetship alongside Farm Insurance Specialists...

NH Foods Australia Cadetship

The NH Foods Australia Cadetship will provide the recipient with an authentic and valuable experience of the industry and the company’s core activities: breeding, feedlotting, production, marketing, and sales.

During the cadetship, the successful candidate will experience the day-to-day operations of Whyalla Beef, Australia’s most modern and technologically advanced feedlot. Supplementing the feedlot experience will be time spent at two of the company’s processing plants: Oakey (based in Southern QLD, it is one of the largest in Australia) and Wingham (located on the mid north coast of NSW). Time in the company’s Sydney head office is also a feature, including exposure to the marketing and sales activities of the branded beef programs.

AuctionsPlus Cadetship

The AuctionsPlus Cadetship is designed to give the recipient hands-on experience in an agribusiness in the beef supply chain. During the cadetship, the cadet will experience the day-to-day operations within AuctionsPlus and develop a unique understanding of how the business works and the central role of the platform in driving innovation within the agricultural industry.

The cadet will be given all the tools to develop an appetite for further learning and understanding of the workplace and operations at AuctionsPlus.

The cadetship will take place over a four-week period, with the recipient working with AuctionsPlus in their Sydney office for the duration of the program.

The cadet will have exposure to key players in the industry to join their network with potential to be a long-term NH Foods Australia employee.

The person selected will be encouraged to explore and develop their interest in the red meat industry, whilst learning how the company’s integrated supply chain delivers ‘the joy of eating’.

The cadetship will take place over a four-week period, with NH Foods Australia to work together with the recipient to create an individualised development program that suits their interests.

Stay up to date with Angus Youth Scholarships at www.angusaustralia.com.au

Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program

Following their placement with Achmea Australia, AuctionsPlus and NH Foods Australia, the successful recipients will conclude their cadetship by completing the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Course, from Sunday, 14 May to Friday, 19 May 2023 .

The Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program is an intensive five-day workshop conducted on the college campus at Geelong, Victoria and is recognised as one of the longest running rural leadership programs in the nation. It has developed a strong reputation in the agricultural and agribusiness sector, attracting support from a wide range of industry and rural community groups from diverse regional backgrounds.

The program will develop the skills and knowledge of participants to enable them to:

· undertake a leadership role in their industry or community competently represent their industry or community in decision-making forums understand and address the issues facing rural industries and rural communities

Eligibility:

· Applicants must be a member of Angus Australia

Applicants must be aged over 18

· Applicants must be available to complete four weeks of placement (this will be negotiated at a mutually convenient time and place with Achmea Australia, AuctionsPlus, NH Foods Australia and the successful applicants).

Applicants must be available to attend the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Course from Sunday, 14 May to Friday, 19 May 2023.

How to Apply:

To apply for one of these three cadetships, applicants must complete a set of application questions. Applications will be shortlisted and may undergo an interview.

For Achmea Australia’s cadetship, the successful applicant will need to complete work rights, police, and credit checks as a condition of the cadetship. Achmea Australia also requires the successful candidate to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (includes booster shot), unless they can present a valid medical exemption certificate.

Conditions:

The successful applicants will be required to submit a written report to the Angus Australia Board on their experience during the cadetship and at the completion of their leadership course.

Applications close 30 January 2023

That turning point in your career

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

After taking the dive and applying for the inaugural AuctionsPlus Cadetship, as the successful recipient Bonnie spent four weeks working at with AuctionsPlus across various departments within their business. While working within the organisation, Bonnie was exposed to their Market Operations team, the Regional Agency Sales team, the Marketing team and the Integrity team, and had the chance to take part in the AuctionsPlus Assessor School with a group of livestock agents.

“The cadetship was a month long, so there was a lot jampacked into it, which I really enjoyed and was given a good, versatile look at the entire company that is AuctionsPlus,” said Bonnie.

“The first week I spent a lot of time with the Market Operations team who are people that run the sales, they also answer the calls and are really sort of the backbone of the everyday operations of AuctionsPlus.”

“Week two I spent a little bit of time with the sales team who go out and are at sales. I did go to an Assessor School with them and that was fantastic. I got to do cattle and sheep assessment, which was awesome to get a broader perspective, and we also met a lot of agents within the industry.”

“Then I came back, and I did a lot of integrity work and that was great. That was getting in behind the scenes, seeing how they might deal with some conflict and then also how the social media runs, which was great because I’m a bit of a creative mind myself, and I got to help write a couple of articles, so I really enjoyed it.”

Following the month within AuctionsPlus, as part of cadetship Bonnie took part in the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program, a leading program designed to develop the skills and knowledge of participants to enable them to undertake a leadership role in their industry or community, competently represent their industry or community in decision-making forums and understand and address the issues facing rural industries and rural communities.

On reflection of her time completing the course, Bonnie expressed the major impact that this experience had on her outlook professionally, but also personally.

“That was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done. And to date, I think it was one of the most valuable weeks I’ve ever had,” said Bonnie.

“You don’t just learn about leadership, but you learn a lot about yourself. You do a lot of public speaking, but you’re in a big group. As I’ve been telling everyone, I feel like I have mentally aged five years since I came back from that.”

“I met a lot of lovely people and a lot of big people within the industry. It’s not just for young people, I’d say 80% of the people that were down there were over the age of 30, so a lot of people that have experience in the industry could give you a lot of advice and it was great to meet them.”

On her return from the Marcus Oldham program, Bonnie found herself at a crossroads in her career. She then decided to give AuctionsPlus a call.

Now a few months on, Bonnie is immersed as a team member at AuctionsPlus as a Market Operator.

“I’m only doing a casual position, as I’m still at Uni, but I absolutely love it,” said Bonnie.

“I love the office environment, I love the job, and I love the people. I’m a Market Operator, so I will help run the sales. I’ll also take some of the calls, and I’m on the phone with clients and the agents a lot of the day, and I’ll be in the sales that you might be trying to bid in. So, it’s a lot of good fun.” In reflecting on her new role at AuctionsPlus, she credits what she learnt about herself and in turn the confidence built during her time completing her cadetship in assisting her to make the call to the company.

“I learnt to just take the leap. At AuctionsPlus I really wanted to leap in and learn as much as I could, even though I was going to be there for a month. I wanted to soak in as much as I could, put myself out there and ask a lot of questions.”

“I then picked that up and took it over to the Rural Leadership Program where I tried to jump in and ask a lot of questions and then also learn a lot about myself. Sometimes I might sit back and just see how things come and go, but now I feel like I should make the initiative and ask people more questions or say, hey, can I help you with that? Or, hey, can I learn that? Which was one of the big things,” she said.

“It’s given me a lot more confidence, mainly through learning about myself. Now that I know more, I can have the confidence to do things I do well. It was actually quite interesting.”

“So, when I finished my month with AuctionsPlus and then had a bit of trouble with the work I was going back into, I ended up calling AuctionsPlus and asking for a job, and they said, yes, please come back.”

When she cast her mind right back to the beginning when looking to apply for the program, Bonnie reflected on the application process, which took her through the stages of initially applying through a survey and then finally interviewing for the cadetship.

“It was at a time where I was coming back into the industry. I knew Angus Australia had a lot of sponsorship

Bonnie Cox has had a whirlwind 2022. When she applied for the inaugural Angus Foundation Cadetship, she wasn’t anticipating the journey she would be taken on and the change in her career it presented.

Bonnie Cox in action for AuctionsPlus at the NH Foods Australia Angus Youth national Roundup. Image: Showcase By Branded Ag

opportunities for young people coming into the industry and it was a new one that popped up and my mum and my aunt sent it to me and said, this looks great, put your name down.”

“I did and I thought, I’ll just see how I go. I’ll do the interview and just tell them that I’m keen to come back into the industry, learn a lot and just get more information about various parts of the industry. And I ended up getting it, which was fantastic. It was such a surprise to me.”

When she considers her time in the cadetship and how it has shaped parts of her life since, Bonnie was forthcoming with encouragement for other young people in the industry

to apply for the cadetship opportunities offered by the Angus Foundation in the future.

“In myself, personally, I feel through doing the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program I’ve got so many other skills in my toolbox that I can use, and I feel like I’ve got the confidence to go out into these new roles I’ve discovered. It’s been great.”

“It’s completely changed my life, really, in a sense. The cadetship has given me a new career, new peers around me that are different in the industry. I’ve got to network with a lot of really cool contacts, and my future just looks completely different to how it did before the cadetship.”

WATCH https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Mn6-kiqYIZI

Putting theory into practice

Dzintra Menesis, Marketing Officer – Graphic Design

As part of their commitment to providing young agricultural professionals with the opportunity to engage in world-class research and development, Angus Australia and Charles Sturt University (CSU) have awarded internships to two students, Jock Adamson and Teagan Colless.

Jock is currently undergoing a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management, and Teagan is completing a Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and a Bachelor of Veterinary Science. For a period of 14 months, starting in October 2022, the selected interns will gain insight into the data collection and research elements of the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP). This includes Artificial Insemination (AI) of the Angus herd, collection of performance data, as well as any other aspects of performance recording.

For Teagan putting theory into practice across the program is key.

‘I’m looking forward to being involved in the Angus Australia program as it will give me an insight into the industry and the practical experience to accompany my education.

While Jock cannot wait pursue his keen interest in research, breeding and selection, as part of the program.

‘The Charles Sturt University and Angus Australia Internship Program will greatly assist me in achieving my career goals and allow me to grow my skills and experience. I look forward to learning more about the artificial insemination and benchmarking programs which serve the beef cattle industry.’

Over the past several years, Angus Australia and Charles Sturt University have collaborated to provide internship opportunities, with the selected interns assisting with the ASBP, including collecting research data from the CSU cattle herd, a co-operator herd in the ASBP program.

The ASBP uses the Charles Sturt University Angus herd to grow phenotype and genotype reference population with contemporary Australian Angus animals, particularly on hard to measure traits, for enhanced genetic evaluation, collaborative research and innovative development).

Angus Australia's Strategic Projects Manager Christian Duff is looking forward to working with Jock and Teagan throughout the internship program.

"This internship program provides an excellent opportunity for students interested in the agricultural industry to gain a better understanding of a research project that actively contributes to the research and development of the Angus breed."

"The program also aims to benefit Jock and Teagan by providing them with the opportunity to enhance their professional and personal development in their respective fields."

Charles Sturt University Farm Manager James Stephens looks forward to working with Teagan and Jock over the next 12 months on the project on the CSU farm in Wagga Wagga.

‘Their enthusiasm and willingness to be part of the program was immediately obvious and makes them ideal interns and worthy recipients,’ he said.

‘They come from vastly different backgrounds from southern Victoria to Far North Queensland, which I think will give all of us some insight into vastly different production systems while working together.’

‘I am confident they will both enjoy their time, and will no doubt learn plenty of practical skills and get a better understanding of how the ASBP works and how this research is leading to better production of high quality beef.'

About the participants:

Teagan Colless

Teagan Colless is a second-year Veterinary Science student at CSU. Teagan became involved in the beef cattle industry at a young age by spending time at her family's Brangus Cattle Station in Far North Queensland. This motivated her to attend Hurlstone Agricultural High School as a border, where involved with the cattle showing team and toured agricultural enterprises in Iowa, United States. Following completion of her veterinary degree, Teagan hopes to complete a Theriogenology residency and work in cattle reproduction whilst managing her family’s Brangus stud.

Jock Adamson

Jock Adamson grew up on a property in Western Victoria and looks forward to a career in the agricultural industry with a great deal of optimism and passion, as he sees many opportunities both on farm and beyond the farm gate; locally, nationally, and globally. For Jock the Angus Scholarship provides a wonderful opportunity for hands on learning and he is very excited to commence the program.

Apply for the chance of lifetime –Applications open for the Trans Tasman Travel Bursary

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

The Angus breed is not just Australia’s breed, it is a choice breed for producers around the world with its consistent performance in a range of markets.

While the Angus breed is one size that fits most, what differs is the beef production systems they are featured in around the world.

Recognising this, the Trans Tasman Travel Bursary, sponsored by the New England Travel Centre and the Angus Australia Foundation, provides an opportunity for a young person to observe the New Zealand beef industry. Offered annually, the Trans Tasman Travel Bursary provides an Angus Australia member aged between 18 and 30 years of age the opportunity to travel around New Zealand.

The bursary covers return airfares for the recipient to travel to New Zealand, $2000 spending money and assistance to organize a tour to various seedstock and commercial breeders across the country.

The scholarship recipient is encouraged to spend at least four weeks in New Zealand to make the most of the opportunity.

The Angus Australia network of staff, members and affiliated groups can provide assistance and insight to develop a tour to the recipient’s interest.

Applications for the Trans Tasman Travel Bursary will open December 18, 2022 and will close February 2, 2023.

Eligibility:

· Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30 years of age

· Applicants must be members of Angus Youth/ Angus Australia (membership forms may be completed with application)

How to Apply:

To apply for this scholarship applicants must compete application questions.

Applications will be shortlisted and may undergo an interview. Preference will be given to those applicants that meet the below selection criteria.

Selection Criteria:

· Demonstrated commitment to the Angus breed and the wider beef industry

Demonstrated ability to be proactive in networking and time management

· Applicants that can provide research on what they would like to do and see in New Zealand and provide a draft overview of the objective of their trip will be looked upon favourably

· The successful candidate will be considered an ambassador for Angus Youth and should be able to demonstrate these qualities

Conditions of receiving the Scholarship:

· The scholarship is valid for one year and cannot be deferred without written permission from Angus Australia upon request

· Within 6 weeks of returning from New Zealand, a full trip written report must be given to the Angus Australia Foundation.

For further information contact; Jake Phillips, Extension Manager Email: youth@angusaustralia.com.au Website: www.angusaustralia.com.au/youth

Behind the BeefThe Lessons You Learn with Angus Street

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

This episode we had the pleasure of sitting down with AuctionsPlus Chief Executive Officer Angus Street. maximise their audience and their competition, we’ve got a platform that we can work on with those industries.

Angus has extensive experience with technology systems which require a deep understanding of critical business drivers in multiple markets and industries, opening of new markets through strong sales and trade marketing, as well as growing businesses through innovation, process improvement and transformational technologies.

As CEO of AuctionsPlus, Angus is focused on taking the $2.3 billion GMS business to the next level. Angus wants to add value right along the supply chain and sees online marketplaces as a key enabler of success. Passionate about helping businesses evolve to stay ahead of the pack through the use of digital technology, Angus believes that with a little country music, genuine conversations and a motto of ‘the sum of us beats the one of us’ we can shape the future of the Ag sector.

Angus joined us to speak about his role within AuctionsPlus, how he came to be where he is today in his career and some advice for young people in the industry.

Angus, thank you for joining us for the podcast today. For those who are not familiar, what’s your role within your business and what is the role of your company in the ag industry? If you could give us a little background on yourself and who you are.

Firstly, thanks for having me. It’s always a pleasure to be catching up with industry people, especially after two years being locked down in COVID.

I’m the CEO of AuctionsPlus, an online trading platform, and we are essentially the digital market for all things ag. Someone once said to me, if you meet somebody on the Sydney train system, how would you describe AuctionsPlus? And I guess we see it as almost Amazon for agriculture, but in Australia.

So, it’s an interesting story, AuctionsPlus. A lot of people think that it’s an ag tech start-up that had a boom period over the last five to ten years, but in actual fact, AuctionsPlus has been around for 36 years, and it was, I believe, kind of the original ag tech story. It was funded out of MLA through a grant and essentially these mad and crazy and completely innovative innovators wanted to trade livestock electronically. And I think what a lot of people don’t realise is that when you do the math, back 36 years ago is actually pre-internet so it wasn’t even trading livestock online. The first sale was done with the two way, a couple of kilometres of telephone wire and a fax machine, so they really kind of bootstrapped it for a number of years and then it’s been commercialised for the last 26 years. I’ve been really fortunate to be working with a team that has evolved the business over the last four to five years and we’re now not just recognised as a livestock platform, but we do everything from used farm machinery, seedstock sales, so we do a lot of stud cattle, stud sheep sales, alpacas, working dogs, this week we’ve got a camel auction and now real estate, water - I guess for any of the ag commodities that are looking to

I imagine in the last couple of years, with everything having to go online, it’s been quite an interesting period for you guys and quite busy.

Look, I think COVID-19, without a doubt, has changed how businesses operate and how society kind of works and the environments that we find ourselves doing business in and connecting as people. So, AuctionsPlus was on the right side of COVID. That’s not to say that there are a number of businesses in ag, but also the wider community that had negative impacts from COVID. So, we don’t take away from that. But what we do is we feel pretty fortunate to have been able to provide the ag sector with a platform where they could do business as usual.

Business continuity plans right through from farmers to agents to retail companies to you name it, we were able to work with those industries and support them through COVID. The outcome of all of that, because we’re definitely seeing the normalising of the COVID-19 impact on our business, is that there’s kind of a steadying of the market, a normalisation of activity in the market. So, I think for us now just around as much as it’s about growth and offering services and auction platforms, it’s around consolidation and ensuring that we support and provide exceptional services to the customers that we’ve grown with over the last two years.

I guess it also helps modernise a lot of people that may have been a little hesitant to go into the online space as well. Not pushed people, but it gave them that extra support in that area that they could continue their business as sort of usual.

Definitely. The science says that as humans, we fear change, that our natural instinct to change is fear. So, people then either change because they’re forced to or because things are good and they’re willing to take the risk, that the return versus risk profile is good enough for them to take the risk.

The last two years has been the perfect storm for digital agriculture and ag tech in general. Reason being is obviously we’ve had good seasons, so productivity and profitability is up. That means that producers and the agribusiness sector are in a mindset where they’re more willing to take a risk, the outlook is good, so they’re in a positive head space and they’ve got confidence in the sector.

And then secondly, I guess COVID-19 forced people. They still had obviously the choice to send them to the sale yards and send them direct to the meat works and to feedlots which still occurs, but I think what it does is it opens up the consideration piece. It’s been a really positive change, I wouldn’t say just for our business, but I’d say for all of agriculture.

What was your career journey to get to this point in your career?

It’s a good journey, I wouldn’t say it’s been perfect, I’d say it’s probably been a little bit imperfect.

My mum and dad have got a property in northern New South Wales just outside of Scone where I grew up as a kid and I’m fortunate that they’ve still got that and we can go back there and I can take my kids back there and give them the same kind of experience that I had growing up, which is lovely.

I kind of had a couple of stumbles at university and I got kicked out of my first uni and then found a really good place up in Queensland. I finished with a journalism degree, and I just loved the storytelling aspects of the job.

The journalism industry went through massive change during the GFC. I lost my job there through redundancies and then I wanted to get back to agriculture - I just loved it. I’d studied ag science and I failed at ag science, but I really missed the ag piece. And so, a job came up at MLA (Meat & Livestock Australia) and I was there for a couple of years

doing marketing, communications, stakeholder relations and then went into funds management.

Then I went and studied my MBA and I guess that was a bit of a turning point for me because I was starting to be pigeonholed as the communications and marketing guy and for me that’s a really important skill, but I wanted to expand my knowledge and my skill set because I believed I had stuff to offer.

So, I went and did an MBA and I studied for six months in Shanghai, which was an experience. I proposed to my now wife and then two weeks later I took off and headed to Shanghai for six to eight months, came back a month before our wedding. I’m really fortunate to have my wife along for the journey and supporting me.

Then I started two businesses - both those businesses failed - and I found myself at AuctionsPlus and I guess the rest is history. I started there as the sales and marketing manager and then I was given the privilege to lead the company and, geez, what a privilege it’s been.

I was going to ask what advice you give someone pursuing a career path similar to yours but because yours has been a bit winding, I guess what’s the best advice that you’ve been given with regards to your career?

I think one is you don’t know everything, and I think as we progress through life and our careers, you sit there and feel like you’ve got to know everything, but in actual fact, knowing everything or pretending to know everything is actually a detriment to you.

I guess the flip side to not knowing everything is actually get curious, ask lots of questions, and do that from a networking point of view and do that in your job. The person who asks lots of really curious and genuine questions is quite often the person that not only understands what’s happening in their sandbox but understands the entire sandbox and how all of the pieces fit together.

The second thing is to get comfortable in your own skin, and that’s taken me a long time, and it’s something I still struggle with, but I think it’s getting comfortable in your own skin and working out your purpose and what drives and motivates you. So often we kind of float through life, either our careers or just life in general, with other people’s expectations on us. I guess we’ve got to challenge the story that we’re telling ourselves, which is, what are actually my core beliefs? Are they my values?

I think doing the work to work out your values and your why, what gets you out of bed in the morning, why do you exist? What impact do you want to have in the world? What’s the legacy you want to leave?

I think one is you don’t know everything, and I think as we progress through life and our careers, you sit there and feel like you’ve got to know everything, but in actual fact, knowing everything or pretending to know everything is actually a detriment to you

A good question someone said to me is and it’s a bit morbid, but it’s a really good question - when somebody stands up at your funeral what do you want them to say about you?

‘Oh, gee he was a great strategic thinker’, or ‘gee he played good footy’, or ‘he was caring, he was honest, he was brave, he was compassionate, he was genuine’. What words do you want people to describe you by? I guess defining those will help you make life decisions. That would be my two. What would you say was the biggest challenge of your career so far, and how did you overcome that?

I think there’s probably there’s two big challenges, and I will talk to the one at AuctionsPlus, which is the most recent. It’s March 2020, I think it was two Fridays after Scott Morrison had come out and said, ‘There’s a global pandemic, we’re shutting Australia down’. You know, his big speech on Sunday, which everybody remembers. So obviously, businesses went into panic - What does this mean? How do we operate? You get people out of the office and you kind of go through the processes.

We did that, which was wonderful, and we moved people home, but it also meant a lot of school kids were sent home and that kind of stress on the bandwidth of Telstra and the connectivity in Australia for that first month of COVID, I would say there was a fair bit of pressure on the connectivity systems.

So, take that as one element.

The second element is we had our biggest number of listings ever on a Friday. I think we had 30,000 lots, we had five sales and it had been raining for like, three weeks across the eastern seaboard, so everybody was restocking. It was just madness.

So, our biggest Friday yet of listings, the greatest number of people who’ve been on the website, the most connected users.

The perfect storm.

Yes, the perfect storm. I got an email on Thursday night from Microsoft Azure who’s our server and it says, ‘Dear Client, please be advised that due to the global pandemic, you may experience a reduction in your bandwidth. We are prioritising essential services’.

I kind of read it and was like, okay cool. I spoke to our CTO and said, what does this mean? And he said, look, we can’t do much about it. Friday rolled around and at about 10:00am, the system gets a bit shaky. And put it this way, we finished our last auction at about 6.00pm on Friday night and it’s etched in my memory as kind of a Black Friday event. It’s etched in a lot of our customer service people and in minds of a lot of the staff.

At the time our phones lit up. People were like, is the auction stopped? Are we in? Are we out? So, it was just an absolute kind of ‘bleep’ storm.

There at that moment it was like, we got through it. You could see the stress on everybody’s faces.

I took myself off into the boardroom and was like, now we’ve got over the hump and we’ve delivered on it and all of the data said that nobody was impacted. It just was super stressful.

But now was the time that the work actually began. You just had one of those days where it felt that the

world was ending and it felt like that for us, I know that sounds dramatic.

But then the work began. Firstly, we had to front up to our customers and talk them through what happened and be really open and honest with where we were at as a business and what that meant.

Saturday morning was a crisis meeting where we had our CTO in there, and it was that essentially we had gone from having this great upward trajectory where everyone was cheering positively because it had been a tough couple of years for us as a business, and then all of a sudden, it was like we fell off a cliff.

I think that day was one of the toughest, but it was also one of the greatest learnings around how you can bring a team together.

I was about to say, teamwide it would have been a massive learning curve, but also meant really banding together and getting really it done.

And I think that’s what happens in business, right? You go through tough times. You talk about people who have been impacted by floods, by bushfires, and it is the Aussie way to band together and to make it work. It was a real kind of sense of unity at the end of it.

You are spending time this afternoon talking to the people that are taking part in the 2022 GenAngus Future Leaders Program. Tell me, what’s the most rewarding part about presenting in forums like this, where you’re in front of a room full of young people in the industry that you’re passionate about? What’s the best part of doing something like that? Look, firstly, I acknowledge I’m pretty nervous. I think anytime anybody presents, you have probably got to be a little bit nervous because as someone once said to me, it’s because it means something to you. And I guess I don’t feel that at the time. It’s like, yeah, that’s nice advice, but right now is not the time.

So, yeah, I’m a bit nervous, but I’m excited. I think the best bit about it is two great things. Firstly, it’s paying it forward, right? I would not be where I am today without the support, the guidance, the nurturing of many industry people, both as formal and informal mentors, as advisors, people who have taken pity on me, people who have taken interest in my journey, and from me attending the many events that I’ve also attended, like networking dinners and events.

I think the ability to kind of give back to what has given me so much and helped me on my journey, that’s really special and I kind of get a kick out of that. So that would be the first thing.

The second thing is I always learn something. I know what I know, but as I said earlier, I don’t know everything. All of us should be in an always learning mindset and I know some things that I’ve learned along the way, which I’ll share, and no doubt that encourages people to share their stories from their experiences and no doubt I’ll learn something from it. So, the opportunity to learn from them as much to teach is just as fulfilling and just as important. That rounds out all the questions that I had today. Thank you very much for taking the time to have a chat with me. I appreciate you giving us a little insight into your career so far.

My absolute pleasure. And as I said, always stay learning.

Angus Street & Brad Gilmour

The reach of the Angus Foundation

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

The Angus Foundation provides a mechanism for members and other beef industry stakeholders to support youth development, education and research programs conducted by Angus Australia.

These programs are designed to encourage and assist the involvement of young people in the Australian beef industry, to provide professional development opportunities for young beef breeders, and to assist in conducting research, development and educational programs for the benefit of Angus breeders and the wider Australian beef industry. Over the course of 2022, several young people in the industry were afforded opportunities across the industry through the Angus Foundation scholarships, awards and bursaries.

Foundation Beneficiaries

· Brianna Maslen – Angus Research Grant

· Hanlie Lubbe – Angus Research Grant

· Bonnie Cox – Angus Foundation AuctionsPlus Cadetship

Damien Thomson – TransTasman Bursary

Alexis Gandy – GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· Ben Lucas - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· Bridget Watson - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

Cara Fagan - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

Damon Englund - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· Emily Read - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· Peter Colliver - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

Jack Laurie - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

Jarrod Koch - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· Sam Finlayson - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· George Phillip - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

· Nancy Crawshaw - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

George Giddings - GenAngus Future Leaders Program

Jack Jansen – BeefEx Conference Scholarship

· Brooke Barnes – BeefEx Conference Scholarship

· Ruby Canning – LIVEXchange Conference Scholarship

Hannah Bamford – Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course Scholarship

William Crane – Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course Scholarship

· Meg Kealey - Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course Scholarship

· Nicola Miller - Tocal Beef Cattle Assessment Course Scholarship

Teagan Colless – Angus Australia & Charles Sturt University Intern

Jock Adamson - Angus Australia & Charles Sturt University Intern

Left to Right: Brianna Maslen, Hanlie Lubbe, Bonnie Cox, Damien Thomson, Alexis Gandy, Ben Lucas, Bridget Watson, Cara Fagan, Damon Englund, Emily Read, Peter Colliver, Jack Laurie, Jarrod Koch, Sam Finlayson, George Phillip, Nancy Crawshaw, George Giddings, Jack Jansen, Brooke Barnes, Ruby Canning, Hannah Bamford, William Crane, Meg Kealey, Nicola Miller, Teagan Colless, Jock Adamson

A & I Wylie

A & J Wallace

A & K Dunkley

A & L Deans

A & L McLean

A & M Crisp

A & R Nicholls Pastoral Company

A & S Coulson

A & S Sundblom

A C & J A Robinson

A C & T M Bourke Family Trust

A D J McDonald

A G & J A Nitschke

A G Landy Pty Ltd

A G Simpson

A H & N A Evans

A H & S R Brown

A J Ferber

A J Aitken, T J Barry & J Kelly

A J F Corp Pty Ltd

A J M

A J Onus

A K Battersby

A L & D M Semmens

A M & F Kuss

A M Dobson & Son

A R & M Mitchell

A, BC & DJ Howell

A. L. Fehlberg Pty Ltd

A.M.H Hattingh

Aaron & Pennie Lieb

AB & KJ Minter

Abbots Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Abbott Angus

Abeckett’s Creek Beef

ABS Australia AC & B Gow

AC & LJ & DJ Forsyth

AC & LJ Wood

AC, DL & CA Stoeckel

Adam J Fitridge

Adameluca Angus Stud

Adams UK Corp

Adina Grazing

AG & JC Murray

Agri-Gene Pty Ltd

Agyudor Pastoral Co

AIS PTY LTD

AJ & BA Bourke

AJ & JR Woodall

AJ & M Fish

AJ Smith

Al Babicka

Alan Scott Nominess Pty Ltd

Alan Thomas Mitchell

Alcoa Farmlands

Alex & Christina Matuszny

Alf & Beth Lorkiewicz

Alice Hall

Alistair Kensley

Alister Ross

Alkira

Allan Gillogly

Allansford Angus

Allen McManus

Allendale Studs

Alloura Angus Stud

Allunga Livestock P/L

Alpine Maintenance Pty Ltd

Alta Genetics

Alto Angus Alto Rural

Alumy Creek Angus

AM & MG Goodwin

Amanda Croxford

Amber Alsford

Ambition Investments Pty Ltd

AMP AG PTY LTD.

Ancona Station - Leswill Enterprises

Anderson & Smith

Anderson Agri Services

Andrew & Anne Hicks

Andrew & Cassandra Ledger

Andrew & Lauren Winks

Andrew and Andrea Speirs

Andrew Cain

Andrew Campbell Andrew Cuthbertson

Andrew Harries

Andrew Hosken

Andrew Ingle

Andrew Johnson

Andrew Kennett Family Trust

Andrew McIntyre

Andrew Miller

Angus, Kaiti, Will& Shane McGregor

Anita Reynolds

Annaleine Angus

Annie Hurst

Anthony J Higgins

Anthony Reardon

Anthony Wayne Seymour

Antu Cattle Company Pty Ltd

Appleton Angus

AR & GR Fawcett

AR & JT McClymont

AR Neander Partnership

Arch Bayles

Archer Landfall

Arden Pastoral Co

Ardmore Park Angus

Ardno Livestock Trust

Ardonachie

Ardrossan Angus

Aristocrat Angus

Arizona Farms

Arnold L & Jillian Ham

Arthur Ag

Arthur J Harrington

AS & J Lyall

Ascot Angus Ashcroft & Co Ashdale

Ashden Livestock

Ashley Simons

AT Adamson & JT Adamson

Atherton Angus Stud

Aurifer Agriculture

Austin’s Ultrasound Ltd

Australasian Global Exports

Authoringa Angus Ava Luna Pty Ltd

AWG Rural

B & D McCormack B & D Simpson B & H Robinson B & J Traill

B & K McKinnon

B & M Duncan B & MD Withers

B & N Sirl

B B Blackley B C & R L Hall B C Bateman B D & A M Boyd F/T B D & C D Evans B E & J M Lewis B F & B H Page B J & B W Cundy B J & KMartin B J Hamblin & Sons B M Griffiths B McKillop

B P & M E Smith B P Davie B R & J Askew B T & A J Sutcliffe B W & M M Brooker B W Boardman Bald Hill Angus

Balgille Angus

Ballagarang Pastoral Co

BallyBo

Baltimore Enterprises

Bangus Station Pastoral Pty Ltd

Bannaby Angus

Baringa Pastoral Company Barossa Angus Barr Creek

Barragunda Pastoral Co P/L

Barry Allen & Lea Charmaine Worseldine

Barry Lynch

Barry R McCabe

Barwidgee Pastoral Co

Basil R Clark & Sons

BASK Family Trust

Batalon

Bates Woodlands

Batoka Family Trust

Bauhinia Park Angus

BB Farms

BC & MB Kelly

Beefgen Pty Ltd

Belalberi

Belgrano Pty Ltd

Belinda Lyon

Bella Vista Pastoral

Bellaringah

Bellaspur Angus Bellco

Ben & Anne-Maree Facy

Ben Cruachen Pastoral

Ben Nevis Grazing Co

Ben Valley Angus

Benalong Grazing

Benara Pastoral Pty Ltd

BENEFIT ANGUS

Benham Tasmania

Benjamin Boulton

Bentley Angus

Berdue Pastoral Company

Beremboke Pastoral Co

Bergamin Pastoral Company (Nanjomara)

Bergan Park Pty Ltd

Berko Pastoral Co

Bernard J Harding

Bernie Taylor

Berrima Angus Stud

Betrola Investments Pty Ltd

Bev Hanlon

Beverley, Stephen & Mille Hookey Bewmont Stud

Big Black Bull Company

Big Valley Pastoral Pty Ltd

Bill & Joy Wearn

Bill Dudley Bill Lenehan

Bimbimbee

Bindanna Farms

Birrawong

BJ & LE Peel

BJ Berridge

BJ Buckley Partnership

BK & HM McHugh & Sons

Blackamoor Pty Lty

Blackhill Angus

Blackwood Park Pastoral

Bluestone Bay Investments P/L

Bona Vista Farm Trust

Bontharambo Angus Stud

Boorook Partners Pty Ltd

Booroomooka Angus Stud

Boortkoi Pastoral Company

Boot Hill Grazing

Bornholt & Murphy

Bower’s Cattle & Agriculture

Bowie Beef

Bowka Pastoral

Bowmans Forest PtyLtd

Boyd Lawrence James Hoare

BP & BF Grubb

BR & EC Lundstrom

BR & HA Read

BR & SA Smith

BR, CJ & GN Haby

Brad Alp

Brad-Leigh International Pty Ltd

Bradley Fleming

Braemore Brook

Braidwood Cattle Co

Breeder Genetics

Brendan Bogoias

Brendan Stevens

Brendan Welsh

Brendon Stoney

Brett A Linke

Brett Davidson

BREWER PASTORAL CO

Brian Lanigan

Brian Learey

Brian W Rooney

Broadwater Angus

Brooklyn Station

Brookvale

Brookwood Angus

Broomfield Angus

Bruan Partnership

Bruce & Libby Creek

Bruce Fulton

Bruce Johnstone

Bruce Robertson

Bruno Maiolo

Bryan Hayden

BT & MJ Boyd

Bullrush Farm

Bung Pastoral

Bungle Boori Partnership

Burnfoot Pastoral Company Pty Ltd

Burra Pastoral Co

Bushy Park Angus

BW & P Rae

C & J Barnett

C & J Dicker

C & K Wills

C & S Wright

C A & K L Meyn

C A S Cowcher & Son

C D Thomas

C E Flanagan & P F Ebert

C H M Pastoral P/L

C N G & M L Crocker

C R Campo

C S Barron

C T Standish

C W & E M Ford

CA & CE Smith

CA Laurie & Sons Pty Ltd

Cadarga Springs P/L

Cadwallader & Company Pty Ltd

Caesia Pastoral Trust

Cairnbrae Angus

Calga Pastoral P/L

Calindary Props

Calview Pastoral Pty Ltd

Camelarup Grazing

Cameron Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Campbell Co

Canaga Angus

Cane - Carcoola

Caragabal West Pty Ltd

Caragoola Family Trust

Carawatha Pastoral Co

CARENDA ANGUS

Carinya

Carlton Park

Carmelina Gaspari

Carmiste Angus Carngham Station

Carol Durkin

Carrington Property Co

Carters Farm Pty Ltd

Cascade Pastoral Company

Cattle Creek Angus

Cavan Station

CB & SL McLeod

CC Seymour & Co

Cenrim Agribusiness

Charles Calleja

Charlie & Coleen Roberts

Chartwell Farms

Cherylton Angus Chesrex Pty Ltd

Chiltern Park Angus

Chris Goddard Chris Hall

Chris Hall Investments Pty Ltd

Chris Hill

Chris Stapleton

Christopher Ward

Chumpot Pastoral

Churchill Pastoral Company

Cienega Pty Ltd

Cima Farm Pty Ltd

Cinchris Pty Ltd

CJ & G E Crosby

Claire Roberts

Clarence Park Angus Stud

Clarendon Pastoral Co

Claymore Organic Beef

Clear Springs Pastoral Company

Cleveland Pastoral Estates Pty Ltd

Clover Hill Angus

Cloverleigh PLG Pty Ltd

CM & KL Henke

CM & TM Best Pleasant Vale Angus

CN & K Jarrad

Cobb Country Angus Cocumbark Beef

Coffin Creek Angus Cold Springs Pastoral Pty Ltd Colin & Susan Hill

Colin D Roulston

Colin Press

Colly Creek Pastoral Company Pty Ltd

Complete Enterprises Comserv No 461 Pty Ltd

Coolana Angus Cooltrans Pty Ltd Coomete Pty Ltd

Coomnakilla Farm Coonac Angus Coonmoor Pastoral Co

Coorabell Estate Angus Coorumbene Pastoral Co

Coota Park Blue-E Corby Family Corio Angus Corpach Holdings P/L Corunnun Angus Cottage Creek Couch Pastoral

Cowleys Roseleigh Farms Proprs Coysh Farms

CP & PG Stonestreet Craig Wallis Craiglea Pastoral P/L Cranston & Sons

Creese North East Creightons Creek Pastoral Company Cremona Park

CT Carmichael & Son Culsalmond Angus Cumbre Stud Curracabark Angus Curraghmore Pastoral CW & G White

D & H Durik

D & K Ivone

D & K McRae

D & KJ Heazlewood

D & M Finnerty

D & S Anstee

D & W D Kelly

D A & J Cameron

D A & M Lumsden

D A Mitchell

D E & J E Hughan

D G & M D Stonestreet

D G & N Hayward

D J & C H Nalder

D J & C R Bruce

D J & F E Damm

D J & L R Brown

D J & M D J Milne

D J & M T Conroy

D J Graham Trust

D J Robertson

D K & H C Campbell

D L & L M Teal

D M & N A Burrow

D P Ernest

D R Patch

D R & D P Hill Partnership

D R & F M Mudford

DA & DE Johnson Grazing Co

Dalbosco Investments Pty Ltd

Dales Angus

Dalmeny Trust

Dalwhinnie Angus

Damala

Damian Carracher

Damian Dalbosco

Damien & Emily Brookes

Damien & Genevieve Gleeson

Damien Sotter

Damon Englund

Dancha Tucker

Dandaragga Angus

Danedite Pty Ltd

Daniel Madden

Daniel Molloy

Dargo Partnership

Darlow Ag Company

Darren Askew

Darren Crawford

Darren James Hegarty

Darren White

Darryl & Helen Mummery

Daryl Quinlivan

Dave Halloran

David & Denise Farrugia

David & Jan Young-Ferndale Bookham

David Allan Gow

David Bates

David Evans

David G Stewart

David Gillies

David Goodwin

David Hahesy

David Haley

David J Pilkington & Frances T Toohey

David John Crowe

David Parfett

David, Hannah & Samantha Bird

Davina Machin

Davy Cattle

DC & GJ Potter

DCF Marine Pty Ltd

Dean Davidson

Dean Lynch

Deepdale - Seaton Park Ent Pty Ltd

Deerubbin Angus Stud

Deeside Muirs

Degafelga Partners

Delta Pastoral T/A Vonform P/L

Dempsey Pastoral Co

Denford Park Nominees Pty Ltd

Denis Bassett

Denise Rae

Denjaetm Pty Ltd

Depiazzi Agricultural Company

Derryn J Badcock

Devereaux Corp Ltd

DF & LS Padman

DG & HJ Kosch

DH & FA Macleay

DH & LJ Cameron

Diana Hurley

DJ & AL Briody

DJ & JA Ingold

DJ & JM Dinning

DJ Downie & Co

DJ Ross

DL & CA Jackson

DL Bendall

DM & GW Hancock Pty Ltd

DM & LS Minogue

Dockers Plains Pastoral Company

Don & Janet McDonald

Donmarlou Pty Ltd

Doreen J Edwards

Doreen Partnership

Dorset Downs

Doug Wasley

Doug White

Dougal Purcell

Douglas Lithgow

Douglas Peel

DP Taylor & AL Willoughby

DR & BJ Payne

DR & CH Ford

DR & DJ Roche Family Trust

DR & S Gibson

Dr Denis Scanlon

Dr John Hendry & Susan Rodger

Dr Una Denham

DR, J & DA Rowley

Draffen Properties

DS & CG Varker

DSK Angus

D-Triangle

Duck Island Partners

Dukalskis Farming

Duncan Clowes

Duncraigen (Wiremu)

Durnhart Pty Ltd

DW & VJ Grace

DW, DEJ, GD, & LB, Redman

E & M Notarianni

E & S Watt E A Cooke

E A Friedrich & Son

E B & G Quick

E C Throsby Pty Ltd

E Hallyburton

E J Grieve

E L Bethel Pty Ltd

E M Mason

EA LK & AD Carkeek

Eagle View Angus

Eaglehawk Cattle Company

East West Cattle Co

Eastern Plains Pastoral Co

Ebony Beef

EC, AM & AJ Pettingill

Echo Cottage Pty Ltd

Edderton Stud Partnership

Eddington Park

Eddington Pastoral

Edward Archer

Edward Charles Stewart Herring

Edward Dunn

Effingham Pty Ltd

Egremont Pastoral Co

Elders Rural Services Elliott

Ellis & Elizabeth (Pip) Tout

Elly Anderson

Elm Valley Pty Ltd

Emerald Park Grazing EN & J Harrison

Englebrecht Pastoral

Engler Enterprises Pty Ltd

Epasco Farms

Erica Gundry

Esslemont Angus

Euabalong Station

Eulo Pastoral Pty Ltd

Eulonga Pastoral

Eumeralla Angus

Eura Carla

Eureka Beef

Eurobin

Ever Glade Angus

F & C Sofra

F & G J Pessotto

F & H Colaciello

F & S Angus

F B Graham Pty Ltd

F Conroy & C Nicholson

F H & P J White

F Nixon & Co

Fairfield Park Pastoral Co

Faroe Partnership

Farrer Agricultural High School

Featherstone Angus

Fenwil

Fernbank Park

Fernhill Angus Stud

Fernmount Partnership

Fernside Pastoral Company

Fingal Pastoral

Finger Pastoral Co P/L

Fiona Glover Fisher Ag

Flemington Angus

Forster & Sons

Forte Land

Fossil Creek Angus Limited

Fosters Valley Grazing

Four O Eight Angus Pty Ltd

Fox Creek Angus Fox Pastoral

Franc Farming Pty Ltd

Francis & Dawn Boulton

Frank Archer

Frank Pye

Frank Sorraghan & Alex & Hamish Smith

Fraser Partners Bopeep

Fred Pratt

French Partnership

Fucheng Woodlands Pty Ltd

Full Circle Genetics

Furneaux Pastoral Company Pty Ltd G & C Pastoral Co Pty Ltd G & D Bartlett G & D Van der Est G & F Paton G & J D’Mellow Partnership G & J Elliott G & M Platt-Hepworth G & N Wilkinson G & P Ivone G & R Wear G & S Batley & Sons G & S Chappell G & T Hurry G & W Howell G A & S A Gifford G A Danks G A Tickle

G A Varcoe Pty Ltd

G Cheshire Family Trust G D Muir G Dimond & Sons G E Sanderson

G F S R & C L Fuller

G H & J M Stuckey G J & D J Koenig G J & M A Fitridge G J Collins Pty Ltd G J Doherty

G K & D Daniel G K & K L Sisely G L Whitehead Pty Ltd G McInnes

G O & M Brown

G P Mackie & Co Pty Ltd

G R & J Buller

G Smith & Co

G, B & A Ross

G, J R & D J Koopman

GA & AF Keogh

GA & V Redding

Gaetano & Suzanne Turrisi

Gaffney Family

Galbraith Pastoral Family Trust

Garras

Garry & Kerry Cain

Garry Morrison

Garvagh Pty Ltd

Gary Legg

Gates Performance Genetics Pty Ltd

Gavin Russell

Gavin Woodall

GB & RE Hage

GE & AM Hill

GE & BE Costello

Generation Pastoral Company Pty Ltd

Genetic Choice Australia P/L

Genetics Australia Co-Operative Limited

Geoff Murray

George & Edith Holt

Gerard Bowman

Gerard M Ryan

GG & EJ Bates

GG & I Darling

GH & AJ Burston & Partners

Gillen Securities Pty Ltd

Gillian Fahle

Gisborne Park Farm Pty Ltd

GL & EJ Glasgow

Glen Iris Pastoral Pty Ltd

Glen Oak Pastoral Company

Glen Park Angus

Glenbernie Pastoral Company Pty Ltd

Glenburn Horticulture & Pastures Pty Ltd

Glenburne Angus

Glendaloch Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Glendaruel Pastoral Company

Glenfiddich Pty Ltd

Glengowan Angus Stud

Glenisa Cattle Co

Glenn Pretty T/AS Wolgan

Glenrae Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Glentree Pastoral

Glenwood Pastoral Trust

GM & TM Taylor

Gobba Angus

Golden Arrow Grazing Co

Goldenholm Dairy Pty Ltd

Gooram Springs/East Union Pty Ltd

Goulburn Park Pastoral

Gourock Partnership

GP & D Norman

GR & JM Saffin

Graelbar Pastoral Co

Graeme & Dawn Macaulay

Graham & Luke Nowell

Graham Fern

Graham Greenhalph

Graham Loader

Grandview Gundagai Pty Ltd

Grant Daniel & Long Pty Ltd

Grant Family Trust

Greendale Hill Angus

Greenhill & Sons

Greenhills Vic Pty Ltd

Greenleaf Angus

Greenwald Pastoral Co

Greg & Juliet Brown

Greg Bryant Family Trust

Greg Johnstone

Greg Mallett

Gregory Allan Brown

Grifforan Pastoral Co

Grimstead Angus Stud

Gripthorpe Farm

GTL Bowman

Guest Pastoral

Gullaren

Gumnut Downs

Gundagai Pharmacal Pty Ltd

Gundungarra Pastoral

Gunnong Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Guthrie Williamson

Guy Campbell

Guy Fitzhardinge

GV & A Armstrong

GW & ME Oliver

Gwen F Turner

Gydgenboyne Partnership H & B Wuersch

H & P Green H & R Lawson

H A & M K Carter

H A Newman & Co

H D Middleton

H Eldridge & Son

H G Reynolds & Sons Pty Ltd

H G Thompson & Sons

H J Cameron

H T Clancy

Habbies Howe Pastoral Co

Haddon Rig Angus Pty Ltd

Halls Angus

Hamish & Amanda McFarlane

Hamish Cumming

Handley Pastoral Co

Hansen Angus

Hanson Angus

Hardhat Angus

Hargate Park

Harper Angus

Harton Hills Management Pty Ltd

Hayden King

Hazeldean Pastoral Company

Hazlett Braeside

HB Rural

HC, LJ, K, Q & S Brown

HDH Brazier Partnership

Heart Angus

Hector Construction & Pastoral

Helen & Colin Masters

Helston Park Pty Ltd

Henri Deans

Henry Elliott

Hester A.A

Hewitt Cattle Australia Pty Ltd

HF Fanalone Pty Ltd

High Springs

Highbury Trading Hill Family

Hillcrest Pastoral Company

Hillgrove Pastoral Pty Ltd

Hindleton Rural Contracting

HJ & AJ Cocking Nominees Pty Ltd

HJ & JL FRY

HL Duddy & Sons

Holbrook Breeders Australia

Holmes Partnership

Holstons Pastoral Co

Hopkins River Pastoral Company

Horse Gully Pastoral Co P/L

Horseshoe Ridge

Hotspur Park

Howard D & Colleen J Smith

Hunter Brothers

Huntly Pastoral

Huntr Agricultural Group Pty Ltd

I & J Scandrett

I & W Reid

I A & H M Parsons

I D & S K James

I G N Paton & Co

I L & N Wilcox

I M & J A Pfitzner

I R & D M Spratling

Ian & Pauline Potter

Ian Byron Collard

Ian C Edney

Ian Oatley

Ian Stephenson

Ian W Richards

IB & KE Tanner

IL & MJ Childs

Independent Breeding & Marketing Service

Inglebrae Farm Management Pty Ltd

Invergowrie Park

Inverlair Angus

Ironwood Farm Pty Ltd

IS & H Brown

Isla J & A Evans

J & C McGennisken

J & C Godden

J & H Wall & Sons

J & K Sunderman

J & M & R King

J & SA Carroll Family Trust & L Carroll

J & T Callaway

J & W Kowalick

J A Crawford

J A James & J A Fogarty

J C & F M Barnes

J C & H M Barlee

J E & L R Gosse

J F & J A Sutton

J F & J C Russell

J F & J L Kitschke

J G & J Swayne

J G Clark

J H & T M Parton

J H Ryan & Son

J H Sambell

J J A & R L V Boddington

J K Irving

J M & R S Dixon

J M & T A Whalan

J N Lidgett

J P & K M Liddle

J P & M H Rynne

J R & J M Murphy

J R & N M Faithfull

J T Brine & Son

J V & A J Brown

J W Crossing & H J Crossing

J Webster

J.S Grazing

JA & WA Maloney

JA Peake

Jacor Farms

JAD Agriculture

Jafam Trading Pty Ltd

Jamann Corker

James Butler

James Dixon

James Jeffery

James Mollett & Partners

James Park Pastoral Co.

James Saunderson

James Skeer

Jamie & Virginia Bond

Jane Miller & James Miller

Jarraluka Feedlot

Jarrod Phelps, Illa-Langi

Jarup Pty Ltd

Jason & Alison Strong

Jason (Leigh) Faulkner

Jason Keays

Jason Pfitzner

Jason Stowe

JB & D J Karger

JB & HA Kidman

JB & ME Lamb

JB Angus Stud

JC Maling

JC, HM & PJ Dumesny

JD & CA Braddock

JD Snodgrass

Jenabank Pty Ltd

Jennifer Larkin

Jenny Crawford

Jeremy McNamara

JF & BM Cochrane

JG & YJ Brown

JH & JF Harris

JI & LI Dettmann

Jim & Pam McGregor

Jim Tickle

Jindalee (Henty) Pastoral Co

Jippo Angus

JJ & JA Paterson P/L

JL & BJ Nielsen

JM & S Smith

Joanna Bacon

Joe Beirs

Joe Bendotti

John & Jenette Hindmarsh

John & Sue Matthies

John Bayly -Waitangi Angus

John Bendotti

John Brunning & Sons

John Fitzgerald

John Harrison

John Hickingbotham

John Hicks

John Lamb Pastoral Co

John Ley

John Livingston McAdam

John Mauric

John Monteleone

John Murdoch

John Phillips

John R McKay

John Robert Cromb

John Robert Harrison

John Scally

John Tett

John Theodore Ralph John Tindall

John Williamson

John Wilson

Jonathan Koolstra

Jordan Ridge

Josephine M Beveridge

Josie Reynolds

Joyce C Boyd

JR & HJ Holmfield

JR & SA Wareham

Julia R E Simmons

Julie & Brad Murray

Angus Foundation

Julie Dennis

Julie L McPhie & Alan McPhie

Justin Parker

JV & MT Carroll

JW & A Shine

JW & B Dixon

JWG Dean

K & J Ferrari

K & K Halley Jenkins

K & M Garrett

K & V Dap

K A & A C McCormack

K A Langley

K B Fredericksen

K E & G L Smith

K Finger & Sons

K J & J A Bateman

K J & T P O’Toole

K J Hodby

K N Russell

K O Angus Stud

K R Reed - Chatsbury

Kakahu Angus

Kangaringa Farm

Kangaroo Mountain Company

Kapiro (Rangitane)

Karatta Pastoral

Karen & Simon O’Connell

Kate Paterson

Kathard Investments Pty Ltd

Kathleen Mary Grigg

KC & BS Chambers

KC & KN Hall

KD Power Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

KEA Farms Pty Ltd

Keith Gatenby & Sons Pty Ltd

Keith Hay Keith Soames

Kelly Angus

Ken Wharton

Kenneth Geoffrey Bennett

Kenpar Angus

Kent Farm Angus

Kerripit Partnership

Ketford Downs Family Trust

KF & AG Dean

Khan Yunis Kiah Adelong

Kidman Angus

Kielli Holdings

Killain Investments

Killara Range

Kimbriki Angus

Kinarra Angus

King George Angus

King Group

King Island Farms Pty Ltd

KingIsle Farms Pty Ltd

Kingsclere Angus Stud

Kingston Angus Stud

Kintalpa Partners

Kintyre Angus

Kirala Angus

Kirkoola Partnership

Kirsty Seabrook

KL Turner

Kland Holdings Partnership

Koolomurt Pastoral Pty Ltd

Kooragulla Angus

Koranui Pty Ltd

Krystal Fish

Kurra-Wirra Pastoral Co

KW Battersby KW Shone

Kyeema Springs

Kywanna Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

L & C Glass

L & M S Ham

L A R & G R Dunn

L A Shaw

L Bisinella Developments P/L

L C Angus

L D Ward

L E F & B L Versteegh

L H & G M Hoodless P/L

L J Rijs

L M Pettitt

L S Johnson Lachballin

Lachlan Bruce McIver

Lady Franklin Pastoral Co

Lake Ellen Pastoral

Lake Farm Genetics

Lakeview Angus

Lallemand Australia Pty Ltd

Landscape Partnership

Laneville

Larnoo Agricultural Investments P/L

Latrobe Park Angus

Lauren Berecry

Lawford Park

LD & DP Gommers

Leigh Allan Dunn

Leigh Devine & Tony Seymour

Leo Bull

Liam & Mark Mowbray

Lilyvale Grazing

Lilyvale Pastoral Pty Ltd

Lime Peaks Grazing

Limekilns Angus

Limekilns Pastoral Company P/L

Lin Johnstone

LINDA NANKERVIS

Linton Park Pastoral Co

Liscombe Pools Partnership

Lithgow Pastoral

Little Meadows T/A Golding & Son

Liz Sudlow

LJ & ML Price

LJ, JK, HJ & JA Condon

LMB Timmins Pty Ltd

Lochaber Partnership

Lohrey Pastoral Co

Longridge Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Longview

Lord Pastoral P/L

Lorton Vale

Lucky Red Australia

Lucy & Matt Godlee

Luke Balkin

Luke Hocking

Luke Mullane

Lyle Whitehead

Lyn Challis

Lynarnie Family Trust

Lyndavale Pty Lyd

Lynne Daly M & A J Bell

M & B McKimmie - Bar M Pastoral M & C Fisher M & E L Roberts M & H Lucas M & L Jacob M & P & S Antonello M & P Blyth M & R Clarke M & S Reedy M A & L L Latham M A MacKenzie & Partners M D & D M Burke M E Badcock & Son M E & G M Crow M G Pastoral Co P/L DFC#041 M J & D M O’Brien M J & E B Roche M J & J A Purcell M J & J J Lee M J & M A Walsh M J R Price

M J Richter-Rundell & Family M K & S G Davis M L Lee & G M Rachelle M Lowrey & J Lyall M P & G K Wallace M Rice M Sutherland M T & R M Welch MA & DA Duggan MA & JK Campbell MA & PK Wood

Macka’s Pastoral Pty Mackinnon Pastoral Magee Family Malmsbury Pastoral Co Mandy & James O’Brien Mandy Gunn

Mannus Correctional Centre

Manuka Ridge Pty Ltd

Mara and Wrice Family Trust

Marcollat Pastoral Company

Marcus & Sharon Kirkwood

Marida Yallock Angus

Mark & Amanda Brown Mark & Carol Barnett

Mark Allan Mark Calvert-Jones

Mark Dyble & Rosemary Porter

Mark Hollahan

Mark James Whatman

Mark McCaskill Mark Menkens Mark Middleton Mark Wright

Markarna Grazing Pty Ltd

Martindale Holdings Roseworthy MAS & AN Green

Masterton Pastoral Co

Mathew & Kelly Frost

Matlock Farm P/S

Matoni Beef Matt Young Matthew D Hannay Matthew Nelson

Maurice James Whitehead

Mawarra Genetics

MB & R Nolte

McCarthy Livestock

McPhee Properties Pty Ltd

McRae Family Trust

ME Elder

Megan E Richards

Melon Pastoral Pty Ltd

Mena Pastoral Pty Ltd

Meningoort

Mepungah Pastoral Co Pty Ltd MERCIECA Pty Ltd Merindoc Pastoral Mermeran

Merom Pastoral Company Merribrook

Mervyn R & Jeanette M Blyth

MG & BM Cash

MG & CG Britza

MG & TM Smith

Mibus Bros

Michael Blake

Michael Brady

Michael Carroll

Michael Cobiac

Michael Crowe

Michael Gooden

Michael Hayes

Michael Hopkins

Michael Katz

Michael Mullane

Michael Parfett

Michel A Lizza

Michelle Hollingsworth& Mark McLaren

Mick Pratt

Millhouse Beef Pty Ltd

Millwood Farm Services P/L DFC#040

Milner Trust

Milong Pty Ltd

Miltalie Farm

Milwillah Angus

Mingawalla Ag

Minimbah Pastoral

Minnamurra Pastoral Co

Minninup Pastoral Co

Mintor LLC

Mirabella Angus

Mirrabooka Trading

Misty Valley Angus

Mitchell Bennett

Mitchell Park Angus Euroa

MJ & BJ Little

MJ & LA Bulle

MJ & OJ Hill Partnership

MJ Wunnenberg

Mokoan Agriculture Pty Ltd

Mollisonview Angus

Molonglo Cattle Group

Mona Vale Holdings

Moorambilla Pastoral Co

Mooramook Pastoral Company

Moorenbah Angus

Moran Farm Enterprise

Morella Agriculture

Morella Enterprises Pty Ltd

Morgan Peterken Mort & Co

Mosquito Creek Angus

Mount Bolton Springs

Mount Linton

Moyle’s Moo Moos

MP Bonhote & JA Tryhorn

Mr and Mrs T Sudlow

Mr B Wilson

Mr D Newby

Mr M Stoney

Mr Rob Coulson

Mr Rodney & Kerry Newnham

Mrs Leal Squire-Wilson

MT & CP Mullane Pty Ltd

Mt Boothby Pastoral Co

Mt Eccles Estate Pty Ltd

Munmurra Angus

Muraby Angus

Murk & Kate Schoen

Murlingbung Partnership

Murnane Farms Pty Ltd

Murrabah Angus

Murroa East Pastoral

Murrunjai Pastoral Company

Muster Pastoral

MY & VA Hastings

My Valley Farm Myers Angus Myrtle Farm Myuna Angus N J Nolte

N & J Umback N & T Galvin

N J & S N Smith

N L Cameron & R A White

N S & S M Moyle

N S Brock

Nampara Angus

Nanena Pastoral Company

Nangwarry Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Napier Pastoral Delmore Downs Stn

Nareen Station Pty Ltd

Narracalca Partnership

Narrangullen Pty Ltd

Narranmore Pastoral Co

Nave Pastoral Company

ND & YR Gerke

NE & KL Morgan

Neale Lavis Pty Ltd

Neale Parke

Nellie-Jay Netherleigh Farm

Neville Hallyburton

Newbury Pastoral Co

Newland Angus

Newman Biotech Australia P/L

Newsbreed Livestock Next Level Angus

NG & JD Buckland

Nicholas Hansen

Nick & Kate Boshammer

Nick Gay Nicole Weston

Nigel Watson

Nioka Pastoral Company

Nixon Bros

NJ & AU ALCORN

NJC & LF Gilmore

Noel Castle Noel Munro

Noelhurst Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Nomak Angus

Norsca Black Angus

North West Flowers & Pastoral Co

Nosraep Enterprises

NP & JC Jenkin

NT & SM Nugent

NT Fleming & Co Nunn Partners

Oakdale Pastoral Co

Oakland Park Angus

OB Angus Boggy Creek Farm Partnership

O’Brien Nominees (GM & JA O’Brien)

Old Bambun Grazing

Old Pine Hill Partnership

Oliver Lindsay

Onalim Nominees Pty Ltd

Optifarm L P Ornum Angus

Otway Grazing

Outlook Drive Investments Pty Ltd

Outwest Angus Oversteer

Owen S Barr & Wendy A James

Owen W Pedlow

Oxley Angus P & A Foulds P & A Hansen

P & A Pota P & C Jones P & F Billeskov P & G J Thomas P & J McArthur & Sons P & K Del Mastro P & K Reid P & S Margery P A Johnston P A McIndoe P C & A B Taylor P C & M D Bruton P C Lamond P E & B J Quilty P H Stewart & Sons P J & R L Sinclair P J Griffin

P J Hanigan & Co Pty Ltd P J Pollard P/L

P M & S A Purtle Pty Ltd P R & P J Flemming P, M & S Connolly

Pam McGregor

Pamela Langford

Panmura Properties

Panorama Park Family Trust Panshanger Estate

Paraway

Pardelup Prison Farm

Pardoo Cattle Company Pty Ltd

Paringa Livestock Pty Ltd

Parker Amber Pty Ltd

Parklands Investments Management

Patrick Bourk

Patrick Rafferty

Paul Banks

Paul Bettio

Paul Bleeser

Paul E Graham Trust

Paul Fleming Paul Hoffmann

Paul Rea

Paul Scott & Judy O’Keefe

Paul Venturin

Paula & Chris Riches

PC & JL Giles

PD & LH Lewis Pty Ltd

Pearce Agriculture

Pearlbrook Angus

Pee Dee Creek Angus

Peil Investments

Pellepar Pastoral Co

Pemat Pty Ltd

Pembroke Pastoral Company

Penstock Pastoral

Pepper Partnership

Peppertree Angus

Pertangus

Peter & Donna Clarke

Peter & Kaye Holmes

Peter & Merryl Johnston

Peter & Sandra Krause

Peter Aisthorpe & Jenny Williams

Peter Brewer

Peter Bryant

Peter Brydon

Peter C Evans

Peter Duff

Peter Howie

Peter J Sattler

Peter James Wade

Peter Keary

Peter Lindsay

Peter Pether & Louise Mitchell

Peter R Hennessy S. C.

Peter Ross & Jessica Fletcher

Peter Shanley

Peter W Basford

Peter Williamson

PH Clarke & Son

PH NF DP & ML Moore

Phillip Arthur Stockwell

Phillips Cattle Company

Pindari Rural Pty Ltd

Pine Creek Angus Stud P/L

Pinnacle Fine Foods

Pinnaroo Pastoral Co

PJ & PM Alcorn Pty Ltd

PJ & TM Woodman

Platts Bros

PM Corcoran

Poligolet

Polin Pastoral Co

Poltalloch Plains Pasoral

Pomany Angus

Possum Point Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

Powe Family

PR Murray

PR, EJ, EST, RN & PL Grieve

Princess Royal Station

Prospect Downs Farming

Proudford Agricultural Company

Michael Telini

Michael Wells

Pulitano Pastoral Pty Ltd

Q W Braund

Quarram Grazing Co

Quarter-Way Angus

Queenwood Orchards

Quilter Nominees P/L

R & D Gregory & Bradley Gregory

R & D Weidner

R & H Cook

R & K Telling

R & N Gibbs ATF The Gibbs Family Trust

R & S Cameron

R & V Skipworth

R B & J L Walsh

R B & W P Harris

R Boddy & Son

R C & M H Teasdale

R C & S R Atwell

R Currie

R D Miller

R E & G E Bomford

R E Grebert

R F J Larkin

R G & R Legoe

R G Thwaites

R I & C E Bradshaw

R J & M D Austen

R J & P H Simpson

R J & T Whiteley

R J McFarlane

R M & D M Wolter

R M & P L Wright

R M, M E & R C Cumming

R N & D M Kristiansen

R N & M H McInnes

R P & G M Reeves

R R & P L Crosby

R S & N J Warner

R S Chester

RA & KI Reed

RA & MM Shea Partnership

Radford Pastoral

Raff Angus

Rangers Valley Cattle Station

Ray Randle

Raymond Slade

RC & JM Pearce

RD & SE Horspole

RDM Angus

RE & SB Giles

Rebecca & Scott Davis

Rebecca Blyth

Red Hill Agriculture

Red Hills

Red Island Beef

Reen Family

Reid & Stevens Pty Ltd

RH Omodei & Sons

Rhodes Pastoral Pty Ltd

Richard & Prue Post

Richard Brett & Elizabeth May Hooper

Richard Crooke

Richard Davy

Richard Last Richard Reed

Richardson & Son

Rick Wright

Riddellvue Angus Stud

Ridgemount Pastoral Company

Rimanui Farms

Rissington

Riverdale Partnership

RJ & J McLachlan

RJ & JM Barns

RJ & JT Philpott

RJ Rogers & Sons

RK & HP Milner

RK & JM Heinrich

RK & JS Pryce

Rob & Ruth Caldwell

Rob Hamilton

Rob Wilson

Robert Letts

Robert & Annie Boon

Robert & Nerida Hardy

Robert B Bowman

Robert Brian

Robert Hill

Robert Johnstone

Robert Kobold

Robert Thomson

Robrick Lodge

Robyn Boto

Robyn Estelle Senini

Robyn Kuch

Rocky Capisciolto

Rocmore

Rod Hoare & Helena Warren

Roda Transport

Rodney Bennett

Rodney Caplehorn

Rodney Schwarz

Roger Flower

Roger Henwood

Roger Matthews

Romani Pastoral Company Pty Ltd

Ron Barnacle

Ron Halicki

Ronald Hannan

Roo Park Pastoral

Rosebank Angus

Rosehill Angus

Rosevale Angus

Ross & Carol Cardile

Ross Jarvis

Rosverland Farms

Rotherwood Farming

Rotomahana (Waihora)

Rowallan Lodge Pty Ltd

Roydon Nominees Pty Ltd

RT & BM Grigg RT Moorhead Rush Bros Ryan Berry

Ryrie Rutledge Pastoral Co

Rytargra Angus S & B Gleeson S & D Accessories Pty Ltd S & L Owen Pty Ltd S & N Branson S Beck

S C & R Flick S Camarri & Co S D Clifford S J & E M Cleal

S J H & S E Sharman

S Mathers Marlo Downs S S & J A Robertson S T Hamilton Farm

SA & GE Smith-Lakala

Sacha Holme

SAILS-Southern Australian International Saint Family Trust & MA & IC Saint Sally Lowe Sam Barwick Sam Failla

Sam Redden

Sandra Fletcher-Wells Sandran Pty Limited

Sandy Camp Sandy Creek Angus Stud

Scarbah Angus Schiavello

Scott A Thiessen

Scott Finlay Scott Guthrie Scott Miller

Seaton Vale Pastoral Co

Segenhoe Aberdeen Angus Stud Semex Pty Ltd

Semini Enterprises Pty Ltd

Seven Hills Angus Severn Angus

SF & RL Boulton

SG & LE McLean

Shacorrahdalu Angus

Shamrock Hill Stud

Shane & Lisa Monteith

Shane Eldridge

Shannon Falls Pastoral Co

Shaw Agri Pty Ltd

Sheoak Island Trust Shepwok Downs Sheridan Mcleod

Sheron Farm

Siddell Family Fig Tree Park Silverlands Stud Farm

Siobhan Cowan

SL & II Missen

Smiths Pastoral Pty Ltd

Solo Pastoral Co

Somerset Angus

Spec Australia Pty Ltd

Speriby North Pty Ltd

Springfield Springfield Station Springside Angus

Springvalley Pastoral

Sprys

SR & JL Roe

SR & MC Beasley

Sretlaw Park

St Fillan Ag Co

ST Genetics

ST Vincents Pty Ltd

Stamilea Park

Stanton Angus

Stellar Livestock

Stephen & Anne Reid

Stephen & Bianca Ferris

Stephen & Lionel Platts

Stephen Dunne Stephen E Garland

Stephen Franks Stephen J Simpson

Stephen Purcell

Steve Clifton Steven Latch Stirling Agricultural Company Stokman Angus

Stonehut Holdings Pty Ltd

Stoney Point Performance Angus Strathdownie Estate

Stratton Livestock Streetwise Pastoral Stromness

Struan Research Centre

Stuart McPaul

Sumatanga Park

Summerfield Angus

Sunny Hills Angus

Sunny Point Pastoral Co

Swan Agribusiness Pty Ltd

Swanbrook Angus

Swiss Australian Farm Holding Pty Ltd

Sykes Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

T & K Martin

T & K Netherway

T & L Gubbins

T D & S C Hollis

T H & L Gibbs & Sons

T J Henwood Family Trust

T J Woods

T L Gunn

T M J Brittain

T M Richards & D L Rae

T.R MOORE

T.W. Lewis

TA & JM Scott - Table Top Angus

TA Field Estates Pty Ltd

TA Sadler

Takajo Pastoral Co

Takapoto Angus

Tamar Valley Angus

Tamara Bennett

Tamcal Livestock

Taminick Pastoral P/L

Tangarna Family Trust

Taranee Pastoral Co

Tarpoly Pastoral

Tarraganda Pastoral Co Trust

Tattykeel

Tawarri Pastoral Company

TC Gunthorpe

Te Mania Angus Pty Ltd

Telita Dairy

Tenterfield High School

Terence J Miller

TErry & Alena O’Leary

Terry M Hanigan

Terry Pierce

Texas Angus

The Babworth Pastoral Co

The Cascade Pastoral Co

The Cottawalla Pastoral Co

The Crescent Project Group Pty Ltd

The Glen Pastoral Co Pty Ltd

The Racecourse

The Range Angus

The Rock Angus

The Trustee for the Roots Family Trust

The Zanotto Family Trust

Thomas E F Hughes

Thomas Family

Three Rivers Angus P/L

Three Rivers Livestock P/L

TI & AM Vlahov

Tibooburra Angus Stud

Tillabudgery Angus

Tim Black

Tim Finger

Tim Hahesy

Tim Rhodes

Tim Weekes

Timanda

Timber Logistics Pty Ltd

Timboon Beef/ Popes Consolidated

Busline

Timothy A Boland

Timothy Henry

Tivoli

TJ & JL McKibbin

TJ & MB Waugh

TJ & M-BMHiggins & SL Higgins & SE Davis

TJ & VM Schmaling

TLHC Trust

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Staff Directory

Chief Executive Officer

Scott Wright, Chief Executive Officer

P: 02 6773 4636 · E: scott.wright@angusaustralia.com.au · 0428 221 008

Genetic Improvement

Christian Duff, General Manager Genetic Improvement & Research Manager

P: 02 6773 4620 · M: 0457 457 141

E: christian@angusaustralia.com.au

Jen Peart, Northern Development Officer

P: 02 6773 4644 · M: 0417 219 405

E: jen.peart@angusaustralia.com.au

Andrew Byrne, Genetic Evaluation Manager

P: 02 6773 4618 · M: 0418 412 042

E: andrew@angusaustralia.com.au

Marketplace Services

Liz Pearson, Commercial Supply Chain Manager

P: 02 6773 4608 · M: 0488 758 360

E: liz.pearson@angusaustralia.com.au

Diana Wood, Marketing & Communications Manager

P: 02 6773 4601 · E: diana@angusaustralia.com.au

Robyn Brazier, Marketing Assistant

P: 02 6773 4609 · E: marketing@angusaustralia.com.au

Ebonie Jones, Graphic Designer

P: 02 6773 4610 · E: ebonie@angusaustralia.com.au

Kate Reynolds, Graphics & Multimedia Officer

P: 02 6773 4645 · E: design@angusaustralia.com.au

Nick Butcher, Project Officer, ASBP

P: 02 6773 4638 · M: 0427 701 236

E: nick@angusaustralia.com.au

Malshani Samaraweera, Geneticist

P: 02 6773 4622

E: malshani@angusaustralia.com.au

Cheyne Twist, Senior Marketing & Communications Officer

P: 02 6773 4635 · E: communications@angusaustralia.com.au

Samantha Hamilton, Marketing Officer – Sale Catalogues

P: 02 6773 4613 · E: sam@angusaustralia.com.au

Dzintra Menesis, Marketing Officer - Graphic Design

P: 02 6773 4645 · E: dzintra.menesis@angusaustralia.com.au

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Staff Directory

Member Engagement

Jake Phillips, Extension and Youth Manager

P: 02 6773 4625 · M: 0401 261 217

E: jake.phillips@angusaustralia.com.au

Bernard Beatty, Member Services Manager

P: 02 6773 4636 · E: bernard.beatty@angusaustralia.com.au

Adam Allingham, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4602 · E: adam.allingham@angusaustralia.com.au

Rachael Constable, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4615 · E: rachael.constable@angusaustralia.com.au

Raelene Mold, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4600 · E: raelene.mold@angusaustralia.com.au

Lou Wood, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4617 · E: office@angusaustralia.com.au

Corporate Services

David Cameron

Administration Manager/ Financial Controller

P: 02 6773 4624 · E: david.cameron@angusaustralia.com.au

Carole Johns, Accounts Officer

P: 02 6773 4628 · E: carole.johns@angusaustralia.com.au

Tammy McLeod, Senior Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4604 · E: tammy.mcleod@angusaustralia.com.au

Lily Christian, Member Services Officer

P: 02 5775 8710 · E: lily.christian@angusaustralia.com.au

Robyn Kelly, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4615 · E: robyn@angusaustralia.com.au

Sarah Scott, Member Services Officer

P: 02 6773 4611 · E: sarah.scott@angusaustralia.com.au

Kathryn Duddy, Company Secretary, Human Resources Manager and Assistant to the Ceo

P: 02 6773 4614 · E: kathryn.duddy@angusaustralia.com.au

M: 0447 332 202

Christopher de Crespigny, Information Systems Manager

P: 02 6773 4619 · E: christopher@angusaustralia.com.au

Dale Curtis, Computer Programmer

E: dale.curtis@angusaustralia.com.au

Chris Hocking, Computer Programmer

E: chris.hocking@angusaustralia.com.au

Joy Howe, Accounts Officer

P: 02 6773 4612 · E: joy.howe@angusaustralia.com.au

Susan Webeck, Accounts Officer

P: 02 6773 4606 · E: sue@angusaustralia.com.au

Amanda Wolfe, Administration Officer

P: 02 6773 4650 · E: amanda@angusaustralia.com.au

Dr Gerard Hammond, angus.tech Software Manager

E: gerard.hammond@angusaustralia.com.au

David Edgar, Computer Programmer

E: david.edgar@angusaustralia.com.au

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