Vytelle answers beef's triple challenge

This is branded content for Vytelle.

Australian beef farmers are enjoying unprecedented success on the back of record beef prices and optimum seasonal conditions.

With success comes pressure to stay ahead of the game - to remain competitive yet sustainable.

Despite the current buoyancy in the red meat market, the Australian cattle industry faces the same challenges as those being experienced by agriculture across the world.

It's what world-leading precision livestock company Vytelle describes as "the triple challenge".

Vytelle combined Vytelle IVF and GrowSafe Systems in July 2020 with the aim of accelerating genetic advances in bovine technology.

Farmers are facing a growing demand for global protein. The upsurge is driven by consumers who are demanding meat and milk be produced sustainably. Therefore, farmers need to make it sustainable now; and farmers need to be profitable.

Farmers must improve productivity, produce more, while also improving efficiency by producing with less. Achieving both these outcomes is key to competitive and viable protein production.

Simply put, the industry needs to find ways to breed the right cattle faster. Cattle that meet overall breeding objectives, more feed efficient, produce less methane, return more profit, and have the data verification and validation behind it.

Vytelle has the answer - an integrated livestock technology platform to ensure the cattle producer's business and herd is always progressing.

Vytelle's integrated livestock technology platform allows farmers to make reliable data-driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of breeding decisions replicating the right genetics faster through the most modern hormone-free in vitro fertilization (IVF) process.

The platform integrates individual animal data collection and data analysis for decision support into tools designed to accelerate genetic progress, accomplishing generations of genetic gains in just a few years.

The phenotype data capture technology utilised on-farm is part of Vytelle SENSE which combines with Vytelle INSIGHT, its proprietary data analytics and reporting solution to support farmers with one of their key decisions for genetic progress, mating decision.

Vytelle's platforms and research have shown proven value in genetically selecting for feed efficient animals.

Genetic selection for feed efficiency will reduce feed intake by up to 12 per cent, reduce methane production by 30 per cent and improve profitability in the feedlot.(1)

Net feed intake (NFI) savings remain constant through an animal's lifetime without discernible effects on reproduction and efficient animals generate lower methane emissions. Benefits score highly in increased profit and reduced costs associated with feed resource savings without affecting size, growth, and performance traits.

Ideally, all these benefits can be implemented by using Vytelle's integrated technology platform to accelerate genetic progress-a permanent and compounding solution to the triple challenge facing the global agriculture industry.

Measuring and selecting for feed efficiency based on NFI can be part of the solution.

Testing bulls is an excellent starting point; identifying and making genetic selection decisions in heifers and replacement females will replicate efficiency across the entire herd and stack generationally.

Vytelle is helping farmers in more than 20 countries make informed mating decisions and accelerate their genetics.

The platform enables farmers to identify optimal genetic traits using precise calculations, including NFI and average daily gain (ADG).

Vytelle's integrated platform combines the ability to gather proven and reliable phenotypes which help farmers make predictable decisions based on analytics.

References:

1. (Agri-facts, 2006)