Conference to showcase technology and innovation

AWSA-conference

The conference will conclude with the annual general meeting and a dinner at the Robe Golf Club featuring guest speaker Jackie Bateman.

The latest in on-farm technology and agricultural businesses thinking outside the square will be outlined to stud and commercial producers at the annual Australian White Suffolk Association conference next week.

The conference, to be held on February 10-13 at Robe Institute, Robe, South Australia, will draw 80 delegates from NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

The event will be open to commercial producers, industry stakeholders and the public who have registered to attend.

Sheep Producers Australia immediate past chairman Allan Piggott will open the morning session on February 11, followed by Victorian prime lamb consultant Nathan Scott, Achieve Ag Solutions, Inverleigh, and a presentation by Zoetis.

South Australian livestock industry consultants Penny Schulz and Dan Hayes, will outline apps, monitoring systems and surveillance cameras for sheep producers, while Scott de Bruin will give an insight to the award winning restaurant and live export business run by Millicent’s Mayura Station Wagyu.

Andrew Lawrie will take delegates outside the square during an on-farm visit to live lobster exporter and seafood outlet, Sky Seafoods, and multi-award winning coffee roasters, Mahalia Coffee, of Robe.

Guest speakers on the second day will give updates on processing technology in the lamb industry and there will be a LAMBPLAN update with Sheep Genetics senior development officer Peta Bradley.

Tim Leeming will speak on his family’s composite maternal seedstock business, Paradoo Prime, at Coojar, Victoria.

Paradoo uses the high performance terminal genes of White Suffolk, with production focused on muscle, moderate frame size, genetic fat and eating quality.

The conference will conclude with the annual general meeting and a dinner at the Robe Golf Club featuring guest speaker Jackie Bateman.

Australian White Suffolk Association president Anthony Hurst said the breed had cemented its position as the number one terminal sire in the country during 2018.

“If we look at show results, the breed has performed well, taking out many major championships while $43,000 was the top price for stud rams in 2018 achieved at the Adelaide Royal for the champion ram,’’ Mr Hurst said.

“Flock ram sale averages have been very good and achieving good clearances in southern areas but obviously the drought in northern areas took a toll on clearance rates across the whole industry.

“In the commercial sector, White Suffolk lambs topped the market, setting new national records, plus making high prices over the hooks – White Suffolks have certainly had a fantastic year as a breed.’’

Conference inquiries can be made to whitesuffolk@gmail.com