Backgrounding describes the process where livestock are fed and grown to prepare for a greater range of market opportunities and to add value through weight gain. In Western Australia, ‘backgrounding’ often refers to the process of transferring cattle from the northern pastoral regions to the southern regions to be grown out. The complimentary growing seasons of the northern and southern regions mean that cattle can be brought down for the mid-year break of the season when Feed on Offer (FOO) in the southern regions is high.
Advantages
Greater market opportunities.
Making use of feed during the winter season in the southern regions.
Better management of pastures.
Greater animal management.
Creating greater linkages between cattle producers in the pastoral, Kimberley, and southern regions.
Complimentary growing seasons means pasture usage is maximised.
Have the support of other backgrounders and the West Midlands Group to develop individual backgrounding operations.
Market opportunities
Live export – Vietnam, China, Indonesia.
Feedlots in Western Australia.
Abattoirs – meat packets going to domestic and overseas markets.
Creates a more flexible system that can match market demands.
Important points
Nutrition is key – the feed must meet the need.
Larger animals move through the system more efficiently.
Consumer focus is shifting towards ‘paddock to plate’ mentality where knowledge of the lifetime movements and treatment of the livestock before entering the abattoir are sought.
This project plans to collect data from cattle from birth onwards which supports this focus.
Project Overview
Building a higher value beef supply chain in WA by linking pastoral beef to high-value markets through new backgrounding systems.
Launching in early 2020, the BeefLinks Cattle Background Project aims to increase the gross value of the backgrounding sector. This will be done by collecting data on mobs of northern bred cattle that move through the supply chain and determine factors that increase or decrease productivity.
By working closely with pastoralists, property managers, feedlots, processors and end markets, the use of data-driven decision making will help to define and refine the backgrounding sector.
This project is working toward an integrated beef cattle supply chain between northern pastoralists and agricultural region farmers to increase the number of cattle suitable for processing and sale. It will establish a platform to connect northern and southern producers, lot feeders, and processors to ensure supply continuity for domestic and international markets.
The BeefLinks Cattle Background Project completed in January 2023.
Commencement date: March 2020 | Completion date: January 2023
Funding body(s): Meat Livestock Australia, University of Western Australia Project Lead Organisation: The West Midlands Group Collaborators: Gallagher
