CUSTOMER STORY
Water supplementing key to consistent livestock specs
The Reddan family operates properties south of Roma and west of Surat in the Maranoa Region of Queensland. They run about 1,000 breeders and grow their own steers at feeder weights.
Phosphorus-deficient land and inefficiencies of traditional dry lick were making it difficult for the family to maintain the nutritional needs of their cattle. Looking for a way to improve supplementation results and get more value for their dollar, they decided to try a uDOSE™️ system.
STATION STATS
Herd size: 1000
Feeding: uPRO GREEN & ORANGE
Number of uDOSE™️ units: 3
Grazing conditions: Around 75% buffel grass and 25% native pastures, 520mm rainfall
Problems with dry lick
“The country out here is phosphorus deficient, so we were feeding dry lick,” says Jack Reddan, who manages the farm with his parents and his wife Bianca. “But we were struggling to feed enough lick to keep up with the cattle’s nutrition needs.”
Jack was aware that his operation was losing production efficiency “because some animals were eating too much lick, some too little, and some not at all”.
There was also the problem of timing. “We would usually only start supplementing when it started to dry out and we noticed deterioration in our cattle,” says Jack. “But by then, it’s too late and it takes a lot to get cattle back to the weight they were.”
On top of this, Jack was battling salt deficiency in his cattle. “We ended up having dry lick out that was 20-30 percent salt, which was costing us a lot more than it should have.”
On the lookout for a solution, Jack’s father heard about DIT AgTech’s water supplementation technology, and the family decided to give the uDOSE™️ systems a go.
Embracing water delivery technology
DIT AgTech’s uDOSE™️ systems automatically inject liquid supplements into livestock drinking water. In this way, the system eliminates many problems associated with dry lick, including inconsistent intake, inability to measure how much lick cattle are consuming, manual labour, and the wear on vehicles.
With a uDOSE™️ system, the supplement flow rate is consistent, safe and predetermined to suit livestock nutrition requirements and the operation’s productivity goals.
After a consultation, the DIT AgTech team installed three uDOSE™️ systems on Jack’s main property. “There was a massive dust storm that day, but we still got the systems up and running,” Jack recalls.
Photo: DIT AgTech’s Jondy McLean, Jack Reddan and young Clancy getting a uDOSE™️ system ready for install.
Visible improvements
“Since installing the uDOSE™️ systems, our calves, breeding time and weaners are better than what they used to be; they seem to have more bone structure,” says Jack. “You don’t get those five or six light cows in a mob that are doing it tough. Our cows consistently look the same, have a shine in their coat, and look healthy.”
Having DIT AgTech’s technology running automatically in the background has given Jack peace of mind that every animal in his herd is getting the optimum quantity of vital minerals.
Through his uDOSE™️ systems, Jack feeds DIT AgTech’s phosphorus-rich uPRO GREEN supplement most of the year, and switches to urea-based uPRO ORANGE in bad pasture conditions. He still feeds salt lick, although much more affordably.
A bright horizon
Jack is currently in the process of expanding his operation. “Bianca and I would like to grow our business and take on more.” The Reddan family have leased another property south of Roma and will be adding a uDOSE™️ system on that site too, to cater for the expanding herd.
“I couldn’t be happier with the results we’ve seen from the uDOSE™️ units we have on our farm,” says Jack. “If your cattle are healthier, they can put more into themselves and their calves and at the end of the day, that pays you more. It’s all about consistency; everyone wants to eat consistent products.”
DIT AgTech has been a game changer for the Reddan family’s operation. “The systems make supplementing extremely safe and effective,” says Jack, “and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the uDOSE™️ system to other farmers.”
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We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuous connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present.
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