In a boon for driving innovation and productivity in the feedlot sector, the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) and MLA have partnered to scope a five-year strategy to guide MLA investment in feedlot research and development.
Feedlot sector fast facts
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The MLA and ALFA feedlot program’s R&D Strategy – 5-year horizon, endorsed by the ALFA Council in May 2022, will focus on big opportunities that can advance the industry and provide a return on research funds.
The strategy’s purpose is to provide the best possible economic, social, animal welfare, and environmental benefits to the feedlot industry. It will engage with leading domestic and international companies, researchers and feedlots to deliver on targeted outcomes.
What R&D will the feedlot program focus on over the next five years?
A successful workshop held on 21–22 February in Brisbane confirmed key themes for the strategy.
Details on these themes and outputs, as well as some examples of key performance indicators (KPIs), include:
Labour: The attractiveness, skill base and engagement of the feedlot sector will be supported by continued investment in leadership development programs, online training and on-the ground workshops.
- Example KPI: Feedlot Career Development and Training (FCDT) strategy achieves target participation rates and improves staff skill base in industry through FCDT Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.
Automation: MLA will continue to engage world-leading technology partners to develop and commercialise key autonomous feeding, health diagnosis and extreme weather prediction systems.
- Example KPI: Health and Autonomous feeding system released to industry by July 2027 with positive return on investment to lot feeders.
Environmental sustainability: Greenhouse gas suppressing technologies, manure and effluent integrity and value adding, and environmental management of covered housing systems.
- Example KPI: Methane additives commercially released by July 2027 and break even or lead to positive return on investment for supply chain.
Preventative health and welfare: Continued investment will occur in welfare assessment frameworks, vaccine development, supply chain education and shade and shelter adoption.
- Example KPI: All National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) accredited feedlots have shade or shelter by 2027.
Feedlot productivity and compliance: Carcase endpoint prediction technologies for cattle sorting and value-based marketing, next generation performance enhancing technologies, and world-class transportation and lairage practices will support profitability of the grainfed beef supply chain.
- Example KPI: One next generation performance enhancing technology released by July 2027, with positive return on investment to lot feeders.
Unique communication and extension programs will be planned for each target output development cycle by collaboration of ALFA and MLA. This includes workshops, technical service officer visits to feedlots, conferences and publications. In August MLA will advertise a call to any interested feedlots who would like to partner with MLA on the R&D to be achieved as part of the strategy.
Get involved
Current opportunities exist for commercial feedlots to partner with MLA for research and development activities. Expressions of interest close on Friday 26 August. To express interest, click here.
