Integrity, tenacity and dedication to Wagyu in Australia

It is with great honour, that Geoffery Willett, Maydan Feedlot was bestowed the 2021 Hall of Fame recipient during the WagyuEdge 2021 annual conference.

Geoff’s integrity, tenacity and dedication to Wagyu in Australia has paved the way for many in the Wagyu sector to prosper and produce the worlds luxury beef.

In conversations about the early pioneering days of Australian Wagyu, a number of names would often be mentioned – the likes of Mr Shogo Takaeda, Wally Rea, the Hammonds, Simon Coates, Nick and Vicki Sher and David Blackmore and David Warmoll.

All of these visionary people have played their part in shaping the Australian Wagyu sector to what it is today.

The challenges faced by those early pioneers included stoic opposition to Wagyu as a new and misunderstood breed, finding markets for Wagyu beef and F1 live exports, understanding the genetics and how to feed them.

Recognising that nutrition was a vital component of successful Wagyu production necessitated research into Japanese feeding regimes and applying the knowledge in a local context.

One bright spark who saw the potential, and happened to be involved in the feedlot industry, stands out among the crowd, as someone who made a significant difference to underpinning the success of many of our early pioneers.

Former AWA president, Joe Grose said that Geoff was quick to pick up on the value that the Wagyu breed could bring to the Australian Beef Industry and was an early adopter in aligning his operation to provide specialised Wagyu Feeding programs.

Advocating for the quality of Wagyu beef, our 2021 Hall of Fame recipient championed the cause with Aus-Meat to extend the marble score rating to 7, 8 and 9 to accommodate the higher levels achieved in Wagyu.

According to John Hammond, the early days of the Certified Wagyu Corporation, a marketing company set up by Wagyu producers in the mid-1990s to fulfil the F1 live trade owes a lot of its success to the determination of our 2021 Hall of Fame recipient.

The reputation of the man and his business is a testament to his tenacity to overcome challenges and surround himself with people to advise him on the feedlot journey.

Starting from a humble 4 pens in 1984, his feedlot went on to represent the very best of Wagyu feeding programs, with many of those early pioneers staying with the program until its sale in 2017, where it housed at least 77 pens of premium Wagyu cattle.

Maydan Feedlot, and its owner, Geoffrey Willett is synonymous with premium Wagyu and according to Alan Hoey, who was there with Geoff as Maydan Feedlot Manager in the very beginning, it is the mistakes and the lessons learned by Geoff, that many feedlots today have benefited from, around the country.

Image: L-R Geoff Willett, Alan Hoey, Charlie Perry. Courtesy BeefCentral

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.