A TWO-DAY Wagyu Genetics and Genomics field day and workshop next month on Queensland’s Darling Downs will help unravel many of the questions existing and potential Wagyu producers have about how to benefit from the world-wide demand for Australian Wagyu beef.

The first field day component of the event will be staged at Kerwee Lot Feeders near Jondaryan on Monday 14 November where 180 Wagyu-sired steers are being fed through GrowSafe equipment that measures and monitors individual animal feed intake and weightgain.

It is the first time in Australia this type of assessment (cattle from a range of owners) has occurred under commercial feedlot conditions. This sire progeny test is designed to discover the sires with superior net feed intake and carcase performance.

According to the Australian Wagyu Association’s technical services manager Carel Teseling, the efficiency of converting feed to weight is an important financial aspect of beef cattle production regardless of whether cattle are in a feedlot or pasture fed.

“We have found there are considerable differences between genetic lines and it is important for established and new Wagyu breeders to fully understand the implications of genetic selection,” he said.

The field day then becomes a workshop at the nearby Jondaryan Woolshed where Kerwee Feedlot manager Steve Martin and Mr Teseling will discuss the importance of net feed intake and answer questions.

This will be followed by sessions on how to efficiently record Wagyu cattle through the latest software programs, the importance of Breedplan in herd improvement and how to identify carcase quality and fertility, areas critical to successful beef cattle operations.

These sessions will be followed by the Australian Wagyu Association’s annual general meeting and a Wagyu dinner at Jondaryan Woolshed.

“We encourage existing, new and potential Wagyu industry participants to attend all these sessions and the dinner to gain as much knowledge as possible to assist in establishing and maintaining successful Wagyu operations,” said the AWA’s chief executive, Graham Truscott.

“The aim of these two days is to provide the knowledge that facilitates successful Wagyu businesses and all are welcome,” he said.

The event then moves 50km to Toowoomba’ s City Golf Club for Day 2 on Tuesday 15 November, where a range of topics will include genotyping and parent verification, single-step Breedplan, data linking for the entire Australian beef industry and the new Wagyu content test.

Of particular interest will be a Q&A session involving AWA’s entire board of directors who will invite questions on all aspects of Wagyu production.

“We are fortunate to have representatives of all the many aspects of the Wagyu industry on our board right from genetics selection right through to supplying branded product at retail level ,” Mr Truscott said.

“This is a unique opportunity to call on the experience of this panel of industry specialists who are passionate about Wagyu,” he said.

• Registrations are now open. Click here to access.

Source: AWA