Twenty-one Murdoch University students had the opportunity to see firsthand all aspects of the Wheatbelt and Great Southern’s agricultural industry, travelling 2000km across the region in just five days as part of the annual Livestock Industry Tour.

The region’s agriculture industry threw open their doors earlier this year (31 August – 4 September) to welcome students from Murdoch University’s Bachelor of Animal Science.

Students visited 17 enterprises in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern representing different stages of the livestock supply chain, including Merino sheep breeding and production operations, beef and dairy farms, a piggery, service providers, saleyards, and an abattoir.

Throughout the tour, students had the opportunity to engage directly with industry participants and ask questions.

The tour forms part of the Livestock Industry Career Readiness unit, undertaken by second and third year students in the Bachelor of Agricultural Science, and is designed to prepare students for careers in agriculture.

The unit includes workshops focused on professional skills such as networking and communication, while also providing students with a deeper understanding of livestock supply chains, career pathways, and opportunities to build industry connections.

Murdoch University Lecturer in Animal Science Lea Labeur said the tour is a highlight of the curriculum for students.

“The trip is an incredible experience for students to connect with people working in the industry and benefit from their considerable wisdom and knowledge,” she said.

“The students investigate specific trends and practices within the livestock industries and share their findings with their peers, drawing on insights gained during the tour.

“We are very grateful for the support of our industry funding bodies, AWI and AWET, our sponsors, AWN, Milne Feeds, Elders and Heiniger, and the many hosts who generously welcome us to their businesses.”

Murdoch University student Kira Perkins said: “The Industry Tour was such an insightful experience and one that I would recommend to all Agricultural Science students."

"Being a city girl, I haven’t had really any exposure to agricultural industries, aside from what I learn theory-wise, so going on the tour gave me the opportunity to see the industry from a perspective I never would have gotten from the classroom," she said.

"I was really able to see the complexity of the systems and all the aspects that farmers and farm managers have to balance on the day-to-day. It was such a valuable experience and one that really opened my eyes to all the different career opportunities within the industry.

"I will forever be grateful that I had the privilege to experience such a great opportunity”

Murdoch University student Ashlee Chapman said: “The industry tour was such a unique experience allowing us to get some amazing in person experience with an incredible range of farmers and their operations."

"Even as someone who grew up around livestock and farmers it was an incredible experience to see the wide range of operations out there and how they vary.

"The experience gained from having boots in the dirt rather than simply a classroom experience was such a valuable experience where you got to understand more than just the numbers and statistics. It showed a huge range of potential career paths and what is available out there.

"I’m incredibly grateful to have been selected for the tour and for the amazing staff and farms that make such a valuable experience possible.”

As part of the tour, students visited Moojepin Merinos in Katanning which was recently recognised as the Western Australian finalist of the Australian Agriculture Awards in the Westpac Innovation in Agriculture category, and KA Saleyards.