5 minute read
Experts share their knowledge at technical workshop
The AWA hosted a technical workshop alongside the AGM on the 23rd November, with great success we welcomed 60 people to the Armidale Bowling Club as well as 80 people online. We heard from a number of experts in their field on structure, nutrition and the expansion of Wagyu feedlotting
IMPORTANCE OF STRUCTURAL TRAITS IN WAGYU Presented by Lock Rogers, Door Key Wagyu
Lock Rogers was introduced to the Wagyu breed in 1993, when he started production of F1 cattle for local supply chains. Lock has been a long-time breeder of Angus seedstock and is widely renown as an expert cattleman with keen eye for structure and functional traits. Over the years Lock has used the most commercially relevant blood lines and genetics available, using all the tools available including carcase data, EBVs and now genomically enhanced EBVs. Some of the earliest genetics are still very influential in the Door Key herd and of course in the wider Wagyu breed in general. Lock presented his view on genetics and structural traits as they relate to Wagyu production, identifying that the typical norms for British Breeds do not translate to Wagyu. Aspects of Wagyu structure include good feet (claws), lightbones, low organ weights and relatively small mature cow size compared to other breeds. These features of Wagyu translate to high yielding, high efficiency and long-lived animals that do not break down easily. Lock highlighted that a unique aspect of Wagyu finishing was the long-feeding regimes for slaughter stock. He emphasised the need to focus breeding on correct feet angles to ensure performance of long-fed Wagyu in feedlots and their structural integrity in transport to slaughter at high bodyweights. PRE-FEEDLOT NUTRITION AND OPPORTUNITIES IN WAGYU Presented by Dr Robert Lawrence, IAP Nutrition
Dr Rob Lawrence shared his expertise in early life development and pre-feedlot nutrition. Ensuring good pre-natal nutrition of the cow and post-natal nutrition of the calf is vital to the success of Wagyu cattle in feedlots in their later life. Getting nutrition right in the early life is incredibly important to enable to the animal to express its marbling genetics. Dr Lawrence defined a term he refers to as ‘marbling window’ which is the period from early weaning to approximately 250 days of age. Nutrient supplementation during the ‘marbling window’ specifically increases the intramuscular fat cell numbers. AWA has highlighted over the last 2 years, that consistent early life growth rates (0.8kg or higher) are important for marbling performance later in life (in the feedlot) Rob also highlighted that being able to determine point of maturity is incredibly important, with marbling expression (filling of marbling cells with fat) predominantly occurring after point of maturity, with maturity being the completion of skeletal and lean growth. From a nutrition perspective, Dr Lawrence is still a believer of creep feeding calves for both the benefit of the cow and the calf itself. Creep feeding reduces the reliance on the cow to keep producing milk and allowing the cow to increase body condition score. Feeding cows to produce milk to feed calves is an incredibly inefficient process. If you are nutritionally restricted during the post-calving period, it is far more cost effective to feed the calves than it is to feed the cow to in-turn, feed the calf. With creep feeding, an increase in weaning weight can be anywhere from 15-30kg, with a decrease in stress at weaning because the animals are already adapted to eating dry feed.
60 people joined us in person at the 2021 Technical Workshop. Mr Keith Howe, Managing Director of Rangers Valley (above) discusses their aggressive plan for growth.
Early weaning is another critical factor, as mentioned earlier, the ‘marbling window’ covers the period from weaning to 250 days (8 months). If calves are early weaned at 3-5 months, they are better able to grow consistently to realise their genetic potential. Feeding starch and fibre to early weaned calves allows for increased rumen nutrient absorption capacity and increase in the size of the rumen, setting them up perfectly for entry into feedlot. The rest, is up to the feedlot.
CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE RANGERS VALLEY WAGYU PROGRAM Presented by Keith Howe, Rangers Valley
Rangers Valley is one of the world’s most respected premium marbled beef producers, specialising in long fed pure Black Angus and Wagyu cross and Fullblood Wagyu. Bringing the consumer, the highest quality, best tasting, consistently tender and delicious beef, every time through its global export programs. Mr Keith Howe, Managing Director of Rangers Valley, expressed that Rangers Valley is aggressive in their growth and is now a company which backgrounds 10,000+ head, feeding 45,000 head of cattle across 3 feedlots. The Rangers Valley feedlot at Glen Innes was previously a 24,000 head feedlot with the recent upgrade pushing it to a capacity of 50,000. All Rangers Valley animals are sold under a structured branded beef program. In 2021 approximately 22,000 head of F1 Wagyu and Purebred Wagyu were fed for a minimum of 360 days and about 700 Fullblood Wagyu were fed for a minimum of 500 days, these filling the Infinite Fullblood Wagyu and WX by Rangers Valley brands. Keith highlighted the strong focus in quality and sustainability within all Rangers Valley systems and operations, showing carbon benchmarking data and explaining management practices at Rangers Valley to ensure welfare and optimal animal management for all cattle. Keith echoed the information presented by Lock Rogers and Rob Lawrence earlier in the day – that breeding, structure and backgrounding performance were vital to subsequent performance in the feedlot and that his team monitored performance data rigorously. Keith finished his presentation with comments on increasing the numbers of Wagyu cattle through Rangers Valley in coming years, noting the trend for more Wagyu to be on feed as a proportion of total production.
