Roma beef producer address animal welfare and ethical food production

This was a key message during Roma beef producer Janet Reddan’s presentation at QCL’s Food Heroes event.  

Mrs Reddan with her husband Doug are part of a family business that includes cattle breeding, backgrounding and finishing of 4000 cattle through their Point Lookout feedlot.

“Every management decision from infrastructure design to everyday workings is based around making sure our cattle are being handled and maintained with the utmost care and consideration,” she said.

“We utilise health professionals such as veterinarians, nutritionists, advisers and industry representatives to provide us with advice and guidance on animal nutrition and health.

“If an animal is unwell or hurt, we will administer antibiotics and anti-inflammatory. 

“The market our cattle enters allows for administration of animal health products and this year we will introduce pain relief at branding.” 

Mrs Reddan candidly reflected on a cafe experience at Byron Bay last November, when she and her husband decided to grab a bite to eat.

“After much deliberation we choose one of the numerous quirky cafes,” she said.

“While waiting to be seated, I was eagerly watching the plates of food and making a quick judgement while my husband didn’t say a word and promptly walked out.

“I followed him and was firmly told that the cafe has a sign which read ‘humanely raised meat’.

“As a producer it frustrates us to read signs like these as every aspect of our business is based around animal welfare and raising our animals humanely.”

Mrs Reddan, who sits on the AgForce cattle committee, said she actively promotes animal welfare and endeavors to tell the story of industry best practice to all consumers.

“We value add all our animals by selling them as fats instead of being forced to sell them into a sometimes flooded store market,” she said.

“We use the feedlot to finish our cull cows, dry cows, cull heifers, bulls, steers, and trade cattle. 

“My husband Don is passionate about lot feeding and the benefits it brings to our business.

“It is intensive and you have to be committed to run it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

“We take out contracts on all our 100 day grainfed animals with the meat works, so we are certain of having a space in processing and knowing the profit in our margins. 

“Our accredited feedlot is subjected to yearly audits, standards, and regulations that we must adhere to, which enables us to get our premium beef price.”

She said as a family they are always looking at new markets and opportunities for their beef and eliminating the use of Hormone Growth Promotants.

“Last week we were offered a 40 cent a kilogram premium for HGP free cattle and this is needed to compensate for the lack of weight gain.”