The Cropping Enabled Cattle project is a co-investment between the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration (WAARC) and several partners that is strengthening research capabilities in the region.

The candidate will be part of the WAARC Postgraduate Cohort and supported through WAARC’s Postgraduate Research Scholarship Program.

The candidate will work closely with the research team to advance cattle finishing systems in northern WA.

One aspect of the PhD project will focus on finishing cattle in northern Western Australia in the Ord River Region using byproducts from the irrigated and cotton industries. Cattle will be reared in feedlot pens under different nutritional conditions with parameters such as growth, fatness and feed efficiency measured throughout the feedlot finishing process. Microwave technology will be used to assess fat depths in the live animals and post slaughter, with the aim of improving prediction of carcass composition and the ability to meet market specifications at turnoff. Within the processing plant, carcasses will be assessed for Meat Standards Australia measurements along with other carcass characteristics to assess the suitability of cattle finished in Northern feedlots to meet the domestic market specifications. Meat quality parameters of interest are intramuscular fat %, shear force, fatty acid profiles and glycogen.  In addition, the well-being of cattle within feedlots in hot (northern Australian) climates will be assessed. This will include temperament and pen-side measures aimed at monitoring cattle well-being, and understand the associations of these welfare measures with production and carcass characteristics.

This PhD project will also explore the potential advantages of using technologies for live objective carcass measures such as P8 and rib fat to optimise turn-off, maximise feed conversion, and improve compliance to commercial grids. Additional work exploring the robustness of carcass composition traits such as P8 and rib fat within the industry trading language will be explored, supporting a parallel project to modernise this language to enable accreditation and adoption of new technologies for objective carcass measurement.  

The candidate will gain professional development, real-world insights into regional Western Australia, extensive industry networks and practical experience.

The candidate will join a collaborative team of enthusiastic researchers and experts in the fields of animal production and meat science.  Upon completion of the PhD, the candidate will encompass transferable skills and collaborations making them ready for jobs in the agricultural industry such as in private enterprises, government positions, professional research and academic positions.