Research Manager:
Dr Vivien Kite
Phone: 02 9929 4077
Fax: 02 9925 0627
Email: vivien.kite@rirdc.gov.au

Objective: To support increased sustainability and profitability in the chicken meat industry by focusing research and development on those areas that will enable the industry to become more efficient and globally competitive and that will assist in the development of good industry and product images.

Research Budget: $2,100,000

Some Key Performance Indicators
 

• Time taken to regain accepted standards of health and productivity following disease outbreaks.
• Technical efficiency (in terms of feed conversion ratio).
• Total cost reductions achieved by improvements in the component costs in key performance areas.
• Per capita consumption of chicken meat products.
• Compliance with Codes of Practice.

Background

The Australian chicken meat industry currently produces approximately 650,000 tonnes of chicken meat annually with a retail value in excess of $2.5 billion.

Production has increased dramatically over the past thirty years, to the point where chicken meat is now Australian consumers’ second most popular meat. Annual growth in production of approximately 4% has been experienced by the industry over the past few years and it is expected that production will continue to increase at similar rates over the coming two to three years.

Most production is consumed domestically.

The industry is dominated by a number of quite large, vertically integrated companies. Each of these companies invests significant funds into in-house R&D, particularly in the areas of product development, processing technologies, quality control procedures, distribution and packaging and market research.

Research into disease management has re-emerged as a high priority following recent outbreaks of a virulent Australian strain of Newcastle disease virus. Eradication of the virulent virus is essential if Australia is to maintain its current health status. A technical subcommittee has been formed by the RIRDC Chicken Meat and Egg Sub-Programs to expedite R&D funding decisions in relation to Newcastle disease.

Food safety issues relevant to chicken meat products will remain a major focus for the industry over this period.

Key sub-program strategies

Strategies for 2002–2003

 
• The potential of a new vaccine for fowl pox to be established.
• The final three strains to be incorporated in a new coccidiosis vaccine to become available.
• Two PhD graduates in the flock health area.
• Publication of a combined Chicken Meat and Egg Program research report for 2001–2002.
• New strategies for controlling necrotic enteritis to become available for evaluation.
• Improved strategies for improving the utilisation of dietary amino acids by meat chickens to become available.

Expected key outcomes in 2002–2003

This sub-program has its own Five Year Plan which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/chick5yr.htm

Sub-Program 3.1: Chicken Meat — new projects being funded in 2002–2003 include
 

Project No		Title	Researcher	Phone
CME02-06J		Use of cytokines to enhance vaccine efficacy in poultry	Dr. John Lowenthal	(03) 5227 5759
CME02-10J		Systematic pathotyping of Australian Marek's disease (MDV) isolates	Dr. Stephen Walkden-Brown	(02) 6773 5152
CME02-11J	*	Molecular techniques for monitoring Marek's viraemias in broilers and layers	Dr. Graham Burgess	(07) 4781 5472
CME02-16J	*	Rapid identification and pathotyping of virulent IBDV, NDV and AI isolates	Dr. Hans Heine	(03) 5227 5278
CME02-18	*	Digestible amino acids and improved broiler performance	Prof. Wayne Bryden	(07) 5460 1253
CME02-29	*	Tannins to control microbial pathogen colonisation of broiler chickens	A/Prof. John Brooker	(08) 8303 7638
EGG02-11J		The net energy values of the Australian feed ingredients for poultry	A/Prof. Mingan Choct	(02) 6773 5121
EGG02-16J	*	Evaluation of new millet varieties as a poultry feed ingredient	Mr. Danny Singh	(07) 3362 9479
EGG02-19J	*	Mechanical and enzymatic improvements of dehulled lupins for broiler and layer diets	Dr. Ian Williams	(08) 9380 3780

Note: An asterisk (*) indicates that the Corporation is still to finalise amendments to the project in terms of, for example, a lower budget or project design.

Achievements in 2001–2002

Research Manager:
Dr Irene Gorman
Phone: 02 9570 9222
Fax: 02 9570 9763
Email: irene@aeia.org

Objective: To support improved efficiency, sustainability, product quality, education and technology transfer in the Australian egg industry.

Research Budget: $2,000,000

Some Key Performance Indicators

• Research reports that identify the implications of policy reform and changes in the economic environment.
• Per capita egg consumption.
• Level of confidence of human nutrition advisers and consumers in eggs.
• Incidence of health-related problems.
• Feed cost per egg.
• Level of compliance of the industry with Codes of Practice.
• Acceptance of objective data on the environmental impact of the poultry industries.
• Knowledge base of industry personnel.

Background

The Australian egg industry comprises around 450 commercial producers, has an annual output of 215 million dozen eggs and a gross value of production of $340 million. Approximately 85 per cent of all eggs produced are sold in shell form, primarily through grocery chains. The balance is processed into liquid, frozen and dried egg products for use in the food service and processed food sectors.

The industry continues to undergo significant structural development due to deregulation in a number of States. In general, individual enterprises are becoming fewer in number and larger in size and there is a trend for increasing vertical integration along the production chain. Increasing globalisation of markets and freeing of world trade is pressuring the industry to improve its international competitiveness.

The industry is also becoming more sensitive to the requirements of their customers while consumers are becoming more demanding. This has led to the development of an increasingly diverse range of product lines. Public perceptions and opinions have also brought issues such as food safety, animal welfare and environmental impact into the forefront. Animal welfare concerns have led to increasing markets for eggs from alternative housing systems, although the market share is still small with free range eggs commanding an estimated 5.5 per cent of the market and barn laid eggs a further 2.5 per cent.

A recent review called by government into layer hen housing has resulted in a stronger emphasis on research into alternative egg production systems in Australia. An additional outcome of this review is the call from government for the industry to take a more active role in self-regulation of management quality standards. RIRDC is assisting the industry in answering this call by developing a national generic quality assurance program that addresses food safety, bird welfare, biosecurity and labelling.

Research into disease management has re-emerged as a high priority following recent outbreaks of a virulent Australian strain of Newcastle disease virus. Eradication of the virulent virus is essential if Australia is to maintain its current health status. A technical subcommittee has been formed by the RIRDC - Chicken Meat and Egg Sub-Programs to expedite R&D funding decisions in relation to Newcastle disease.

Key sub-program strategies

Strategies for 2002–2003

Expected key outputs in 2002–2003

Expected key outcomes in 2002–2003

This sub-program has its own Five Year Plan which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/egg5year.htm

Sub-Program 3.2: Eggs — new projects being funded in 2002–2003 include

Project No.		Title	Researcher	Phone
EGG02-01	*	Effects of consumer attitudes and behaviour on the egg industry	Prof. Grahame Coleman	(03) 9903 1524
MUL02-30		Optimal egg marketing under changing market structures	Prof. John Freebairn	(03) 8344 6414
EGG02-06	*	A Salmonella quantitative risk assessment model for the egg industry	Mr. Andrew Pointon	(08) 8207 7838
CME02-05J	*	The use of neem and other plant extracts to control external and internal parasites of pullets and layers	Dr. Errol Hassan	(07) 5460 1285
CME02-06J	*	Use of cytokines to enhance vaccine efficacy in poultry	Dr. John Lowenthal	(03) 5227 5759
CME02-10J		Systematic pathotyping of Australian Marek's disease (MDV) isolates	Dr. Stephen Walkden-Brown	(02) 6773 5152
CME02-11J	*	Molecular techniques for monitoring Marek's viraemias in broilers and layers	Dr. Graham Burgess	(07) 4781 5472
CME02-16J	*	Rapid identification and pathotyping of virulent IBDV, NDV and AI isolates	Dr. Hans Heine	(03) 5227 5278
EGG02-11J		The net energy values of the Australian feed ingredients for poultry	Dr. Mingan Choct	(02) 6773 5121
EGG02-13	*	Elimination of "fishy" taint in eggs from hens fed diets containing canola meal	Dr. Rider Perez-Maldonado	(07) 3824 3081
EGG02-14J		Reducing the use of animal by-product meals in layer diets	Dr. Wayne Bryden	(07) 5460 1253
EGG02-19J	*	Mechanical and enzymatic improvements of dehulled lupins for broiler and layer diets	Dr. Ian Williams	(08) 9380 3780
EGG02-22		Laser beak trimming	Dr. Phil Glatz	(08) 8303 7786
EGG02-23	*	Method for identifying the production system from egg characteristics	Dr. Phil Glatz	(08) 8303 7786
EGG02-26	*	Reducing disease spread and neighbour complaints by integrated fly control on egg farms	Dr. Phil Glatz	(08) 8303 7786
EGG02-27J		A national workshop on "Precision Poultry Farming" in Australia	Mr. Thomas Banhazi	(08) 8303 7781
EGG02-29J		High school poultry industry education with WPSA	Mr. Paul Kent	(07) 3824 3081

Note: An asterisk (*) indicates that the Corporation is still to finalise amendments to the project in terms of, for example, a lower budget or project design.

Achievements in 2001–2002

Research Manager:
Dr Jeff Davis
Phone: 02 6272 4152
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: jeff.davis@rirdc.gov.au

Objective: To improve the productivity and profitability of the Australian beekeeping industry.

Research Budget: $430,000

Some Key Performance Indicators
 

• Reduction in production losses caused by diseases.
• Maintenance of access to melliferous resources on public lands.
• Pollination information disseminated widely for both beekeepers and growers.
• Data on effect of collection, bulk handling, storage and processing on honey quality and purity available.
• Level of research uptake by industry.

Background

Australian honey has the reputation in the world market of being a premium quality product. It is produced over a large geographical area from a wide variety of flowering plants which, because of fluctuating rainfall patterns and the extended budding cycles of much of the honey producing flora, tend to flower spasmodically.

About 70–80 per cent of honey produced is from native flora, especially eucalypts growing on public, Crown leasehold and freehold land. The flora are diverse, growing as heathland and mallee eucalypts on coastal plains and in semi-arid regions of Australia, through medium rainfall to subalpine regions and rainforests of Tasmania, northern New South Wales and Queensland.

Australia produces about 31,000 tonnes of honey a year with an estimated gross value of production of about $49 million. Domestic consumption is approximately 15,000 tonnes a year and the remainder is exported in pre-bulk form, making Australia the world's fourth largest exporter of honey. It is estimated that the gross value of production, including queen and package bees, beeswax, pollen and pollination, was $65 million. In addition, the value of pollination to the Australian economy has been estimated at between $600 million and $1.2 billion per year.

Key sub-program strategies

 
• Increase profitability by improving hive husbandry and management practices.
• Continue honeybee access and research into melliferous resources on both public and freehold land.
• Develop agricultural and horticultural crop pollination and biological controls using honeybees.
• Improve methods of extracting, storing and transporting honey.
• Increase the use of honey in the food industry.
• Determine therapeutic values of specific floral species.
• Improve communications between the R&D sector, the honey industry and associated industries.

Strategies for 2002–2003

Expected key outputs in 2002–2003

Expected key outcomes in 2002–2003

This sub-program has its own Five Year Plan which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/honeybee.html

Achievements in 2001–2002

Research Manager:
Dr Jeff Davis
Phone: 6272 4152
Fax: 02 6272 5877
Email: jeff.davis@rirdc.gov.au

Objective: To improve the profitability and sustainability of the Australian rice industry.

Research Budget: $3,800,000

Some Key Performance Indicators

• Rate of release of new varieties.
• More uniform crop establishment.
• Use of rice growth model in grower decision support systems.
• Level of grower adoption of nutritional management strategies.
• Level of pest, weed, and disease levels in commercial rice crops.
• Rice water use performance.
• Adoption rate of new technology and changes in farmer practices.
• Degree of achievement of industry receival requirements.
• Customer satisfaction and stable long-term trading relationships.

Background

The Australian rice industry is primarily based in the Murrumbidgee and Murray valleys of southern New South Wales, where some 2500 family farms produce between 1 and 1.7 million tonnes of paddy a year. It is one of the most productive and efficient rice industries in the world, with yields averaging 9.2 tonnes per hectare. The industry has a farmgate gross value of production of around $300 million and earns more than $500 million in exports (mostly of value-added rice in small branded packs) to more than fifty destinations.

As well as the research projects outlined in this plan the RIRDC Rice R&D Program is also a major partner in the CRC for Sustainable Rice production, providing $0.5m per year for seven years. This CRC has an extensive research program which covers: sustainability of natural resources in rice-based cropping systems; sustainable production systems; genetic improvement for sustainable production; product and process development; and education, skills development and technology transfer. Details of progress with the CRC research are reported in detail elsewhere and are not specifically included in this plan. The RIRDC program has been adapted to complement and collaborate with the CRC program.

Key sub-program strategies

Strategies for 2002–2003

Expected key outputs in 2002–2003

Expected key outcomes in 2002–2003

This sub-program has its own Five Year Plan which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/ricr&d.html

Achievements in 2001–2002