Meat & Livestock Australia: Next generation heat load prediction models – Phase 1 – objective feedlot cattle measures – innovation challenge

Opportunity for

• Innovators, product developers, agritech companies, researchers, organisations (or partnerships of organisations) to undertake research to develop the next generation of heat load prediction models for the feedlot cattle industry.

Opportunity description

Industry challenge:

With global climate change it is predicted there will be an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events including drought, floods, and heat waves. The Australian feedlot industry is a world leader in managing cattle comfort amongst this climate uncertainty.

The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association has outlined a vision for all feedlots to be shaded by 2026. Furthermore, the industries quality assurance program (the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme), requires all feedlots to calculate and monitor the Heat Load Index (HLI) and Accumulated Heat Load Units (AHLU), conduct risk assessments of classes of cattle present at the feedlot, and if required implement an excessive heat load management plan. The HLI and the AHLU models were funded by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) from monitoring panting scores of commercial feedlot cattle across a range of sites in Australia and the United States and have been utilised by the Australian feedlot industry since 2008 to forecast and manage heat load. Whilst the models have served the industry well, recent MLA Projects B.FLT.0387 and B.FLT.4006 have identified opportunities for improvement in heat load prediction.

With advancement in objective sensor technologies and modelling techniques, development of next generation of extreme weather forecasting systems has been identified by MLA/ALFA as a key priority for MLA feedlot program R&D as part of a 5-year strategy.

Current opportunity:

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) is seeking expressions of interest from innovators, product developers, agritech companies, researchers, organisations (or partnerships of organizations) to undertake research to develop the next generation of heat load prediction models for the feedlot cattle industry.

To find out more details Terms of Reference of the Expression of Interest ‘Visit website’ and to speak to the team ‘Enquire now’.