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COMMERCIALISATION OF PROGRAM 1 PRODUCTS


Project Leader

Graham Truscott

Sheep CRC Ltd

Latest Updates

The Mob-based Walk Over Weighing (MWOW) project has successfully completed testing of an improved in-paddock sheep race prototype. Up to 70% of all recorded individual sheep weights were found to be usable and the MWOW mob average was closely correlated with the yard weighed mob average. Nine units have been ordered for testing on-farm, with sites being selected in QLD, NSW, VIC, SA and WA. 
 
Precision Sheep Management (PSM) has delivered four Masterclass workshops over 2009/10 and a second webinar training series, which is available for viewing from the CRC website. More than 50 different people attended the second series; over 70% of survey respondees had already used PSM to some degree and 80% of attendees rated the webinars as meeting their needs “well” to “very well”. 
 
The Rural Institute for Skills Training (RIST) has commenced the development of an accredited training package for PSM that will be eligible for FarmReady reimbursement grants. This training package will be available from September 2010 and can be rolled out nationally through appropriate sub contracting of deliverers in each state. RIST are being supported by Mike Stephens and Associates, who have funding from Vic DPI to provide support for producers who have purchased RFID equipment using the Victorian government subsidy.

About the Project

This Project will deliver commercial ready products, including information and strategies, developed in Program 1- Transforming sheep and their management, to the Australian sheep industry. The project provides a clear transition between tasks associated with research and development and commercialisation activities. At the completion of the research and development phase of each of the projects in Program 1 all associated commercialisation costs and tasks will reside with this project. This project will implement, for each of the projects, their identified commercialisation plan. Appropriate commercial partners will be engaged as required.   In 2008/09 the focus will be on the commercialization of e-stud, e-sheep and the Lectin binding assay as well as overseeing completion of other parasite diagnostics. 

The initial products for commercialisation were developed in Project 1.1.1; Precision sheep management and selection. The marketing and adoption plan for the project was developed and initiated in 2007/08. Two aspects of precision sheep management have been selected for product development and delivery: 
  • e-stud – reducing the cost of data collection and improving data integrity for ram breeders and extracting benefits from more extensive pedigree recording using Pedigree MatchMaker. e-stud also incorporates the Ram Value Calculator to assist producers to value rams
  • e-sheep – portal and database to assist with the cleansing and sorting of customers raw data and providing reports generated through Pedigree MatchMaker and Walk-over weighing software
In addition the CRC will make available material and software suitable for Precision-fine-wool to interested service providers and farmers, however, this will occur with minimal support. 
  • Precision fine-wool – improved Merino management for wool production with the primary focus on within flock selection in fine-wool production systems. 
The integration of technical and software material for each package and delivery of these resources, with suitable training, to key service providers and their clients has begun. A commercial release of e-stud and e-sheep to 50 clients will be achieved by June 2009. Business development, extension, marketing and developing data and software access will be developed in parallel. 
 
During 2007-08 Project 1.1.1 delivered a quantitative analysis of the benefits resulting from improved data and selection accuracy for the seed stock producer and within flock selection for fine wool producers on the basis of fibre diameter, fleece weight and body weight – illustrating good returns to the producer in both industry sectors.
 
The adoption of the two products will result in better adapted sheep and improved management, based on decision tools and strategies that use information more effectively. This will deliver:

Seed stock industry value:
  • $140 per ram arising from improved selection accuracy. This is expressed as higher breeding values and comes from the benefit achieved by including pedigree together with shearing records, expressed as a dollar benefit per ram over its lifetime (4 matings);
  • $30 per ram over its lifetime due to reduction in errors from using electronic tags instead of the mis-identification based on visual tag recording.
Fine Wool Industry Value:
  • Annualised $38 million in additional industry profits based on a 15 year Net Present Value analysis (Calculation parameters- 26 per cent of producers, 32 per cent of sheep within the fine wool commercial sector adopting precision strategies).
  • This equates to $10,500 per adopting enterprise in additional annual profits to commercial fine wool merino producers. 

Contact Details:
Graham Truscott
Project Leader
Commercialisation of Program 1 Products
Tel: 02 6773 3597
Email - gtruscot@une.edu.au


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