Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) has invested nearly $19 million of levies in new on-farm research projects over the past three years.
Launched in 2015, MLA’s regional consultation process gives grassfed beef and sheepmeat producers input into how their levies should be invested in research, development and adoption (RD&A). Developing a single shot contraceptive vaccine for female cattle and improving beef production through management of plant toxins are among the grassfed beef RD&A projects that are now under way.
Sheepmeat RD&A projects include investigating new approaches to increasing the weaning rate of the national sheep flock, with researchers testing the efficacy of a range of dietary additives fed to ewes during late pregnancy to improve lamb survival.
Producers are encouraged to get involved in the regional consultation process by contacting one of the 19 regional committees which can be found at https://www.mla.com.au/about-mla/rd-consultation/.
The RD&A priorities for 2018-19 are breeder productivity for sheep and cattle, nutrition, and animal health and welfare.
- Read more about MLA’s research projects in a new series of monthly reports, beginning on May 17.
