The Teys Australia hosted producer feedlot held at the company’s Jindalee Feedlot, near Stockinbingal, has become a ‘must do’ event for southern beef producers.
Welcoming the visitors, Teys Australia executive director livestock, Geoff Teys, impressed upon his audience his firms commitment to the Australian beef industry.
Mr Teys said the Wagga Wagga plant is now EU-accredited, and the company is moving towards increasing the processing of beef eligible for the European market.
“We are investing a lot of money upgrading the cold chain in our Wagga Wagga so we can improve the shelf live of chilled product going into Europe,” Mr Teys said.
Mr Teys introduced the many keynote speakers who will each address the audience with their industry specific knowledge.
“Today is about improving the communication, our feedback and getting stronger with sharing this information to help bring you along the journey,” he said.
“Producers success is instinctive to our purpose of feeding people and enriching lives.”
A highlight of the workshop was the unveiling of the latest technological development designed to lift returns to the producers.
The DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) technology has been developed during the past three years by Scott Automation and Robotics, Rydalmere in association with Meat and Livestock Australia, industry and research institutes.
It is an objective measurement tool which will measure meat, fat and bone in a beef side as it passes through a specially designed lead-lined section of the beef chain.
Mr Teys said Teys Australia are very excited about the potential of the technology to achieve certain standards within the beef industry: but, he pointed out, it is only the begining of a journey embracing value based marketing.
“We are only just starting with this technology but we have to start somewhere,” he said.
“We have got DEXA, and we are excited about it.”
However Mr Teys cautioned his audience there will be a long consultation as Teys Australia have no intention of paying people until all are comfortable with the integrity of the new process.
“It is a totally new concept of price mechanism and will enable us to move [the industry forward] into the new technology.”