Whether it’s at the feedlot, or across our breeding, backgrounding and processing operations, our goal is to ensure we have calm and healthy cattle. More than half of our team are dedicated to the care of our livestock.
We focus on the physical health and care of our cattle by continuously improving our practices, ensuring they thrive in an environment that minimises stress and maximises comfort. Our preconditioning program for Angus cattle is just one example of our approach to improving animal wellbeing.
Introduced in 2022, the program includes a 28-day transition period utilising 15 specially designed paddocks as a first step before cattle enter Kerwee Feedlot. Our cattle suppliers are located all across Australia, so for an easier transition into the Kerwee environment, we believe this first step is imperative to address multiple aspects of cattle health and wellbeing. Each preconditioning paddock is equipped with feeding bunks, allowing the cattle to become familiar their specific feed ration while still being able to graze on nutritious pastures. Over the 28 days, as cattle become more familiar with a feed bunk, they naturally choose to eat almost exclusively from the bunk, making their transition to the feedlot environment a low-stress experience. This gradual dietary shift is also crucial for maintaining Angus digestive health and assists in reducing their chances of serious health conditions down the track. The paddock environment is also conducive to establishing natural social hierarchies among the cattle with minimal stress, which, alongside our vaccination program, is essential for supporting strong immune systems.
In 2024, we made significant infrastructure investments to expand the program, including expanding the number of paddocks with feed bunks, building laneways for low-stress cattle movement, and improving road access to facilitate feeding.
The results of the program are evident. Our livestock team has observed noticeably lower stress levels in the cattle upon their arrival at the feedlot, along with improved health outcomes and feed intakes. Starting from a small baseline, we have also been able to reduce the number of cattle requiring medical support during their time with us by 40%. Since the program's inception, we have experienced better overall cattle performance, including improved weight gains and higher marbling, reinforcing our long-held belief that well-cared-for cattle produce extraordinary beef.
Our preconditioning program is just one of many practices we employ to ensure the highest level of care for our animals. This includes daily welfare checks, regular low-stress cattle handling training, state-of-the-art processing facilities, and our own certified natural program, which guarantees that we do not use hormone growth promotants, and that our cattle ration uses non-GMO ingredients and is free from antibiotics. The result is extraordinary beef from naturally raised and well-cared-for cattle and it’s something we are incredibly proud of.