Realities of the New Beef Challenge
Mr Robert Forster (Chief Executive of the National Beef Association, Tod Law, Northumberland, England)
Coupled subsidy can no longer be used to make up the gap between market income and production cost. Beef farmers must use their new, much smaller Single Farm Payment to construct new businesses that can survive on profit alone by 2013. This means uncoupling their management thinking to reduce costs and raise output value.
Mating Beef Cows without Natural Service - A Triple Synchronisation System
Mr Colin Penny, BVM&S, CertCHP DBR, DipECBHM, MRCVs (Senior Lecturer/Director Large Animal Practice, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Scotland)
Mr Penny describes an alternative breeding strategy for beef cows using repeated oestrus synchronisation and artificial insemination (AI). Using repeat synchronisation and AI cows are served up to 3 times in a 46 day breeding period with minimal heat detection required. A calving rate of 90% can be achieved with 80% of the herd calving in one month.
Improving Conservation of Livestock Embryos
Dr Tom McEvoy (Senior Research Scientist, R&D Division, Sustainable Livestock Systems, SAC, Aberdeen, Scotland)
Lessons of recent years have highlighted the need to ensure that disease prevention and biosecurity are hallmarks of livestock production and reproduction in commercial agriculture. In this context, improved scientific know-how and technical progress in relation to biosecurity during embryo production, storage, trading and transfer (at home and abroad) are crucial.
Feeding Cattle for Profit - Matching Feeding Programmes to Livestock Type and Feedstuff Availability
Mr Alan Janzen (Owner/Manager, Circle Five Beef Inc, Henderson, Nebraska, USA)
It is important to remember that the natural function of a ruminant is to convert fibre into energy and protein, and to take advantage of this ability to optimise beef production. Cattle feeding in the U.S. is moving away from grain-based diets and towards the use of by-products from the expanding grain, food and fibre processing industries.
How Genomics will affect Practical Cattle Breeding
Mr Toine Roozen (Technology Translator, Genesis Faraday, Roslin, Scotland)
An international group of scientists is currently busy cracking the genetic code that describes the cow - the bovine genome. The genome gives us information on important genetic factors that control traits like meat and milk production and disease resistance. We review how the results of this work may be applied in the cattle industry.
The Logistics of the Hereford Global Genetic Evaluation Project
Mr Murray Scholtz (Associate Director, Agricultural Research Institute, University of New England)
Ten countries, five continents, a variety of target markets, lots of different breeding objectives... How to get a co-ordinated worldwide approach to the genetic progress of a beef cattle breed. See how the Hereford breed is tackling these issues, through their use of BREEDPLAN International.
Meeting Genetic Demand in South America - An Overview of Brazilian Genetic Improvement and Cross-breeding Programmes
Mr Vasco Beheregaray Neto (Beef Product Manager, ABS Pecplan, Uberaba, Brazil)
Brazil has the largest commercial cattle herd in the world (175 million head) and has been experiencing strong domestic demand for beef as well as increased beef exports. Positive economic returns plus improvements in genetics, management and pastures are all fuelling the expansion. To increase its export opportunities cross-breeding programmes using the genetics from higher quality beef European breeds will be needed.
AI in Brazil has grown by 55% in the last five years. Angus, Charolais, Polled Hereford, Simmental and Limousin are the most popular European breeds. This talk presents up-to-date information about the use of Bos taurus genetics in Brazilian cross-breeding programmes.
Good System, Good Cows - Good Business
Mr Wilbert Girvan (Farmer, Buckholme Farm, Galashiels, Scotland)
Mr Girvan outwinters Luing cows on a snacker feeding system using deferred hill grazing to good effect on his organic unit.
Check Against Delivery - Opportunities for Beef
Mr Kevin Roberts (Director General, Meat & Livestock Commission (MLC), Milton Keynes, England)
CAP reform and WTO talks are leading to a liberalised trade for beef which poses a threat to home production from imports - but also presents an opportunity for export. If we assume that GB can't compete on price alone we need to compete through taking advantage of our points of difference, namely better breeding, finishing, processing and marketing.
Health Planning: Forming a vet/farmer partnership to be profitable and keep healthy
Mr Jonathan Statham, MA VetMB MRCVS (Partner in Large Animal Practice, Bishopton Veterinary Group, Ripon, North Yorkshire, England)
Decoupling of subsidy will drive increased efficiency of production in the UK. Losses from disease will be difficult to tolerate. A modern vet/farmer partnership can reduce losses by careful health planning in two main respects: identifying and remedying poor performance and improving herd health status. A number of important infectious diseases including tuberculosis, Johne's disease, Leptospirosis, IBR and BVD are currently compromising the health of cattle in the UK.
Bovine Tuberculosis - Development of Control Strategy
Chris Kilner (Veterinary Advisor, Defra)
TB continues to be a problem in cattle country. Defra are reviewing their policy in this area and discuss the current situation.
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