Melbourne man to shape livestock’s future

Hailing from the suburbs, Arran has demonstrated determination well beyond his years after relocating himself to North Queensland in pursuit of his unlikely passion.

Now a fourth-year veterinary science student at James Cook University in Townsville, his enthusiasm rewarded him with a 2023-24 Horizon Scholarship provided by AgriFutures Australia.

Arran’s scholarship has been sponsored by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), affording him a number of industry placement opportunities including time with a travelling reproduction vet based out of Dubbo, experience with MLA trials at a feedlot in Toowoomba and an upcoming experience with a cattle vet in Esperance, Western Australia.

“I love reproduction vet work, working on sheep, goats and cattle with embryo transfer and AI,” said Arran. “Being a city kid and trying to get into the ag area, I always felt like a bit of an alien, but this experience has been such a turning point for me, it finally felt like this could actually be my future,” he said.

Arran’s transition from Melbourne to Townsville marked a profound shift in his perception of agriculture. Initially drawn to veterinary care for small animals, he soon recognised the critical significance of herd health and preventative medicine when it comes to the treatment of livestock.

“[The move] has really opened my eyes to how much investment goes into food production,” said Arran.

“As a vet I’ve discovered just how important it is to be working on herd health and preventative medicine rather than just treating sick animals.”

“I also had no idea how much our country relies on live export and meat export to China and Japan, so grasping the extent to which our integrity is tied to our income from protein production has really changed my perspective.”

Arran’s shifting perspective has redirected his gaze toward an autonomous horizon. Viewing labour shortages, access to international markets and the big one – climate change – as the most critical issues currently facing the industry, he believes an autonomous future would make Australian meat production more sustainable, resilient, and adaptable to the evolving demands of the global market.

“It all comes back to efficiency,” he says. “If you can run less animals and produce the same or more meat from them, then you’re reducing your net footprint and your reliance on human labour.”

“Vet science is heavily focussed on management, prevention and promoting optimal animal health, so I think it has a big role to play going forward.”

Meat and Livestock Australia’s Innovation Capability Program Manager, Josh Whelen, says that MLA place a great emphasis on building the capacity of their future leaders, and that Arran’s unique area of interest and resourceful attitude fit the bill perfectly.

“As a student initially outside the agricultural community, his deliberate choice to pursue veterinary studies is commendable,” said Josh. “His decision addresses a crucial gap in our sector, bringing much-needed veterinary expertise to northern Australia.”

Arran’s involvement in the scholarship program has connected him with industry peers all striving to enhance food production sustainability. This collective effort has left him highly optimistic about the industry’s future.

Applications for the 2025 Horizon Scholarship are open from Monday, 18 November 2024 until Sunday, 12 January 2025. 

Find out more about the AgriFutures Horizon Scholarship