THE North East Victorian beef industry has lost another stalwart after the death this week of John Yelland.
Mr Yelland, 78, died at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne on Wednesday after a fall in his Wangaratta home.
His death comes in the same week Londrigan beef industry advocate Bob Andrews lost a long battle to cancer and a month after the passing of much-respected North East stock agent Trevor Parker.
Mr Yelland was a pioneer of performance recording in Hereford breeds.
In October 1968, Mr Yelland helped establish the Australian Society of Performance Tested Beef Herds, the committee also included respected Mansfield breeder Don Lawson.
Two years later it became the Beef Improvement Association, bringing it line with the American Beef Improvement Federation.
This relationship has developed over many years and the BIA enjoys reciprocal membership of BIF.
The aims of the association encouraged innovation in every aspect of beef production in addition to the traditional focus on the role of genetic improvement.
The organisation now has branches in every state of Australia and has members in other countries including New Zealand.
“Originally there was a lot of opposition to performance recording – it was like teaching evolution in Tennessee,” Mr Lawson said on Friday.
“It is nearly 48 years since we were members of the organisation that began at Marcus Oldham College to start the performance movement.
“John was a man of great integrity and I am sorry that we didn’t see 50 years together.”
Tributes have flowed from around the world.
Mark Gardiner, from Gardiner Angus Ranch, Kansas, and considered among the best beef producers in the world said Mr Yelland was part of a dedicated group of people working hard “to make beef better”.
He was described as a courageous innovator who focused on herd improvement through stock knowledge.
“John was a man of great integrity and before his time with his innovative approaches to cattle breeding,” said Chris Davison of Morgiana Beef.
Colleagues from the Victorian Department of Agriculture also praised Mr Yelland’s tireless contribution to the industry.
“The industry owes much to the Yelland family and John in particular as an advocate of performance recording to improve performance, productivity and profitability,” former industry colleague Rob Stafford posted.
“He was tireless in his support against difficult headwinds from many other leading lights in the industry during the 70s and 80s.
“John played a significant part in the establishment of Breedplan and EBVs which have now become the standard selection tool across the beef industry.”