Australian beef seedstock industry crucial to continued growth with genetics seen as the key to herd rebuilding

Australia is the second largest exporter of beef in the world according to figures from industry group Meat and livestock Australia (MLA) but the research and development organisation says extensive drought conditions have taken the country’s beef herd size to its lowest level since 1992 at 24.7 million head.

With exports making up 60 per cent of beef production, the industry’s aim is to build up the herd size again and is looking to the seedstock industry to help by supplying the best genetics for the future.

The worth of Australia’s seedstock sector is hard to calculate as it includes thousands of producers mostly part of registered breed societies but extends to consultants, technicians, veterinarians, genetic providers and genomic…