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BeefLinks
A collaborative research and development project between Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and The University of Western Australia (UWA) for the WA beef industry.
About
BeefLinks is a four-year research partnership that aims to drive an integrated and complementary R&D program for northern and southern production systems across WA to achieve profitable, consistent and sustainable beef yields matched to consumer expectations.
The project brings together producers, researchers, businesses and state agencies to develop a greater understanding of opportunities to enhance productivity and value along the red meat supply chain.
Through the program, partners will explore and understand critical control points to produce evidence-based best practices and strategies for the management and movement of cattle.
The benefits of BeefLinks
BeefLinks aims to develop a higher valued supply chain which is more productive and more sustainable for the WA beef industry.
The program aims to deliver $72million in net benefits to more than 750 producers through:
- increased production of saleable and higher-value beef
- increased weaning rates
- cohesive landscape management for productivity and environmental outcomes.
The program will deliver information to support increased productivity including:
- a better understanding of critical control points across the supply chain
- identification of best-practice, practical strategies for the management and movement of cattle
- demonstrations, training opportunities and engagement with people and organisations across the WA supply chain.
Current projects
This project aims to develop practical and robust management practices to improve the transition of animals from the pastoral zone into backgrounding systems, as well as between grazing rangelands and forage produced under pivots, to build more certainty in year-round supply of in-specification cattle.
This project aims to increase the production capacity of the WA value chain by 12%.
By understanding more about the movement and diet of livestock in the WA rangelands and key backgrounding areas, this project will explore grazing management practices that could be used to increase productivity and carbon in the landscape.
This project aims to provide a better understanding of the nutritional value and anti-methanogenic potential of the feedbase in the northern WA rangelands.
Through a study of commercially available and naturally occurring plant species in the region, it will explore the potential for emissions reduction through grazing management practices that could improve growth and feed efficiency.
The data from this project will provide producers with a range of feedbase options that support the drive for methane abatement from beef cattle as well as the drive for a carbon neutral value chain.
Partnering with commercial properties, this project will evaluate the practical use of virtual fencing technology (VFT) to manage cattle in the WA rangelands and improve livestock productivity and rangeland health.
This project provides an opportunity to evaluate VFT’s potential to improve grazing management and nutrition, to monitor livestock health and welfare more easily, better manage emergencies and prevent degradation of areas under restoration.
Get involved
BeefLinks is all about collaboration and is always looking for new partners and participants.
Contact us to learn out more about the project, find out how you can contribute to research, trials and data collection and keep up to date with project progress.
For more information:
Project Leader, Professor Phil Vercoe (UWA) | E philip.vercoe@uwa.edu.au | P 0437 019 836
Partners
