For 28-year-old Owner and Director of Imperial Bovine Breeding Services, Billi Marshall, the long roads stretching from WA's coastal sandplains to red desert are a familiar sight.
Travelling an average distance of 10,000km/month, Billi provides breeding services for producers located across the Pilbara, right through the Gascoyne region, and deep into the mid-west.
Recently celebrating her business's third year of operation, Billi is offering her advice on entering the red meat industry as a young woman with a non-producer background, as well as her insights into reproductive decisions that will boost herd performance.
Stepping into the beef industry
By the time Billi hit her teens, she knew she was interested in dipping her toes into the agricultural industry.
"I started out by completing a couple of ag certificates through school to test the waters, but it wasn't long before I felt ready to completely dive in and gain some practical experience," she said.
Upon finishing school, Billi began spending her weekdays at ag college and her weekends working on nearby properties.
"I dedicated every spare minute I could to working with cattle, moving sheep, or lamb marking – I had really fallen in love with everything ag," Billi said.
"After finishing college, I actually ended up working in cropping for a few years and while it was a great experience, it ultimately confirmed that working with beef cattle was where my true passion lied."
In 2018, Billi was invited by the local cattle vet, Dr Matt Carrick from BOS Vet & Rural, to work alongside him as a technician in Dongara.
"Over the course of three years, Matt trained me in all aspects of cattle reproduction before offering for me to buy out half his business and go off on my own," Billi said.
"So, at 24-years-old, I put on my big girl pants, created Imperial Bovine Breeding Services, and I haven't had a day off or looked back since."
Planning ahead
Today, Billi's schedule includes all things reproduction from embryo transfers to vaccine programs, to artificial insemination – things she says deliver the most benefit when well planned.
"The first thing I tell my clients when they ask for advice on managing reproductive procedures is plan ahead," Billi said.
"It can be quite easy to fixate on one particular area of your production systems over others, but it's essential producers remember that they all have an important hand in the overall productivity and profitability of their enterprise – a three-year pasture plan won't see the full potential gains if it's not being grazed upon by cattle with good genetics."
In terms of managing your reproduction system, Billi recommends planning two years ahead to ensure that you have an adequate bull buying budget if needed and you don't miss out on booking the right people for routine procedures such as semen and pregnancy testing.
"Having semen testing completed, a well-established budget prepared and your breeding objectives revised ahead of bull sales is really important as it ensures you're heading to those yards knowing if you're going to buy, what you're looking for, how much you're prepared to invest – all part of that informed decision making."
Preparing to buy
Whether you're looking to buy the bull or the sperm, Billi says appraising the bull in person is a great first step towards ensuring that you're making the right reproduction decisions.
"Taking the time to have a look at the animal before the sale is a really important step in making reproductive decisions that I often see slip through the cracks," Billi said.
"While reviewing and analysing the data will tell you a lot, taking that opportunity to view the animal in person and assess their physicality and how they carry themselves will tell you that little bit more."
"Looking at them, you should be able to pick up on any abnormalities in the skeletal structure or signs within the animals' gait that would indicate it may have issues walking longer distances for food," she said.
"I highly recommend taking the time to chat to the seller as well."
"Find out their breeding objectives, what their market is, what key genetic features their herd possesses – this is the kind of information that will ensure you are making an informed decision when buying."
Sharing and asking
Even if you're not looking to buy any bulls this year, Billi says there are still benefits to attending your local bull sales and connecting with other producers.
"Beyond providing an opportunity to get off-farm and catch up with some people, your local bull sales are filled with people who are all working to do the same thing as you – produce quality Australian beef," Billi said.
"There's a lot that can be gained through connecting with people who are encountering all the same challenges as you, so don't be afraid to take the opportunity to ask other producers what they're doing, and in return, don't be afraid to be open when someone asks you."
Utilising education opportunities
"While us young people have a lot to gain from those who have been in the industry for years, I think the older generations would be surprised to know there's a few things they can gain from us as well," Billi said.
"The next generation are coming through alongside ever-evolving technologies, resources and strategies, creating solutions to improve the profitability and longevity of our industry, so I think it's important for producers to keep an open mind to learning something new from their young staff – especially if they are completing or have recently completed agricultural studies."
However, when it comes to boosting your industry knowledge, Billi says you can't go wrong with attending education programs.
"There are a plethora of workshops and forums you can attend that offer education on how to make the most of tools and resources available, provide market insights, discuss strategies on managing on-farm production systems, and provide information on current and completed research."
Billi has previously presented at one of MLA's BeefUp forums in Newman, WA, and says there was even opportunity for her to learn a few new things while there.
"It's never too late to learn something new or make changes to your production systems," Billi said.
"So, subscribe to mailing lists, follow businesses on social media and keep up to date with MLA's events calendar, and when the opportunity to attend an event comes, ensure that you and/or your staff attend."
