SHEEP producers in the West Midlands Group (WMG) will be able to receive updated information on the WA processing and live export sectors at next week's WMG Sheep Day on Wednesday, October 14, at Badgingarra.
The day has been organised around answering the question, "what does the future look like for our sheep meat industry?"
WMG chief executive officer Nathan Craig said the group was expecting about 60 producers to attend but they were still waiting for people to RSVP.
Mr Craig said the morning session would hear from WAMMCO supply development manager Rob Davidson, Emanuel Exports export services manager John Edwards and Livestock Shipping Services livestock manager Harold Sealy - followed by a panel session where they could ask questions.
"The day is about connecting processors with producers," Mr Craig said.
"There are two main aims for the day - what producers need to know to be in the game in five years' time, such as what they need to be thinking about - and what do they need to know from the processor/exporter point of view.
"We think those are important because we are all in this together to supply the market with the best quality meat.
"They will be presenting about challenges to their businesses, their markets and issues they are dealing with.
"We want to get the information out there so producers understand the issues facing the whole supply chain."
Mr Craig said during the afternoon session they would be looking at tools - what's new to the market - and the skills and information needed to improve sheep meat and livestock management.
He said there was some interest in the group about managing confinement feeding and longer-term issues like brucellosis.
"This year has been a dry year and it's on everyone's minds," Mr Craig said.
"However, we are staying broader in our focus on the long-term vision, which will include summer nutrition, confinement feeding, managing the break in the season and feed to make sure we meet the needs of the livestock."
Some of the technology that will be presented will include demonstrations of Eye Muscle Area (EMA) and Intra-muscular Fat (IMF) scanning, as well as pregnancy scanning.
The WMG Sheep Day follows on from the Spring Bus Tour which was conducted in Dandaragan, and the Optimising Pasture Production Workshop held at Yathroo in September.
- More information go to wmgroup.org.au
