This year the theme of Red Meat Updates is preparing for, managing through and recovering from adverse conditions. The conference theme and program have been developed by the producer-led working group and it includes a great line up of local and interstate speakers, including many inspiring red meat producers. See below for a sneak peak of the program.
Richard Norton, Managing Director, MLA
Red Meat Updates 2016 is being opened by Meat & Livestock Australia’s Managing Director, Richard Norton. Richard will talk about what MLA is doing to support producers to build their skills in areas that drive business profitability, and to better manage risks and uncertainty, such as climate variability. He will also give a market overview, looking at key global markets and opportunities for the Tasmanian red meat industry.
Dale Grey, Seasonal Risk Agronomist, Agriculture Victoria
Have you checked out THE VERY FAST BREAK on YouTube? The presenter of The Very Fast Break, Dale Grey, is talking at Red Meat Updates about climate drivers that impact rainfall in Tasmania and discuss their current status and how that is likely to impact rainfall and temperature for the next six months. For all of you who check five weather websites on a half hourly basis, this session will be of interest to you.
George Shea, Red Meat Producer, Lyndall
A study has recently been conducted in Tasmania to obtain data on the extent of losses and to define risk factors for sudden death of lambs on lucerne. A survey was conducted on 10 midlands farms in April 2016 and the results are being presented at Red Meat Updates. Producer, George Shea from Hamilton, will discuss the survey findings and take home messages from this work.
John Francis, Holmes Sackett
What do the top 20% of sheep producers do differently? John will discuss how the most profitable livestock producers generate double the level of profitability of the average over the long term.
The future of pasture biomass measurement
How will the amount of feed in a paddock be measured in the future? By your smartphone? By satellite? How will you be able to use this information to optimise your grazing management and boost meat production? Researcher, Tony Butler, producer, Rob Tole, and consultant, John Francis, who are involved in an MLA funded project at Cressy trialing new realtime biomass estimation products will discuss this.
Virtual Farm Tour
How have three Tasmanian red meat producers managed seasonal conditions on their farms in the last year? What strategies, tactics and tools do they have in place to recognise and respond to these challenges? We hear from Chris Headlam from Woodbury, James Walch from Epping Forest and Matthew Lester from Lileah as we take a tour of their farms.
Click here to register online for Red Meat Updates 2016.
redmeatupdates.com 