Brad Hine Webinar
Location
Online event access details will be provided by the event organiser
Hosted by
Australian Brafords Society Incorporated
About
For our next Braford webinar, we’re pleased to welcome Dr Brad Hine, a livestock researcher with a strong background in animal health, genetics, resilience and the ability of livestock to cope with environmental and production challenges.
Brad’s work with CSIRO has included research into immune competence, stress-coping ability and resilience in livestock, including research that has helped demonstrate the genetic component of an animal’s ability to cope with disease challenges. He has also contributed to research examining resilience in farm animals and the opportunities for improving resilience through breeding and management.
In “Can Your Cows Keep Working?”, Brad will take a closer look at what we actually mean when we talk about resilience in cattle, and why it matters when we’re trying to build productive, functional herds.
The discussion will look at how cattle respond to challenges such as heat, cold, wet and dry conditions, poor feed, disease and other environmental stresses, and whether some animals are naturally better equipped to cope than others.
Importantly, this won’t be about chasing another list of numbers or turning breeding decisions into a science experiment. It’s about understanding the traits that contribute to a cow’s ability to stay healthy, fertile and productive, recover from challenges and keep doing her job.
Brad will also explore what we know about the genetic component of resilience, what research is telling us, and how breeders can think about these concepts when selecting their replacement females and future genetics.
There is a lot of discussion around productivity, but perhaps the bigger question is: Can we breed cattle that don’t just perform when conditions are good, but keep working when they aren’t?
Join us as Dr Brad Hine explores what resilience really means and what it could mean for the future of the Braford cow.