Page 32 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2018

In a typical day the feedlot uses more than 200 tonnes of by Mt Hutt and the Pacific Ocean. It is the only commercial
feed including wheat, barley, maize and molasses. feedlot in the world located beside the sea, hence the main beef
The consumption of feed varies throughout the feedlot, but brand coming out of Five Star Beef is the Ocean Beef brand.
Michael says the average daily feed intake is 11 to 11.5 kg DM/ “Ocean Beef is our main brand of beef because of the
hd/day. All feed and water is tested for quality regularly. feedlot’s proximity to the sea,” Michael says.
Water is sourced from a 45m bore and Michael says water The unique positioning of the feedlot has an important role
quality is critical in the efficient running of a feedlot, and the bore to play in the success of the business.
is backed up by a generator and farm irrigation well. The sea breeze keeps cattle cool during summer months
“Water quality can affect feed intakes and our troughs are and the wind clears any dust. Even though it is modelled on
scrubbed weekly,” he says. Australian feedlots, Michael says there are no issues with heat,
Quality control also extends to all feed supplied to the humidity or dust like the Australians battle with.
business and the company aims to source as much of its feed He also credits the unique location with minimal animal health
and resources locally as possible. issues, with the majority of animals only being treated on arrival.
All grain trucks are weighed and samples taken for During winter straw beds are used, and this keeps the cattle
contamination testing on every load. The electronic monitoring warm and maintains live weight gain momentum through the
has reduced waste and also provides an indication to feedlot colder months. The straw is chopped up and layers added to
staff of how much the cattle are consuming on a daily basis. the bedding. It slowly breaks down and is cleaned out regularly.
There are about 22 truck and trailer units that come and The flow of cattle sees yearlings arrive at Five Star Beef in
go each day from Five Star Beef. Those trucks can be carrying October and November and acceptance of two-year-old cattle
straw, grain, cattle (about 750 head leave the feedlot each is reduced at this time.
week), or carting manure out. Most of the cattle are on a 120-day feeding regime, with
Michael says winter rainfall (on average 570mm) has an some longer and others shorter.
influence on feedlot waste, but between 120,000 to 130,000m3 Once an animal arrives at Five Star Beef it is fitted with a
is collected annually. The liquid effluent is spread on the Five feedlot tag that is cross-referenced to its NAIT tag. A new animal
Star Beef-owned farm, and about 35,000 tonnes of solid is weighed and treated with a pour-on and 5-in-1 vaccine.
manure (annually) is sold to local farmers. Michael says 88% of The cattle are tagged on arrival in a Silencer hydraulic
the nitrogen waste is in solid manure. squeeze crush that was imported from the United States.
In keeping with the ethos of being a local business, there are Michael says it is a superior crush and easily handles the 40,000
23 farmers who grow maize crops especially for Five Star Beef, animals that pass through it annually.
and the manure collected from the feedlot is offered back to the There is full traceability of the animal from when it enters the
contract maize growers. feedlot through to the consumer.
Being locally focused extends to the purchase of machinery, The yearling cattle fall into two weight categories, which
staff, and sourcing stock feed locally as well. determine the feeding programme they are placed in. The majority
There are 32 staff employed by Five Star Beef and the of cattle are fed in mid- to short-term programmes. Cattle arrive
feedlot is manned 24/7. This includes five stock people, who and are initially weighed as a mob to establish an average weight.
ride each pen daily by horse looking for any animal health issues They are then individually weighed soon after and tagged.
or injuries. If an animal is unwell it’s drafted off and moved to
one of the hospital pens for treatment and monitoring. LEFT TO RIGHT: This pen of Herefords, at the time of photographing,
were consuming 16kg of food each on a daily basis. The Pacific
The Five Star Beef feedlot sits in picturesque surroundings. Ocean can be seen in the background; Trucks deliver rationed feed
The platform was dug into the farm that it sits on and is flanked to pens to meet the requirements of specific markets.

30