Feeder Steer School 2.0

Feeder Steer School 2.0

UNE, Northern Tablelands LLS and AgSTAR Projects are bringing back the highly successful Feeder School in 2025!

By University of New England

Date and time

February 10, 2025 · 5:30pm - February 13, 2025 · 3pm AEDT

Location

University of New England

Elm Avenue Armidale, NSW 2351 Australia

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 30 days before event
Eventbrite's fee is nonrefundable.

Agenda

DAY 1: Monday, 10 February 2025

5:30 PM

Welcome Dinner


Welcome Dinner with Dr Peter McGilchrist (UNE)

DAY 2: Tuesday, 11 February 2025

8:30 AM - 8:40 AM

Welcome and Official Opening


Professor Chris Moran - Vice Chancellor and CEO (UNE)

8:40 AM - 9:10 AM

Mechanisms for increasing demand for your cattle


Michael Crowley - Managing Director (MLA)

9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

The traits of suitable calf to breed and feed for retail


Sam Ditchfield - National Livestock Operations Manager Greenstock Australian Meat by Woolworths

9:40 AM - 10:10 AM

Grass fed or grain fed - What do consumers want?


Ethan Mooney - Feedlot Procurement Manager - Teys Australia

10:10 AM - 10:50 AM

Morning Tea

10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Local pasture data boosting beef productivity


Max Newsome - Livestock Officer (LLS)

11:10 AM - 11:30 AM

Matching productivity to market demands


Georgia Oaks - Sustainable Agriculture (LLS)

11:30 AM - 11:50 AM

Getting the most out of dual purpose cereal crops


Callen Thompson - Consulting Partner (AgSTAR Projects)

11:50 AM - 12:10 PM

Single v. mixed species forages - What do the numbers show?


Carol Harris - Research Agronomist (NSW DPIRD)

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM

Panel Session - Getting the mix right


Max, Georgia, Callen and Carol

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Workshop Rotation 1: Replacement heifer selection


Tahnee Manton - Senior Livestock Officer (LLS)

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Workshop Rotation 2: Matching steers to target markets


Brett Littler - Senior Livestock Officer (LLS)

4:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Workshop Rotation 3: Bull confirmation and objective selection


Erica Halliday, Ben Nevis, Jake Phillips - Angus Australia

6:30 PM

Dinner

DAY 3: Wednesday 12 February 2025

8:30 AM - 9:10 AM

The booming growth of lot feeding in Australia and making custom feeding work


Barb Madden - Immdediate Past President - ALFA, Director - Smithfield Cattle Co

9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

Cattle that perform for Rangers Valley - What does the data show?


Maddie Fryer - Rangers Valley Feedlot Data & Operations

9:40 AM - 10:10 AM

Preparation of cattle for feedlots


Dr Jemma Postle - Vet (Apiam Animal Health)

10:10 AM - 10:50 AM

Morning Tea

10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Preparing backgrounding animals for transport to feedlot


Sharon Dundon - Project Manager Animal Wellbeing (MLA)

11:10 AM - 11:30 AM

Advanced technologies in boosting genetic performance


Dr Alex Ball, Director DataGene Ltd Chair, Northern Tablelands LLS

11:30 AM - 11:50 AM

Defining a breeding objective, understanding EBV’s and percentile bands


Jake Phillips - Extension Manager (Angus Australia)

11:50 AM - 12:10 PM

Southern Multi Breed Project - Performance across six breeds and do they vary?


Dr Brad Walmsley - Research Scientist (NSW DPIRD)

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM

Panel Session - Selecting for success


Sharon, Kieran, Brad, Jake and Brad W

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Workshop Rotation 4: The psychology of cattle - Training calves for feedlot


Dr Kev Sullivan - Veterinary Surgeon & Physician (Production Animal Consultation Australia)

3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Workshop rotation 5: Developing a breeding objective


Jake Phillips - Extension Manager (Angus Australia)

4:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Workshop rotation 6: Vaccination programs for improved animal health


Gemma Postle - Apiam, Animal Health

6:30 PM

Dinner

DAY 4: Thursday `13 February 2025

8:30 AM - 9:10 AM

Matching feeder demands to markets - Feeding the JBS feedlot juggernaut


Michael Finucan - GM Feedlots & Marketing (JBS Northern)

9:10 AM - 9:40 AM

Crossing into Wagyus - Too late or the time is now?


Jeff House - Director (Jeff House Livestock)

9:40 AM - 10:10 AM

The sustainability landscape of beef production - what does the future hold?


Sonja Dominik - Prinicipal Research Scientist (CSIRO)

10:10 AM - 10:50 AM

Morning Tea

10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Immune competence in beef cattle - what it means for feedlots & genomic too


Dr Brad Walmsley - Research Scientist, NSW DPIRD

11:10 AM - 11:30 AM

Reducing methane with every mouthful of pasture - The journey ahead


Laughlan Stewart - Research Scientist (DLF Seeds)

11:30 AM - 11:50 AM

How much time in lairage is too much?


Emma Lynch - Lecturer, Ruminant Production

11:50 AM - 12:10 PM

Carcass value insights


Dave Packer - Program Manager Meat Standards Australia (MLA)

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM

Panel Session - The steaks are high


Alex, Laughlan, Emma, Peter & Dave

12:30 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Afternoon workshop option 1: Carcass bone out


Mick Finucan, Dave Packer, Aimee Bolton (Limited places - attendees to choose preferred afternoon workshop on registration)

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Afternoon workshop option 2: Tullimba Research Feedlot tour


Rachelle Hergenhan - Animal Science, Fran Cowley - Livestock Production, Sam Clark - Animal Genetics (UNE)

5:00 PM

Event Concludes

About this event

  • Event lasts 2 days 21 hours

The Feeder Steer School will be an immersive three-day conference featuring a blend of presentations by industry experts, researchers, feed lotters and feeder cattle producers, alongside practical hands-on workshops.

Please see the full program below or download here.


Key Event Features:

- Presentations by top experts in genetic selection, pasture improvement, animal health, and risk management.

- Hands-on learning activities including phenotypic cattle selection, data-driven decision-making and carcass value insights.

- Opportunities for networking through sponsor dinners, workshops, and panel discussions.

- Dedicated space for sponsor engagement with participants and industry leaders.

- A full agenda designed to provide value across the supply chain, from on-farm practices to feedlot management and market optimisation.

Tickets

  • Full Registration - $550 | Ticket price includes: Full 3 day program, 3 nights accommodation (single rms only and shared bathroom), 3 days breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Day Registration - $450 | Ticket price includes: Full 3 day program (excludes accommodation), 3 days lunches and dinners
  • Monday Welcome Dinner only - $60
  • Tuesday Program only - $200 | Ticket includes Tuesday program with lunch and dinner (excludes accommodation)
  • Wednesday Program only - $200| Ticket includes Wednesday program with lunch and dinner (excludes accommodation)
  • Thursday Program only - $200 | Ticket includes Thursday program with lunch (excludes accommodation)

Please note that Eventbrite fees are added in addition to ticket prices.

Please see detailed accomodation information on webpage.

Organized by

UNE hosts various events for academics, alumni, future and current students and the broader community.

From A$64.40