Custom Feeding

What is Custom Feeding?

Barmount Feedlot offers a range of custom feeding options aimed to maximise the performance of your cattle. Custom feeding allows for a consistent and reliable product to meet market demand and specifications, irrespective of weather conditions and seasons. Custom feeding is a proven way to dramatically increase your return on investment and the performance of your cattle. Barmount Feedlot can fully manage your custom feeding requirements, ensuring a viable and hassle-free experience.

How It Works

Barmount Feedlot works with expert nutritionists at Nutrition Service Associates to formulate scientific feeding rations that incorporate maximum nutritional content for our cattle. These feeding rations are regularly monitored and tested to ensure both nutritional requirements and performance targets are being met. Our nutritionists ensure that the recipes for these rations are optimised to give your cattle the best possible growth.

An onsite steam flaking mill processes over 60 tonnes of raw grain every day which ensures peak feed conversion efficiency. This milled grain is then batched with high quality feeding ingredients including supplement, molasses, cottonseed, hay and silage according to the ration recipe. All feeding is calculated, batched and delivered using computerised software to ensure accurate and consistent feeding. International Rotomix feed trucks are used for well mixed and delivered rations.

Cattle are placed on an incremental ration plan that begins with Starter (day 1 to 6 on feed), Intermediate (day 7 to 12 on feed) and Finisher (day 13 onwards on feed). This ensures cattle have time to adjust to the feedlot environment and receive a gradual intake of feed.

The Process

On arrival, your cattle are weighed on the truck to get an average in-weight before being unloaded and processed. Your cattle will then be individually processed where each animal is scanned, identified with a feedlot tag, weighed and vaccinated which is all recorded in our feedlot management software. Cattle are then transferred on the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database as required. After processing, your cattle will be moved to an assigned feedlot pen where they will have access to clean drinking water, fresh feed, shade and be left to rest. All cattle are interacted with daily to check for any lameness or disease. Any sick or injured animals will be transferred to our designated hospital pen for appropriate assessment, treatment and ongoing monitoring.

Bunk calls are then completed at 6am each morning where each pen is checked and scored against a number of factors including the quality of the feed in the bunk, behaviour of the cattle, average daily intake for the last 7 days and the target intake for your cattle. This score is then used together with a mixture of other bunk reading protocols to allocate the total feed to be delivered to your cattle for the day. Bunks are regularly swept and cleaned to ensure only the highest quality feed is presented to your cattle. Feed delivery then commences at 7.30am each morning and is staged throughout the day. We aim to feed at a consistent time every day to ensure maximum routine and comfort for your cattle.

Once your cattle have completed the minimum number of days on feed, each animal will be weighed and drafted according to the applicable market specifications. Barmount Feedlot will prepare all of the necessary travel documentation and reconciled NLIS transfers to accompany the cattle.

Feedlot Facilities

Barmount Feedlot has been designed with state-of-the-art facilities to ensure the comfort and welfare of our team members and cattle. Some of our feedlot facilities include:

10,000 SCU feeding capacity with pens ranging in size from 130, 240 and 312 SCU. All pens include clean drinking water, shade structures, drainage and slip resistant feed bunks and water troughs. Pen floors, bunks and water troughs are cleaned regularly.
Dedicated hospital pen for any sick or injured cattle.
Covered processing facility with remote controlled gates, certified weighing scales and computerised drafting facilities.
Double deck loading ramp compatible with most truck sizes.
Onsite certified weighbridge for bulk truck weighing.
Extensive reporting facilities available including induction, processing, drafting, performance and exit reports plus many more.

Quality Assurance

To ensure you receive peak performance and maximum profitability from your cattle, Barmount Feedlot has strict quality assurance regimes in place. This includes:

Daily bunk calls to assess cattle feed intake
Daily pen riding where your cattle are interacted with and checked for any lameness or disease
Real time performance reporting to monitor cattle performance
Regular testing of commodities and batched feed to ensure adherence to strict quality specifications
Annual feedlot audit to ensure all policies, procedures and regulatory requirements are compliant