Good Genetics and why we do not use them!
Mr Adam Quinney (Livestock Farmer, Reins Farm, Redditch, Worcestershire)
If good genetics and recording improves livestock margins, then why is it that government, breed societies and AI companies all conspire to make it so difficult to use high level genetics to improve beef margins? This paper will explore how this could be improved so that the whole industry could benefit and all beef farmers could increase their incomes.
Meeting Current and Future Genetic Needs Through Partnership
Dr Mike Coffey (Geneticist, EGENES, SAC, Penicuik, Midlothian)
2006 saw the launch of new UK genetic evaluations for beef cattle that are the product of a partnership between Signet, BASCO and EGENES. This paper will provide an overview of this exciting new development, the new benefits users are already seeing, and the additional benefits they can expect to see in the future.
Interbeef - the story so far
Mr Eric Venot (Research Engineer, INRA-SGQA, Jouy en Josas, France)
Increasingly, breeders are seeking to compare domestic and foreign seed stock in order to enlarge their choice of breeding animals that best fit their own selection objectives. In collaboration with the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, the Institut de l'Elevage, the Scottish Agricultural College and the INTERBULL subcommittee of ICAR, a European research program is being conducted by INRA with the purpose of developing a European joint genetic evaluation that takes into account each country's farming specificities.
Beef Better Returns Programme - Opportunities for English Beef Farmers
Ms Netta de la Cour (Project Manager, EBLEX, Huntingdon)
The Defra-funded EBLEX Beef Better Returns Programme is a three year project focusing on knowledge transfer and training for English beef producers. EBLEX Beef BRP will focus on five delivery themes, Better Breeding, Better Fertility and Health, Better Feeding, Better Selection and Better Systems and Costings. English Beef producers are going to benefit from this energetic programme at a time of change.
Quality, Price & Delivery - Matching Production to Market
Mr Robert Neill, Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer of the Year (Upper Nisbet Farm, Jedburgh, Roxburghshire, Scotland)
On the 30 November 2006 Farmers Weekly will present their awards to Britain's best farmers. They have again discovered a truly remarkable beef farmer doing a great job in producing and marketing beef. The story of this enterprise is a motivating example to others in the industry. From small beginnings this expanding business has been carefully and thoughtfully grown into a well managed operation.
Genetic Solutions for Modern Beef Production
Mr Sam Boon (General Manager, Signet, Milton Keynes)
Beef systems are evolving to meet the challenges faced by industry and pedigree breeding goals will change as a result. This paper explains how Signet can help commercial producers to develop progressive breeding strategies, particularly in the selection of maternal attributes.
Welsh Beef Quality Improvement Project
Mr Prys Morgan (HCC, Industry Development Manager, Aberystwyth, Wales)
The aim is to train beef farmers in three areas crucial to modern production namely: Health Management, Breed Improvement through performance recording and Environmental Management. Completion of the training will make producers eligible for a subsidy on the purchase of bulls with premier genetics. The project is funded by EU Objective 1 and Welsh Assembly Government monies allowing the whole of Wales to be covered.
The Irish experience with VIA for beef
Dr Paul Allen (Principle Research Officer, Meat Technology Department, Teagasc, Dublin, Ireland)
In the EU beef carcasses are assessed for conformation and fatness by trained classifiers. This can lead to a lack of confidence by producers in the fairness and consistency of classification results. This was the main reason for interest in Ireland in mechanical grading systems. Three systems were assessed and in 2003 when the regulations were changed to allow mechanical grading Ireland was the first member state to attain authorisation. A system was then selected and 24 were installed in 2004.
On-Line Beef Quality Measures
Mr Kim Matthews (Meat Scientist, MLC, Milton Keynes)
Carcase and meat quality are important components of maintaining a market for British Beef. This paper will review current methods for assessing quality and describe developments that may lead to new tools for on-line measurement. This will include video image analysis for assessing classification and near-infrared spectroscopy for eating quality prediction.
Delivering Quality Beef
Mr Steve Turton M.Inst.M, MRSH (Company Director & Master Butcher, Turton Quality Foods, Newton Abbot, Devon)
To maintain a sustainable beef industry in the UK, farmers and breeders need to focus their production on producing for a specific market. The needs of individual sectors of the industry are diverse and what may be required by a supermarket may not be the same as that required by the butcher or caterer.
British Beef Exports - where are we now and what can we achieve?
Mr Peter Hardwick (International Manager, MLC, Milton Keynes)
The paper will look at how the EU markets for British Beef have been re-established. The EU market is highly competitive so you must have a good plan to develop the undoubted opportunities. The demand for beef in the future in the EU will also be considered. As this trade develops it will help increase the competition at home.
Recent Advances in DNA Technology for Beef & Dairy Cattle
Dr Stewart Bauck DVM, MS (Executive Director (Strategic Planning), Livestock Production Business Unit, IGENITY, Merial, Duluth, USA)
Scientific advances in the sequencing of the bovine genome has opened many new opportunities for commercial beef and dairy cattle producers to take advantage of this emerging technology. Using information from currently available tests, examples will be given of how breeding and management strategies can be employed to fully benefit from the science of genomics.
The Benefits of Lung Protection Therapy
Mr Andrew Montgomery B Vet Med, MRCVS (Livestock Veterinary Advisor, Schering-Plough Animal Health, Uxbridge)
Cattle suffering from clinical or subclinical pneumonia may acquire permanent lung damage, compromising their growth in the future. Lung Protection Therapy combines the use of an effective antibiotic with anti inflammatory therapy to treat the pneumonia and preserve lung function for future production.
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