Queensland cattle producer Kara Knudsen is planning a study tour to the United States after being named one of 18 new Nuffield Agricultural Scholars for 2013.

Nuffield Australia, with the support of sponsors, provides scholarships to allow Australian farmers to travel overseas to conduct agricultural research.

Each scholarship involves a 16-week program that consists of both group and individual  travel.

The 2013 scholars announced in Toowoomba last Friday will travel through  Canada,  United  States  (California  and Washington DC), Mexico, Europe, Brazil and New Zealand in March-April 2013. 

Kara Knudsen and her husband Darcy run 1500 Santa Gertrudis breeders on 18,000 acres at Mundubbera and have a further 82,000 acres of Mitchell/Downs country, with up to 4,000 head run mostly as a trading operation.

Kara, who's scholarship has been supported by Meat and Livestock Australia, is planning on investigating large-scale artificial insemination (AI) techniques for northern cattle herds.

For Kara, slow genetic progress in many northern cattle herds has prompted her to study AI on the large scale needed in the region.

“If the industry is going to survive, then genetic improvements and better reproductive performance has shown to be a dominating factor in farm profitability," she said.

"If we could multiply superior genetics quickly and at a low cost, the northern beef industry will again have a promising future."

She is hoping to particularly focus on fixed time AI, embryo transfer (ET), and ultrasound techniques and services that can be replicated on a large scale.

“I am particularly interested in the work of Gabriel Bo in Argentina and farms in Brazil, where they have overcome many of the problems associated with AI on a large scale and are reaping the benefit of accelerated genetic progression."

While Kara is currently successfully using fixed time AI in her own heifers and cows, she hopes to use the Nuffield Scholarship to increase the uptake of this technology in the northern beef herd.

“I will be seeking answers to problems which inhibit the use of it here in Australia, by visiting countries where these technologies are now widely used.

In Brazil and Argentina the scale of operation is massive, so to see the equipment, yards and setup used to handle this would be invaluable and a Nuffield Scholarship will provide me with a network of colleagues that I can collaborate with to find solutions,” Kara said.

Meat & Livestock Australia said that for the beef industry to remain sustainable, it must continue to be innovative and foster the development of future leaders in the agriculture industry.

The 2013 Nuffield Scholars, announced at a function in Toowoomba last Friday, were:

NSW:

Guy Hebblewhite (Tamworth)

Peter Kaylock (Moulamein)

Antony Vagg (Moama)

QLD:

Trent De Paoli (Bundaberg)

Paul Inderbitzin (Lakeland)

Kara Knudsen (Mundubbera)

Joe Muscat (Oakenden)

Jodie Redcliffe (Wamuran)

SA:

Carly Buttrose (Parndana)

Lachie Seears (Lucindale)

Paul Serle (Tantanoola)

Jason Size (Loxton)

TAS:

Matthew Pooley (Seven Mile Beach)

VIC:

David Cook (Shepparton)

Matthew Ipsen (Wareek)

WA:

Paul Green (Hyden)

Matthew Hill (Esperance)

Kate Mason (Kojonup)