Conference preliminary program announced – WagyuEdge ’24

10 - 12 APRIL 2024 | CAIRNS AUSTRALIA

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 4Advances 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 7Market and Consumer Dynamics including guest speakers Doug McNichol, Maeve Webster and Angus Gidley-Baird and Session 8Future 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 - Terms & Conditions


It is a condition of use of this database that you accept these terms and conditions. 

It is important that you appreciate when accessing the Australian Wagyu Association Limited (AWA) database (which may be hosted on an external website) that the information contained on the AWA database, including but not limited to pedigree, DNA information, Wagyu Breeding Values (WBVs) and Index values (together called Database Information), is based on data supplied by AWA members and/or third parties. 

Whilst sincere effort is made to ensure the Database Information is accurate and complete, to the extent permitted by law, AWA, its officers and employees, shall not be responsible for its use or interpretation, and you use the Database Information at your own risk. Please be aware of the following limitations of the Database Information.  

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

  • WBVs are derived using genetic evaluation technology developed for the AWA, using the information contained within the AWA database. 
  • WBVs are estimates of genetic potential of individual animals and may not reflect the raw animal phenotype. 
  • WBVs can only be directly compared to other WBVs calculated in the same AWA genetic analysis. 

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

  • Animals whose registration identifiers start with PED are Pedigree Recorded Animals. What this means is that the details which AWA used to register the animal were obtained from a Recognised Wagyu Registry Organisation – in other words a Wagyu breed association based outside of Australia. AWA has not independently verified the information with respect to the animal or the details recorded about the animal. You should read AWA’s by-laws which set out details regarding the definition of a Pedigree Recorded Animal. 
  • 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 genetic issues or inaccuracies which were previously not detectable are now able to be detected by current testing technology (i.e. if the animal was tested again with current 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 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.   

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

  • As genetic testing results are provided by independent DNA testing laboratories at the request of AWA members, AWA relies solely on the accuracy of the reporting of genetic testing as completed by the laboratories. 
  • AWA uses GeneProb software to calculate the likelihood of pedigree animals being a carrier of genetic conditions.  This likelihood is an estimate based on the available genetic testing results. 

If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and/or implications of the data provided on this website or the WBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek expert advice.  Note there is substantial technical information and articles on the Wagyu website to assist our members. 

AWA’s liability for any loss or damage, consequential or otherwise, suffered or incurred by you or your related business, arising directly or indirectly from your use of Database Information, to the extent permitted by law, is limited to AWA providing you with a refund for the fees paid for the service (if any), or AWA re-performing the service, where possible, at the election of AWA.  

AWA administers this database in good faith to support AWA members and the industry. AWA does not represent or warrant that the animals recorded in this database, or animals breed from them, will achieve any particular genetic or phenotype performance.


THIS DISCLAIMER HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF 03/02/2026, PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE READ IT IN DETAIL