Cogent Breeding has been announced as a new genetics partner of the ABP Gamechanger beef supply chain.
Gamechanger, an ABP and Sainsbury's integrated beef supply chain established in 2015, has partnered with Cogent as a service provider to offer access to a "wider choice" of genetics.
Cogent genetics are now available to Gamechanger producers, with its Ultraplus Male product available from late March. According to the group, the move will enable Sainsbury's and ABP to grow the programme and further drive "efficiencies and consistency" of Aberdeen Angus calves entering the Gamechanger supply chain.
The Gamechanger programme currently includes over 500 farms, with aspirations to grow "significantly". Sainsbury's and ABP said farmers can be "involved at different stages", whether calving, rearing or finishing. The programme 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.
Gavin Hodgson, director of agriculture, horticulture and fisheries at Sainsbury's, 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."
Greater producer choice
Until now, farmers producing calves for the Gamechanger integrated supply chain have had access to Angus genetics from a single genetics provider. With the addition of Cogent genetics, Sainsbury's and ABP said they could "continue to address current and future challenges", such as sustainability, efficiency and product quality across the supply chain, but with "greater choice for the producer".
Richard Phelps, group agriculture director at ABP, said: "We are focused on continuing to improve the Gamechanger programme, and are excited to be working with Cogent to offer our farmers a wider choice of genetics.
"This enables us to continue to provide the dairy farmers in our supply chain with a secure and profitable calf outlet to produce high quality, sustainable beef whilst maximising and delivering efficiency throughout."
The end product will be retailed as part of the Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Aberdeen Angus beef range, and will be bred from Cogent sires that have been bred with specific, repeatable traits intended to be tailored to all aspects of an integrated supply chain.
Cogent managing director Stuart Boothman 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."
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
