Conference preliminary program announced – WagyuEdge ’24

The annual International WagyuEdge Conference, hosted by the Australian Wagyu Association in Cairns, the ‘gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef,’ will begin from April 10 to 12, 2024.

Run over three days and nights, our speakers will cover important topics such as the challenges to a new age for Wagyu, the changing face of Northern Australian beef production, advances in rumen methane management and Wagyu and worldwide Wagyu, AgTech innovations driving Wagyu’s future, developing global demand and market and consumer dynamics.

Preliminary Program

Day one ~ Wednesday 10 April

Daytime sessions
AWA Member Information Session + Session 1 – Challenges to a New Age for Wagyu including guest speaker, Simon Quilty

Evening event
2024 Wagyu Branded Beef Competition Awards dinner

Day two ~ Thursday 11 April

Daytime sessions
Session 2 – Changing Face of the Northern Australian Beef Production including guest speakers Troy Setter and David Foote, Session 3 – World Wide Wagyu including guest speakers Dave Dreiling and Richard Saunders, Session 4 – Advances in Rumen Methane including guest speakers Dr Fran Cowley, Prof Richard Eckard and Bobby Miller and Session 5 – AgTech Innovations driving Wagyu’s Future

Evening event
2024 Elite Wagyu Sale and Cocktail event

Day three ~ Friday 12 April

Daytime sessions
Session 6 – Developing Global Demand, Session 7 – Market and Consumer Dynamics including guest speakers Doug McNichol, Maeve Webster and Angus Gidley-Baird and Session 8 – Future Breed Leaders including guest speakers Reid Smith and Jack Sher.

Evening event
2024 Wagyu Industry Dinner

Early bird discounts closing

Early bird tickets on sale now, closing 1 March.
There will be venue capacity limits for our events in Cairns. To avoid missing out, book your tickets now.

Accommodation

For a very limited time, WagyuEdge delegates can save on their accommodation costs by reserving a room at the corporate rate being offered at Crystalbrook Flynn (AU $225 per night, room only – normally $275) and Crystalbrook Bailey (AU $195 per night, room only – normally $266). Both are an easy walk from Cairns Convention Centre.

Alternatively, the Pullman Cairns International and Park Regis are also close to the conference venue. Find out more details on our conference page.

Important Notice and Disclaimer

It is very important that you appreciate when viewing the AWA database that the information contained on the AWA database, including but not limited to pedigree, DNA information, Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and Index values, is based on data supplied by members and/or third parties.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information reported through AWA, AWA officers and employees assume no responsibility for its content, use or interpretation. AWA disclaims all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you may incur as a result of the use by you of the data on this AWA database and the information supplied by ABRI and AGBU being inaccurate or incomplete in any way for any reason.

Regarding EBVs and Index values, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

EBVs are derived using Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN technology developed independently by the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU), using the information contained within the AWA database.
AGBU is a joint venture of NSW Department of Primary Industries and the University of New England, which receives funding for this purpose from Meat and Livestock Australia Limited.
AWA relies solely on advice provided by AGBU and ABRI in accepting Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN software.
EBVs published in Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN are estimates of genetic potential of individual animals and may not reflect the raw animal phenotype.
EBVs can only be directly compared to other EBVs calculated in the same monthly Wagyu Group BREEDPLAN analysis.

Regarding pedigree and DNA testing results submitted to the AWA, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

Pedigree and DNA data submitted and supplied to AWA may have errors in it which cannot be detected without further DNA testing.
Technology may have advanced since a particular test was undertaken so that previous inaccuracies which were not detectable are now able to be detected by current testing technology.
AWA estimates that less than 1% of the pedigree entries, ownership or breeding details in the AWA Herdbook may have errors or which may be misleading. For this reason, users ought to consider if they need to obtain independent testing of the relevant animal (if possible) to ensure that the data is accurate.

Regarding prefectural content, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

Prefectural content is based on the estimation of prefectural origin from Japanese breeding records of 201 foundation sires and 168 foundation dams. As genotype-based parent verification is not used in Japan, and full Japanese registration certificates are not available for all foundation animals, exact prefectural composition for these sires and dams cannot be validated.
The calculation of prefectural content for Australian Herdbook animals relies on the accuracy of pedigree records and DNA samples provided by AWA members.
The reporting of prefectural content for animals within the AWA Herdbook relies on the calculation provided by ABRI.

If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and extent of the data provided on this website or the EBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek independent expert advice.