Built around the theme ‘Shaping Tomorrow: Innovation. Leadership. Action’, the event will bring producers, industry leaders, researchers, government and commercial partners together to discuss the people, products and pressures shaping the future of Australian beef.
Now in its third year, Cattle Connect will for the first time be hosted on a working agricultural university campus, giving delegates exclusive access to Charles Sturt University’s 2000-hectare commercial farming enterprise and agricultural research facilities — where teaching, research and commercial production operate side by side.
Confirmed speakers include international livestock genetics expert PJ Budler, who will challenge producers to rethink what makes a truly productive and profitable animal, and soil scientist Dr Susan Orgill, who will explore the relationship between soil health, pasture performance and livestock productivity.
The program also features keynote speaker Dan Kittredge, a nutrient-density researcher, exploring the emerging science behind the nutritional value of beef — a session Mr Evans said reflected the next stage in the industry’s product story.
“We’ve invested a lot into our eating quality, and now we’re looking at the next frontier,” Mr Evans said.
“Working from real market demand and responding to genuine consumer signals is critical to that work. That includes unlocking beef’s story in relation to nutrient density and getting ahead of the rest of the world."
Cattle Australia chief executive Will Evans said the event had been designed to deliver practical value for producers.
“The best industry events don’t just tell producers what’s happening, they show them how it is being applied on farm," Mr Evans said.
"Cattle Connect has been designed to help producers get more value from their time away from the farm. Delegates will have the opportunity to see technology operating in a real production environment, visit working agricultural enterprises and have direct conversations with the people driving innovation across the beef industry.
“It’s about taking ideas off the page and into practice.”
For program information and registrations, visit the official Cattle Connect website.
