Ray White Rural's David Felsch and Liam Kirkwood in action at the Elite Wagyu Sale in 2023. This year the auction is being held in Cairns. Pic: Australian Wagyu Association
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WagyuEdge’24 is heading north, with about 600 of the breed’s enthusiasts from around the world to gather in Cairns next week.
Over three days, conference attendees will hear from leaders in the industry speak on a number of topics including:
Challenges to a new age for Wagyu. Tim Ault from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, livestock market analyst Simon Quilty and AACo’s Dave Harris, will focus on the changing trade environment for Australian agricultural products and global trends in protein markets, through the lens of the Wagyu industry.
The changing face of Australian beef production. Troy Setter from Consolidated Pastoral Company and Cattle Australia Director David Foote will discuss how Wagyu has made a name for itself in the northern Australian cattle industry and why the Wagyu sector needs industry-level representation as a strategic priority.
The annual event is hosted by the Australian Wagyu Association (AWA).
AWA's Marketing and Communications Manager Emily Rabone said the event would be focusing on innovations that will shape the industry’s future as well as the application of Wagyu genetics into vast Northern Australian herds.
“During the conference, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with industry experts, listen to captivating speakers, and exchange knowledge with Wagyu enthusiasts from around the globe,” she said.
“Prepare for a diverse range of headline events that will continue to advance the global Wagyu industry.”
It’s the first time a Wagyu conference has been held so far into northern Queensland.
The conference also features an auction each year.
“We are incredibly excited about this year’s sale,” Ms Rabone said. “The catalogue is one of the best we have put together and we thank all of our vendors for being so committed to progressing the industry forward by offering their elite genetics.”
The 2024 Elite Wagyu Sale will focus on rare genetics and animals representing the top 1% of Wagyu BREEDPLAN EBVs and the top 1% of Breed $Indexes.
Ray White Rural Dalby is the selling agent for the auction, which will be conducted on site in Cairns and interfaced with AuctionsPlus.
The AWA has catalogued 71 lots for sale in the 2024 Elite Wagyu Sale, representing some of the best genetics ever produced from Australian and international members.
