WA Livestock Research Council sets date for annual forum

Livestock enthusiasts from across the State will come together in Fremantle in August for the return of the WA Livestock Research Council’s annual forum. The Livestock Matters forum attracts a who’s who of industry players including farmers, technical staff, consultants and research scientists, with this year’s event to be held at The Esplanade on August 22. Registrations have yet to open, with the WALRC set to release a program of events in coming weeks. Last year’s forum included three farm visits at Binnu, West Binnu and Northampton, where local farmers shared their stories about recovering from cyclone Seroja. Binnu farmer Don Nairn showcased his confinement feeding system which was assisting with his sheep production using the Grain and Graze program. At West Binnu, there was a visit to Chilimony Farms, where cattle had been introduced and were grazing on Rhodes grass as an alternative to the land’s past cropping production. The third farm visit was at the Hasleby family’s Mulga Springs property in Northampton, where co-owners Jess and Rob Horstman showed off their catchment regeneration project. WALRC is a Meat and Livestock Australia initiative with support from the CSIRO, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Murdoch University and the University of WA.