MAROON beef producer Glen Fearby says the addition of barley sprouts to the diet of his feedlot cattle is helping deliver on his twin objectives of increased weight gains and producing better beef.
Mr Fearby said the protein source was an ideal complement to the high energy grain based ration and roughage provided to the steers and heifers being fed on his 1940 hectare property Cossart, located south of Boonah.
"It certainly makes a difference in the quality of the carcases and ultimately in the eating quality of the beef," Mr Fearby said.
"I realise sprouts aren't for everyone, especially with the labour involved, but it works for me in this scale of operation.
"What I know is that feeding sprouts helps produce better beef.
"It's a real point of difference to say we are producing sprout fed beef."
The steers and heifers are fed for 70 to 80 days, with ad lib access to the Bremer Stockfeeds feedlot ration and roughage (usually straw hay), and 10-12kg of barley sprouts.
The feedlot is used to produce two bodies a week of 'sprout fed beef' under a long standing arrangement for Blackall Street Butchery in Ipswich.
The cattle are processed by Highchester Meats near Beaudesert.
Mr Fearby said barley seed was ideal for producing sprouts as it did not need pre-soaking to begin the germination process, and there was minimal risk of acidosis to the cattle.
"I like to get the sprouts to about six inches (150mm): four inches of flag and two inches of root," Mr Fearby said.
Cossart runs up to 220 breeding cow herd comprising of mainly Devon and South Devon genetics with a 'touch of Red Angus'.
However, the number of females was cut to just 160 head as a result of the ongoing drought.
Mr Fearby is also committed to providing pain relief to his cattle during all routine animal husbandry practices.
He has been using the local anaesthetic and antiseptic wound spray Tri-Solfen when castrating, dehorning and even on the ear marking process.
"I think it is really important that our industry demonstrates that it is serious about the welfare of our animals," Mr Fearby said.
He said the mostly automated barley sprout production system took up about two-and-half hours of his daily routine.
"I've always said that if something is worth doing, then it is worth the taking the extra effort," the Maroon beef producer said.
"Growing the sprouts does take time, and there is a bit of weight to move around when the sprouts are ready to feed.
"But I'm getting the results I want, and that's what matters to me."
Mr Fearby said he spent about an extra hour cleaning and scrubbing the sprouting trays each Monday.
"The management of the system is pretty well down pat," he said. "I just add a chlorine block to the water supply and scrub everything down with vinegar.
"That's proven to be the most effective way of keeping away any mould and stopping calcium from building up."
The sprouts are produced under grow-lights and ready to feed out after five-and-a-half days. They are fed out to the feedlot cattle in an old hay rack.
"The cattle just love them," Mr Fearby said.
