A major export agreement to supply Australian-bred Wagyu and dairy genetics into China is marking the first export of Australian cattle semen into that market for five years.

Five years in the making, the agreement secured by ABS Australia is expected to position China as Australia’s largest export market for cattle semen, underlining growing international demand for Australian genetics and breeding systems.

This agreement includes Australian Wagyu, Jersey and Holstein semen, with potential for additional breeds, as Chinese producers seek high-performance genetics to improve their productivity, efficiency and beef quality.

Importantly, the Wagyu genetics are destined for Chinese beef-on-dairy programs, where Wagyu sires are joined to dairy cows to produce beef-cross progeny.

The first shipment of Wagyu semen left Australia in April, with additional shipments scheduled over coming months. All the genetics came from Laird Morgan’s Arubial Wagyu stud on Queensland’s Darling Downs, representing bulls in the top 1-2pc of breed indexes for marbling and other traits.  Jersey bulls selected ranked within the top ten percent for BPI ( Balanced Performance Index).

ABS Australia business operations manager Bruce Ronalds said the agreement highlighted international confidence in Australian genetics, breeding systems and production standards.

“There’s been demand from China for Australian genetics since before that market was closed to us in 2021, so when the opportunity to export semen reopened last year, ABS Australia moved quickly to identify suitable bulls and work with our China team to meet market demand,” he said.

“That’s because Chinese customers are looking for proven genetics from trusted production systems, and Australia has built a strong reputation globally for clean, high-quality cattle and breeding programs,” he said.

Mr Ronalds said the genetics selected for export were among the highest-performing animals available, with bulls required to rank in the top tier of their breed.

“The Chinese market is highly focused on performance and data, so the bulls selected needed to meet strict genetic benchmarks,” he said.

Northern Victorian dairy farmer and Jersey and Holstein breeder Rohan Sprunt has his Kaarmona Jersey genetics included in these orders.

“It’s exciting to see Australian-bred cattle genetics heading into a market like China,” he said. “It’s not really an accolade for me; it’s an accolade for the Australian Jersey breed and the work that’s gone into developing efficient, productive cows suited to global production systems.”

The same reputation for performance and productivity is also driving demand for Australian Wagyu genetics, with China’s growing appetite for premium beef creating opportunities for Australian breeders.

ABS China commercial director Snow Wu said genetics remained a long-term investment for Chinese producers looking to improve productivity, efficiency and beef quality.

“There is significant interest in Australian Wagyu and dairy genetics because Australia has built a strong reputation for breeding performance, production systems – including environmental benefits – and consistency,” she said.

Ms Wu said much of the Wagyu demand was linked to beef-on-dairy programs as China’s beef industry continued to evolve.

“We are seeing increasing demand for premium beef products in China, particularly in traditional dining and hot pot markets, where Australian Wagyu has developed a strong reputation with consumers,” she said.

Source: ABS