One of Australia’s most established and cutting-edge Angus industry genetics programs has been switched on to an ever expanding future as it further embraces technology and AI.
Team Te Mania, a coalition of more than 40 commercial Angus herds spread across SA, Victoria and NSW, met in Moama this week for its Navigating the Next Frontier: The New Breeding Intelligence annual workshop.
More than 65 Team Te Mania members and guests were introduced to everything from Halter virtual fencing technology, which looks set to reshape on farm management of livestock and pasture, to the just released forward contracts for cattle producers.
Te Mania Angus Brolga Farm manager Sam Reid says the impact of innovative technology, from AI to satellite driven herd management in paddocks with no fences is rapidly altering the way the industry goes about its business.
Sam says the workshop explored how the next level of genetic and commercial performance will be driven by the smarter integration of data, emerging technologies, and continuous improvement across the entire supply chain.
He says it reflects the shift from artificial intelligence as a tool, to breeding intelligence as a decision‑making advantage, where genetics, data, and people work together to deliver real‑world outcomes.
“Hearing from presenters such as Ripley Atkinson, the Australian meats, and livestock manager with StoneX, Merrick Studders, chief commercial officer, Australian Country Choice, Professor Rob Banks, the former director of the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, University of New England and Travis McKenzie, Halter’s business development executive and territory manager proved an eye-opening opportunity,” Sam adds.
But just as impressive, says Te Mania Angus Merrang Farm manager Edward Gubbins, was the Team Te Mania visit to Colligen Creek Station at Wakool, which is run by Team members Dennis, Judy and Locky Gleeson.
“Colligen Creek is an amazingly diverse and dynamic 8000ha mixed farming enterprise run in tandem with the neighbouring Werai Station,” Edward explains.
“The combined operation runs an intensive irrigated cropping program with eight commodities along with an on-farm feedlot with some great processing performance feedback,” he says.
“Between the stations they have nearly 1000 pure Te Mania Angus bloodline cows as well as 8000 composite ewes.”
Edward says from Colligen Creek the Team members visited Australian Food and Fibre’s Conargo Feedlot where they got to see cattle from three Team members on feed.
He says those cattle will be going to O’Connor Beef – the processing operation of the O’Connor family, which has been producing its own beef in Gippsland for generations.
Conargo is a 20,000-head facility operating since 2017 and is currently feeding around 15,000 cattle.
“Hearing from these exciting operations right along the production chain was valuable intelligence – just as it was good for Team Te Mania’s producer members to hear firsthand the challenges facing processors,” Edward says.
“The key lesson was the role genetics play in every step of that production chain and how vital they are to the outcome – the consumer,” he says.
“And as we continue to embrace technology and adapt our own systems to maximise its input there really is a new future for the industry.”
Story by Andrew Mole, Pictures by Emily McCormack
