Internship builds passion for beef research

Charles Sturt University (Charles Sturt) student Miss Rebecca Dean has long had a passion for the beef industry but the Graham Centre Angus Australia internship program has opened her eyes to the commercial relevance of genetics research.

Miss Dean is a Bachelor of Agricultural Science student and as part of the internship program she’s been involved in the Angus Sire Benchmarking Program (ASBP).

“I think the most valuable part of the internship has been the opportunity to be involved in this cutting edge research and really get involved in all the aspects of the data collection that Angus Australia undertake in order to be able to validate the use of Estimated Breeding Values (EBV’s),” said Miss Dean.

“Seeing the accuracy of results from all the data collected is really quite amazing, and can ensure confidence in genetic technology only through the high precision and accuracy of data collected.

“Earlier in my studies I was not at all interested in research, and this was largely due to my scepticism for its large scale validation and practical use within industry.

“But being involved in this internship has changed my perception of research. The Angus Sire Benchmarking Program is an example of a large, long running and exceptionally commercially relevant research.

“The really cool thing is that it’s leading to some pretty innovative uses for genetics such as the release of the ImmuneDEX EBV.”

Miss Dean is now looking to build on her interests in Angus genetics research and meat quality with an Honours research project.

“If there's one thing this program has certainly done its cement my passion for the industry that I love so much – beef.

“I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity and gained more than I could have imagined through the development of a strong network of new contacts.

“There are so many people involved in the program, from the technical officers at Angus Australia, to the company representatives of suppliers that provide products for the joining program, CSIRO, and of course the managers of the commercial beef herds.

“My closing comments would be that if you are at all passionate about the beef industry, and the validation of commercially relevant research you'd be crazy not to apply for this internship,” said Miss Dean.

The Graham Centre Angus Australia Internships aim to increase undergraduate students' interest in research through a range of focused activities related to cattle production.

Two $5,000 internships are awarded to Charles Sturt undergraduate students.

Apply by Wednesday 18 September.