A $45 million development application which will create 147 direct jobs in the district was unanimously approved by Hay Shire Council at its monthly meeting last week.

General Manager, David Webb said Council staff supported the application to intensify the cattle feedlot capacity at Ravensworth from 60,000 head to 100,000 standard cattle units (SCU), and recommended it be approved.

There will be no change to existing infrastructure (pen space) at the Ravensworth feedlot which currently employs 35 to 40 people.

Feedlot capacity has doubled in the last 12 months and when running to the full 100,000 CSU capacity, is expected to generate business turnover on a custom feeding only basis of around $222 million locally and nationally.

In addition, there will be an estimated $320 million worth of cattle on the property at any given time.

Speaking to Council at the meeting, Ravensworth principal, Ron Harris said since the original development application of 60,000 SCU was approved in the early to mid-1990s, the industry has changed significantly.

“To meet these changes and challenges we have applied to increase our feedlot licence capacity to 100,000 SCU,” Mr Harris said.

“To get the idea of how a big feedlot operates, it’s simply a large cow motel with a restaurant attached. “We currently have 36,000 head and cattle welfare and comfort are front and centre to our business.

“The big changes today have been in providing shade for the cattle, plus we have lateral irrigators that spray over the top of the pens to cool the cattle and stop the dust.

“We are the only feedlot in the world that has this. It’s our low humidity climate that allows us to do this, which is backed by science.”

Wagyu cattle have been introduced in the Ravensworth mix as long-term tenants, staying an average of 400 days.

Angus cattle stay in the feedlot for an average of 150 to 180 days, so the actual truck movement for 100,000 SCU are around the same as for the current licence of 60,000 SCU, which was worked on 100-day cattle.

“Since the original licence was granted in the 90s, trucks have become bigger and safer, as has our roads,” Mr Harris said.

“Only a few years ago, David Webb helped us with Edward River Council to get the Moulamein road sealed.”

“This makes Ravensworth a prime spot for a large beef feedlot to supply all the southern beef processing plants,” Mr Harris said.

“Four upgraded processing plants have opened in our southern region in the last 18 months and we have customers in our feedlot supplying all of these plants, plus the other original plants.

“In total we have cattle going to eight different processing plants, and some to Queensland.”

Mr Harris said the feedlot would employ 147 when fully developed.

He said these jobs are sustainable and generational and are in addition to extra development jobs on the property.

The 147 FTE direct jobs on Ravensworth are a subset of 667 jobs at a state and national level.

“We have been trying to employ people with brains in specialist jobs locally and in Australia, but have mostly been unsuccessful.

“We have now started employing people from overseas who have good qualifications and are prepared to come and live on our farm and in Hay as they can make a fresh start for themselves and a better life than in their own country.

“We can’t grow our business without good staff, so for us to grow we need to look after them.

“Currently between these young families there are six children going to school in Hay, with many more to come as our employment numbers grow, which is great for all of our community.”

This article appeared in The Riverine Grazier, 4 December 2024.