Armidale Livestock Industries Centre

The department's Armidale Livestock Industries Centre (ALIC) is focused on improving productivity, profitability and sustainability of livestock industries, to deliver and achieve stronger primary industries in accordance with the NSW DPI Strategic Plan 2019-2023. It is the hub of our beef and sheep industry research and development (R&D).

Located on the University of New England (UNE) campus, ALIC has close links and collaborative programs with UNE, other universities, other state departments, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and industry organisations throughout NSW, Australia and internationally.

ALIC works closely with our other Research Stations located across the state (including at Glen Innes, Trangie, Dubbo, Cowra, Grafton, and Menangle) and with research providers and industry co-operators for the breeding, production and marketing of extensive livestock. Research outputs among others include the development of online decision tools such as BeefSpecs used to optimise output from feedlot and pasture-based cattle production systems.

ALIC’s co-location with UNE has benefited the long-running joint venture, the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU). AGBU was established in 1976 with a mission to conduct R&D into the application of genetic technologies in livestock industries. In the four decades since its inception, AGBU has underpinned R&D for BREEDPLAN, Sheep Genetics, PIGBLUP and TREEPLAN, whilst also playing a key role in the delivery of those systems. AGBU has been integral to the Beef and Sheep Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs), and to the implementation of advanced genomic technologies in the beef, sheep and forestry industries. The industry genetic evaluation systems developed by AGBU directly impact the majority of breeding operations in the four industries detailed above and therefore has a very large genetic footprint both nationally and internationally. The economic benefits arising from the use of AGBU outputs are estimated at over $2bn AUD since 2000, for an investment of approximately $50m AUD.

As part of a significant investment in world-class livestock R&D, we have formed another strong collaborative funding framework with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), CSIRO, UNE, University of Melbourne, and Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, known as the Livestock Productivity Partnership (LPP), which runs until 2022. ALIC is also key to delivering a number of flagship R&D projects that align with the National Livestock Genetics Consortium (NLGC) Strategic Plan.

Armidale is a multicultural city with a residential population of around 30,000 people. The original inhabitants of the region are the Anaiwan Aboriginal people. Education and Training is the largest employer, followed by Health Care and Social Assistance, with Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing ranked third. Livestock production is the largest regional industry.