The ABP and Sainsbury’s Gamechanger beef supply chain has partnered with Cogent Breeding as a service provider to offer a “wider choice” of cattle genetics.
The Gamechanger programme currently includes over 500 farms, and is designed to offer “security and stability” to farmers across the supply chain with “guaranteed forward pricing” and easy management at every stage, from conception to finishing.
Director of agriculture, horticulture and fisheries at Sainsbury’s, Gavin Hodgson, said: “We are really pleased to have Cogent join us and our trusted partners to deliver our ambition of high quality, reduced carbon beef.
“We are committed to driving resilience at all levels of the supply chain, and to delivering a consistent product with a lower, more transparent hoof print that keeps quality British beef in our customers’ baskets.”
Previously, farmers involved with the Gamechanger programme had access to Angus genetics from one provider – with the addition of Cogent genetics, Sainsbury’s and ABP said they would “continue to address current and future challenges”.
The supply chain end product, which is retailed as part of the Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Aberdeen Angus beef range, will be bred from the dedicated Cogent sires, which Cogent said had undergone “extensive progeny testing”. It said the testing would enable Cogent to breed bulls with specific, repeatable traits tailored not only to the dairy system, but all aspects of an integrated supply chain, including ease of calving, gestation length, growth, performance and feed efficiency.
Stuart Boothman, managing director at Cogent, said: “We are extremely proud to be joining the Gamechanger scheme, and to be providing Cogent genetics, including our Ultraplus male sexed product, to Gamechanger producers.
“At Cogent we recognise the fundamental role the dairy beef crossbred plays within today’s industry. We are delighted to showcase the strength and consistency of our beef on dairy programme, extending our elite Aberdeen Angus offering to the Gamechanger supply chain.”
