Almost 2000 calves were born across five key NSW Government research sites as the 2024 calving season for the Southern Multi-Breed (SMB) V calf cohort comes to a close.

Marking a significant milestone for the ongoing research project, a total of 1,995 calves were born across the five key research sites in Grafton, Trangie, Glen Innes, Yanco, and Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI) with the first calf of the season arriving 2 July 2024 and the final calves born in early November.

NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), Southern Multi Breed Project Leader Dr Fay Haynes said the dedicated research services staff have worked tirelessly around the clock for the past 122 days to ensure successful calving and data collection.

“The efforts of our SMB team have been essential in advancing the knowledge we need to improve breeding outcomes in southern Australian cattle,” Dr Haynes said.

“Across the five research sites, data has been carefully collected for each calf born, with information gathered including Dam ID, birth weight, breed, date of birth, sex, calving ease, calf fate, and various vigour and maternal behaviour scores.

“This comprehensive data will provide critical insights into reproductive and maternal traits across various cattle breeds and help us improve birthrates for future calving seasons.”

The calf cohort breakdown for 2024 saw the below results:

• Angus: 558
• Brahman: 84
• Charolais: 261
• Hereford: 343
• Shorthorn: 280
• Wagyu: 268
• Brahman Cross: 201

The calves represent the fifth cohort born as part of the SMB project, which has seen great success in tracking the performance of multiple breed types.

NSW DPIRD Technical Officer Renee Rippon said, notably, heifers from the R, S, and T cohorts have calved up to three times, providing invaluable data to refine and enhance breeding strategies for future calving seasons.

“The work of the SMB team continues with Artificial Insemination (AI) programs and backup joining groups for the next calf cohort,” Ms Rippon said.

“A total of 700 cows have been artificially inseminated across the Grafton, Trangie, Glen Innes, Yanco and EMAI sites through October and November, with the project expecting to join approximately 1,750 wet cows and 900 maiden heifers in 2024.

“We look forward to supporting the next phase of the project, especially as the team focuses on leveraging artificial insemination and genetic research to drive performance and adaptability.

“This is exactly the type of forward-thinking research that will ensure Australian beef continues to lead in quality, efficiency, and sustainability.”

The SMB project aims to deliver to producers, for the first time, the ability to compare and contrast estimated breeding values across all major BREEDPLAN traits within the six major cattle breeds in southern Australia.

The project is a collaboration between NSW DPIRD, University of New England and the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) donor company.

For more information on the Southern Multi-breed Cattle Project, click here.   The MLA Donor Company (MDC) is a fully-owned subsidiary of Meat & Livestock Australia and facilitates the delivery of funds from research co-investors and the Commonwealth Government for research and development.

Source: DPIRD NSW. For more information about BREEDPLAN, visit – https://breedplan.une.edu.au/