MLA Updates an important occasion to speak with producers directly
23 March 2023
By Jason Strong, Managing Director, MLA
On the 30th of November in Toowoomba, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) had the pleasant opportunity to speak directly with producers at our annual MLA Updates showcase.
We had a plethora of technologies, offerings and solutions available for producers to view, try out and discuss with our MLA team on the day. I also had the opportunity to speak with producers on everything from cattle prices to market access to carbon accounting on-farm.
Agricultural technology was front and centre for the crowd at MLA Updates, with drones, robots, satellite maps and cutting-edge genetics all featuring in displays and presentations.
MLA was proud to announce the launch of two cutting edge technologies available for producers to adopt, being the electronic National Vendor Declaration (eNVD) Livestock Consignments app and the Australian Feedbase Monitor (AFM).
eNVD app
The eNVD app has been developed by MLA subsidiary, Integrity Systems Company, and is designed to increase adoption of digital consignments even when there is no mobile connectivity.
The app is a complete mobile solution which enables consignments to be transferred from producer to transporter, saleyard, feedlot and processor, even while offline.
The consignment data is transferred from one mobile device to another using a series of QR codes and then syncs with the eNVD database when the producer and receiver are back in service.
Until now, about 30% of all NVDs have been completed using the web-based eNVD system and further widespread adoption by red meat producers has been held back by connectivity issues in some parts of Australia.
This innovative new app means mobile coverage is no longer a barrier to use the eNVD. Digital consignments will save all supply chain users time, create efficiencies and prevent errors, which is why we’re excited to offer this new option to industry.
Our adoption team has been working with supply chains to understand individual business requirements, helping to set up supply chain capabilities for digital consignments and upskilling where needed.
Our adoption and promotion program will continue into 2023 and we will be progressing further updates to the app’s functionality as uptake progresses.
The eNVD Livestock Consignments app is available for free download through the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. A suite of 'how-to' resources is also available to assist users at eNVD app.
Australian Feedbase Monitor
The Australian Feedbase Monitor is a joint initiative between MLA and Cibo Labs. This world-first tool provides producers with satellite-derived objective estimates of leading pasture growth, biomass and ground cover for their property, and is free for MLA members who have linked their Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) accounts to their myMLA dashboard.
A survey undertaken by Cibo Labs showed that over 85% of producers surveyed made regular pasture assessments, with 40% undertaking a weekly assessment. However, three quarters of these assessments were carried out using subjective visual assessments.
The financial impact of inaccurate visual pasture assessments not only impacts sale returns, but often leads to increased supplementary feeding costs. Around 46% of survey respondents identified a need to provide additional supplementary feeds at least twice in the past five years.
The AFM will equip producers to make earlier and more informed grazing decisions to avoid forced stock reductions or unplanned supplementary feeding programs.
The tool’s satellite maps are updated every five days, showing the variability in pasture biomass for a producer’s entire farm at 1ha resolution. The frequency of the updates will help producers to understand where the feedbase may be declining or responding to weather events over time.
If producers want high resolution and more frequent information, or if they are not an MLA member with a linked LPA account, there is also a paid subscription service available via Cibo Labs.
