Lifting Beef Industry Productivity through Genetic Improvement: Progress and Challenges in a Changing Climate

The world faces not only climate change but also the potentially greater threat of food shortage as the environment declines (Cribb 2008). This makes it critical that agricultural productivity lifts in the face of climate change. Beef, the largest agricultural export of New South Wales (NSW Department of Primary Industries 2009), faces particular challenges. Beef cattle are large emitters of greenhouse gas, increasing pressures on land use mean cows are likely to need to perform in less favoured environments, and it is expected this latter trend will markedly increase under climate change. Beef cattle breeding needs to respond to these challenges. Presented here is a brief summary of genetic improvements in productivity that are occurring in the industry, and of some key challenges that will need to be confronted.