IMPROVING selection for intramuscular fat in sheep and the future for Meat Standards Australia for lamb grading will be outlined at the first Southern Beef and Lamb School in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, next month.

The event on Tuesday 17 to Thursday 19 February will give cattle and sheep producers a practical, up-to-date edge on genetics, nutrition, markets, pasture performance and business decision-making.

The 2.5 day event on the Charles Sturt University campus is designed for 150 producers and advisors who want higher-level knowledge on markets, genetics, nutrition, agribusiness and meat science plus networking opportunities.

It will also provide a mix of lectures and workshops with the aim for each presentation to have practical take-homes for producers to implement into their business.

Presenters will include:

• Joe Grose, 3D Genetics: ‘The Modern Australian Wagyu – reduced days on feed for the same product quality and kilograms of beef sold’
• Rozzie McKenna, Lambpro: ‘Lambpro – a 20 year overnight success’
• Wayne Pitchford, Uni of Adelaide:‘Genetics – what history can tell us about making decisions on farm (heifer development project)’
• Sally Martin, SheepMetriX: ‘How we improved compliance for IMF through data and selection and how you can too’
• Bill Malcolm, University of Melbourne: ‘Making Decisions in Ever-Changing Farming’
• Peta Bradley, MLA: ‘LAMPLAN analysis in ram selection’
• Peter McGilchrist:‘The future of MSA for lamb and beef: What producers need to know.’

The event will combine morning expert presentations with afternoon tours and hands-on workshops, including dedicated beef and lamb breakout streams that let producers dig deeper into species-specific topics.

Organisers said the focus is on real-world takeaways that producers can apply back on-farm, alongside the chance to build connections with leading researchers, advisors and fellow producers.

The program opens on Tuesday with a “setting the scene” session spanning international market opportunities, what creates value in domestic beef and lamb markets, and the development of quality grading in lamb.

Practical workshops and CSU sheep and cattle feedlot tours follow in the afternoon, plus a networking dinner.

Beef sessions include genetics and profit-focused strategy (including Wagyu and days-on-feed discussion), while lamb sessions cover genomics, LAMBPLAN and sheep genetics, followed by workshops on using ASBVs/EBVs to drive gains and explore methane reduction.

On Wednesday, the focus shifts to “the business” and “from ground to gut”, covering decision-making in volatile seasons, using artificial intelligence for an on-farm edge, and beef sustainability.

Pasture and soil sessions will cover include productive soils research, tropical pastures in southern systems, low-methane pasture findings, supplementation strategies for lambs and steers, and producer-led discussion on integrating crops and pastures. Afternoon workshop rotations include pasture management, practical AI skill-building, and risk management.

The final day, Thursday, focuses on “the carcase”, with sessions on lifting compliance for intermuscular fat through data and selection, the pay-off from correct preparation for livestock transport, and what producers need to know about the future of MSA. Workshops will also examine how new meat science technologies can support on-farm decisions, and why “healthy offal” matters for overall carcase outcomes, before lunch and close.

Morning tea, lunch and dinner are included. Click here for more information and to register for the school.