What is an Olsson's Farm Seminar?

An Olsson's seminar is an information exchange. The seminars are conducted by respected professionals in the field of animal nutrition. These speakers are commissioned by Olsson's to give seminars on maximizing production and therefore profit through strategic supplementation by efficient use of pasture, improved fertility, better lambing/calving percentages, better wool/meat production, etc. Lecturer profiles are outlined below. If you have any particular issues or nutritional problems endemic in your area, these can be discussed (with appropriate notice) during the seminar.

How Long does the Seminar Go For?

A nutritional seminar can be planned to go for 2 hours or 6 hours depending on your requirements. You can select a morning, evening or a day-long seminar.

Select a Date and Time

When selecting a date for a seminar, keep in mind other events in your area. Pick a date that does not conflict with major events like big sale days, etc., and find a day in the week that is easy for you to organize.

Who To Invite

It is up to you to select a group of graziers who you think would be the most suitable, the most interested in attending and the most amenable to new ideas.

Other Information

Seminar Room: it is necessary that you have a space/room that is comfortable, quiet and darkish. There is a presentation of material that needs a darkened space, but it doesn't need to be pitch black. There will also need to be sufficient chairs as well as a table for the lecturer to place his computer/slide projector.

Refreshments: It would be appreciated if you could provide refreshments for those attending, eg: tea, coffee, cool drinks. If a day-long seminar is being requested, a lunch or BBQ would also be required.

Free Pallet of Blocks

To qualify for the free pallet of Olsson's blocks, you must have at least ten (10) graziers (from different properties) attending the seminar and a list of all those invited must be submitted prior to the seminar date. The pallet of blocks will be delivered to your local reseller of Olsson's blocks after the seminar.

NB: This seminar format is available only to graziers who are currently purchasing Olsson's products and who intend to hold the seminar on their property. This seminar format is not available to resellers of Olsson's products or other rural-based organizations.

Profiles on Olsson's Lecturers

Profile: Dr. Wayne Backhouse B.V.Sc., M.Rur.Sc., M.A.C.V.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.

Dr. Wayne Backhouse is a veterinary practitioner, who has owned and run his own veterinary practice from 1970 to 1992. His interest in large animal nutrition has led to the completion in 2000 of a study involving the feeding of multi-nutrient and its effects on reproductive rates in cattle in the Northern Territory. The experience gained from this work has been invaluable for the development of advanced systems for the use of supplements for cattle and sheep on dry pastures. This research has been carried out as part of that required for the attainment of a Masters of Rural Science in the field of large animal nutrition. The management implications of strategic pregnancy testing in year-round breeding herds used in this study will prove to be very beneficial to extensive grazing enterprise.

The culmination of an intense interest in horse medicine saw Wayne attain a membership to the Horse Medicine Chapter of The Australian Chapter of Veterinary Scientists (1994). Although, an earlier interest in performance horses and some early research in this area also led to an appointment as Veterinary Surgeon to the Australian Olympic Equestrian teams of 1980, 1984 and 1988.

For the past six years, Wayne has been conducting seminars along with his mentor and friend Emeritus-Professor Ron Leng, to farmer groups all over Australia and New Zealand on advanced feeding, management and marketing of ruminant. This has led to the acquisition of a tremendous amount of practical knowledge of farming conditions and the application of nutritional principles.

For his services to the Australian Army Reserve involving 15 years of research in malaria, Wayne was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration in 1999

Profile: Emeritus Professor Ronald A Leng AO B.Sc., Ph.D., D.Rur.Sc., FASAP

Dr. Ron Leng is presently Managing Director of Bionutric, a company that provides consultancies in ruminant nutrition both nationally and internationally. He is presently a consultant to Olsson's to specifically supply technology transfer to graziers.

Professor Leng is presently Professor Emeritus at the University of New England. After a career in research and teaching, Prof. Ron resigned from UNE to get more actively involved in application of what he sees as neglected knowledge in the livestock industries. Since his resignation from UNE, Prof. Leng has presented workshops on ruminant nutrition to more than 4000 farmers in all states of Australia. Prof. Leng has an undergraduate degree from Nottingham University but his training and research were conducted here in Australia and he has a Ph.D. and a higher doctorate from the University of New England.

The application of the fruits of his research to improving the productivity of cattle and course fibron forages has led to the award of the Order of Australia and a Fellowship of the Australian Society of Animal Production. He has been a Distinguished Visiting Professor in the United States of America and also Japan.

During his career he founded the Institute of Biotechnology at UNE and his is the author of six books and 300 papers in ruminant nutrition. He was adviser to the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States and provided an authoritative document on the reduction potential of feeding systems for ruminants on methane and global warming. He has also been consultant for 40 countries to develop improved dairy and beef systems.