Jill Burgess receives Herefords Australia Emerging Leaders Award

By Rowan Koebel

A passion for Hereford cattle, feedlot carcase research and encouraging the next generation to consider a career in agriculture has seen Jill Burgess awarded the Herefords Australia Emerging Leaders Award, along with a suite of other accolades.

Jill, 24, is in her second year of her PhD study at the University of Sydney which involves working in a Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) project studying the carcase composition of British, European and Bos Indicus steers during growth in feedlots.

Jill’s research and passion for the beef industry has gained her a great deal of well-deserved recognition.

She has been the recipient of the Feedlot Cattle Production Scholarship through the University of Sydney, the Christian Rowe Thornett Stipend Scholarship from the Sydney Institute of Agriculture, has been named the 2024 Hawkesbury Young Woman of the

Year and was selected to be a MLA Red Meat Industry Ambassador at the start of March this year, as well as earning the Herefords Australia Emerging Leaders Award.

While Jill grew up in Sydney her family have always had a cattle property, initially at Tenterfield but now at Retreat, north of Tamworth.

Jill would ideally like to start her own Hereford stud in the future and sees the temperament and consistency of Hereford cattle as well as the progress being made on carcase traits as some of the major drawcards.

When she’s not working on her PhD or helping out at the family farm, Jill also coaches the cattle show team at Pymble Ladies’ College and says it’s one of her favourite things to do.

When she initially started coaching the team five years ago there were only eight students involved, and now there are between 35 and 40 from year seven to 12.

The exposure to cattle and agriculture through the Pymble show team has led to students considering careers in agriculture when they may not have had a previous interest.

Many of Jill’s students have also participated in the Herefords Australia National Youth Expo which Jill says has been an invaluable experience.

“The students come back from the Youth Expo and I’ve never seen them so passionate and excited.

“The connections and friendships the students make at the Expo are another aspect that makes the experience so valuable.”

Jill further involves herself with teaching through her involvement with the Sydney Uni Inter Collegiate Meat Judging (ICMJ) team to compete in Wagga.

She encourages young people to consider a career in the beef industry, something which she is thrilled about.

As for her future plans, along with her own Hereford stud, Jill says she would like to end up in a career that is similar to her PhD research where she can work with cattle while still being involved in the science that will benefit the industry.

I have been blown away by our members’ successes this year. The Northern NSW Group held a fantastic event in January at Glen Innes and our members got to shine and showcase their cattle at Royal Canberra Show in February, Sydney Royal in April and many local shows.

A few Victorian members attended the Stud Beef Victoria Handlers Camp where they took home many awards. Well done to you all!

I attended the Intercollegiate Meat Judging competition in Rockhampton with my workplace and was pleased to see HAL sponsor the event. I learnt so much about the red meat industry and I encourage our members to support this event, whether it be with a university or workplace team.

We are now finalising plans for the Herefords Australia National Youth Expo in Parkes, NSW, on July 6-9. With a record number of entries, some great awards and prizes are up for grabs and a good education program, I believe this will be one of the best expos yet. If you are in the area, make sure to come to Parkes and see 141 young cattle enthusiasts in action including a New Zealand team.

Advertising spaces for the 2024 calendar will be opening shortly and it is a great promotional tool for studs and agribusinesses.

I would like to thank the National Youth Committee for their efforts, Nikki Martin for her tremendous work as coordinator and to HAL for their advice and support.

Alicia Trovatello President Herefords Australia Youth

2023 kicked off productively with the committee planning ahead for the year’s events.

It’s an exciting year starting with more than 140 competitors entered for the 2023 National Youth Expo in July. The committee is working tirelessly to make it one of the best we have had to date.

We are looking forward to seeing all our members new and old. Thank you to those who have supported the youth movement, allowing us to offer great scholarships and prizes not just at the Youth Expo but through the year. It is greatly appreciated.

The youth will be calling for nominations for the National Committee. Nominations this year will be opening at the Youth

Expo. I encourage all those who are eligible to lodge a nomination.

Please keep an eye out on our social media and e-news for the release of the calendar advertising spots. The photo competition will also be kicking off, so please make sure you get your photos in for the chance to have them feature in the 2024 calendar.

Exciting times to come with some new scholarships in the making – follow Herefords Australia Youth on social media to keep up-to-date on these.

Nikki Martin Youth Coordinator

Kate Reid is a self-described beef enthusiast – from breeding, genetics and meat quality to branded beef products – she has Hereford in her DNA and a passion for agriculture.

At the age of 28 she has experienced the full gamut of the Hereford breed from growing up on a stud in Queensland, owning her own stud cattle, moving through the ranks of Hereford Youth to serve at state committee level, taking on an ambassadorial role, being a recipient of a prestigious Hereford scholarship and serving on a technical committee with Herefords Australia Limited.

Kate now calls Inverell, in northern NSW, home and works as Livestock and Genetics Officer for the innovative seedstock operation, Palgrove.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Animal Science from the University of New England, completing her Honours on the potential of genomic selection in the Hereford breed.

As a Herefords Australia Youth alumni, Kate believes the program is the ideal

starting point for young people wanting a career in the livestock industry.

“The Herefords Australia youth programs and committees are such a great opportunity because you learn so many leadership, teamwork and networking skills, and it is a fun way to get involved in the industry,” she said.

“Being brought up in the stud world and being involved in the youth committees, and then studying animal science at university all contributed to my career in agriculture.

“Involvement with Hereford Youth is a great way to get to know the Herefords Australia staff and board members, and you take those networks with you as you progress through the industry.”

Kate served as treasurer, secretary and president of the Herefords Queensland Youth Association, was a Hereford Youth Ambassador in 2014 and received the CM Hocking Scholarship in 2016.

She advised any youth members aspiring to apply for a scholarship or ambassadorial role not to be shy of taking hold of the opportunity.

“Agriculture was my calling, I stuck with it, pushed through and had that gut feeling it was meant to be. Growing up in that environment you do learn to love it.”

Kate has watched the dramatic leaps made in genomics since she completed her Honours in 2016.

“At that stage we were just modelling and predicting what genomics could do and now we are utilising the technology for making selection decisions with wide adoption by the industry,” she said.

“With the likes of the sire benchmarking and verification programs based on genomics, it will make it easier for commercial producers to see the benefits, and there are opportunities for the commercial and stud sectors to work together to utilise that data.

“Wouldn’t it be fantastic in a few years if commercial bull buyers sent back all the genomics and feedlot data on their progeny?”

Kate took on a graduate program with corporate agricultural giant AACo, moving around the stations, feedlots and head office for two years, then progressing through the ranks to the inhouse Breeding and Genetics Advisor collecting data on the stud herds.

She then moved to an analyst role in finance and reporting for the stud program.

Kate took on a position of Livestock and Genetics Officer in November 2021 with Palgrove, based in Inverell, helping to oversee the sale of around 1000 bulls annually via stud and paddock sales.

“It is a varied role as I assist with the stud registries, administration, invoicing, analysis, reporting, livestock flows and budgeting. Sometimes I get to help with pregnancy testing, muscle scanning and semen testing in the yards,” she said.

“I’m heavily involved in the joinings with each cow mated individually to a bull through the AI program.”

Kate said there was a 50:50 gender split in the administration and station hands with plenty of opportunities for young women to progress their agricultural careers.

Despite her busy work schedule, Kate likes to remain involved in the stud, Talbalba, operated by her parents Steve and Debbie Reid, particularly at bull selection and sale time.

Kate sold her first bull in the 2022 Talbalba sale and is pleased to have open discussion around succession planning in the family business.

Steve has been a role model for his daughter serving as Herefords Australia Limited Chairman and director, while Kate had the privilege of being appointed to the HAL Research and Development Committee in 2022.

“That gave me a great insight into what is happening at board level and what goes on. I have set myself up in the way I have quite a good knowledge base allowing me to contribute to the likes of the board or committees later on,” she said.

“The breed has a strong leadership team and it is very exciting times for the Hereford industry.”