Project overview
The ability for cattle to maintain their body composition is vital for reproductive efficiency and productivity, especially during times of drought. To produce a calf every year in a resource-restrictive environment, breeding cows must effectively manage energy resources between lactation, recommencement of reproduction and their own maintenance/growth. It is well established that cow body composition (i.e. height, weight, fatness, and muscularity) heavily impacts reproductive efficiency, as cows with greater energy reserves and lower energy expenditure can allocate more energy resources to reproduction. The body composition of cows is affected by the energy used to access feed (i.e. their grazing behaviour), the use of the landscape by cattle (feed selection), and the efficiency of feed conversion.
Montana’s PhD research focuses on understanding how genetics and grazing behaviour influence body composition in WA rangelands beef cattle, and subsequent effects on reproductive efficiency and steer performance (e.g. growth and meat quality). My project aims to support rangelands producers improve cattle body composition and reproductive efficiency in their herds while also understanding the reasons why current breeding/management tools may not have been adopted.
Expected outcomes
Montana is taking a phenotype-focused approach to improving reproductive efficiency in the WA rangelands through understanding factors affecting cattle body composition.
This project aims to:
- Understand the barriers to adoption of breeding and management tools (e.g. Estimated Breeding Values – EBVs) for WA rangelands producers through interviews with producers
- Conduct co-designed grazing behaviour trials in rangelands WA to:
- Understand differences in cattle grazing behaviours and heat stress assessed using GPS tracking and rumen temperature loggers, and any effects on body composition
- Understand any interactions between growth genetics and grazing behaviours on body composition
- Demonstrate the use of genomic benchmarking to understand their current herd genetic profile
- Demonstrate the benefits of using EBVs in selection through comparison of body composition and performance throughout the supply chain in cattle with high and low growth EBVs
- Demonstrate how producers can improve their decision making and management based on station data
Photos provided by Oscar Jones, Curtin University
This project is supported by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, The University of Western Australia, and the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration.
FAQs
Why SMART SPRAYS?
Smart sprays have the potential to reduce evaporation and redirect water for increased crop yield and profit.
Smart sprays components:
- Biodegrade in marine, soil, and compost environments into CO₂, water, and biomass.
- Do not degrade into microplastics in the environment.
- Reduce reliance on fossil fuels and have a decreased carbon footprint as no fossil fuel feedstock is used.
- Do not need to be retrieved from the field – they will biodegrade in situ.
The main component of SMART SPRAYS can be produced by microorganisms through the use of a wide variety of renewable feedstocks, like organic wastes, waste canola oil, brewers waste and glycerol, creating a circular economy.
What’s the different between plastics and bioplastics?
Plastics and bioplastics can be categorised based on their origin/feedstock (biobased vs. fossil fuel based) and their degradation properties (biodegradable vs. non-biodegradable).
Feedstocks
Fossil-based feedstocks: Derived from petroleum, natural gas, or coal.
Biobased feedstocks: Derived from plants, algae, or agricultural waste products.
Differences in degradation
Download the fact sheet to learn more about plastics and bioplastics.
What’s the different between compostable and biodegradable?
Biodegradable materials are those that can be fully broken down into natural substances, such as water and carbon dioxide, by naturally occurring microorganisms. In waste management, the term “biodegradable” is broadly used to describe materials that degrade either under composting conditions or in the natural environment. The key distinction is that compostable materials are designed to break down within a specific timeframe under controlled composting conditions, where factors like temperature, moisture, and microbial activity are optimised to accelerate decomposition and biomass formation.
Certified compostable
Compostable refers to a product’s ability to biodegrade into non-toxic, natural elements within a defined timeframe under specific composting conditions. Both fossil-based and bio-based bioplastics can be certified as compostable. However, compostability claims should only be made if the product has been certified to a recognised standard, such as Australian Standards AS 4736-2006 or AS 5810-2010.
Biobased bioplastic biodegradable
Smart sprays belong to this category.
Bioplastics made from bio-based feedstocks that fully break down into natural substances, either under composting conditions or in the natural environment. PHA bioplastics, in particular, are known to degrade effectively in both soil and marine environments.
Fossil-based bioplastic biodegradable
Fossil-based biodegradable plastics make up a relatively small category, which includes materials like PBAT and PCL. While PBAT is both biodegradable and compostable, improper disposal can still have environmental consequences, as its degradation requires specific conditions to occur efficiently.
Biobased bioplastic non-biodegradable
Bioplastics can be derived from bio-based feedstocks while remaining non-biodegradable. These materials are chemically identical to traditional fossil-based plastics.
Conventional plastics non-biodegradable
These materials do not biodegrade. In Australia, 2.9 million tonnes of plastic waste are discarded each year, with only 13% recycled, while the remaining 87% ends up in landfill.
Reference: State of Bioplastics in Australia, CSIRO, 2024 with permission.
Download the fact sheet to learn more about plastics and bioplastics.
News
- Article, Regional Nodes
The Hub recently invited representatives from its eight Regional Nodes for a celebratory meeting and networking dinner, marking five years of collaboration to strengthen drought and climate
- Article, Field Notes
- Article, Field Notes
- Article, Case Study, Regional Soil Coordinator
- Article, Regional Soil Coordinator
- Article, PropaGATE
The PropaGATE project team and its partners presented on an innovative wastewater treatment trial at the WA Beer and Brewing Conference on 3 July, highlighting
Resources
- Webinar
- Podcast
- Webinar
External resources
Collaborators
Project team
Montana Walsh Baddeley
University of Western Australia
Prof Dominique Blache
University of Western Australia
Dr Matthew Wolcott
Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit
Dr Fiona Dempster
University of Western Australia
Contact
Montana Walsh Baddeley
PhD candidate, University of Western Australia
montana.walshbaddeley@research.uwa.edu.au
0417 959 538
Prof Dominique Blache
Associate Professor, University of Western Australia
Dominique.blache@uwa.edu.au
Mary-Anne Glanzlowe
Extension Specialist and Knowledge Broker, South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
mary-anne.glanzlowe@gga.org.au
0400 191 378