By embracing science and technology to produce the highest-quality beef, New England’s Sundown Pastoral is at the cutting edge of the cattle industry.
Story By Don Fuchs
The soft morning sun is just peeking over the surrounding hills and the air is still crisp from last night’s low of 7 degrees Celsius. Cattle bellow and the smell of fresh dung and dew on grass is heavy in the air when lanky yard manager Justin Scott and his offsider Beau Ridgewell start their work at the Tank Yards on Sundown Valley Station.
They are processing young steers for transport to the Gunnee Feedlot at Delungra, west of Inverell, NSW. It is a routine job: inspecting the animals’ teeth to determine their age; injecting growth-hormone pellets into a large vein on their ears; fixing new ear tags and docking tails.
After a while the stockmen settle into a routine, processing the animals quickly and efficiently. A computer, housed in a white trailer, is playing a major role.
This story excerpt is from Issue #93
Outback Magazine: Feb/Mar 2014
