Seeds for SuccessKnowing Your Numbers: Data, Risk and Performance in the Feedlot with Hamish Pennington
What if better results in the feedlot start with knowing your numbers, controlling your risk and making decisions based on data?
In this episode, Local Land Services Livestock Extension Officer Chelsea Koch speaks with Hamish Pennington, who runs his family farming enterprise alongside Conqueror Milling in Cootamundra, about the practical decisions behind his sheep and cattle operation and feedlot. Hamish shares how the feedlot began as a way to test the performance of the pellets produced by the family business, why he prefers to lock in a margin before buying livestock, and how using data helps him track individual animal performance and make more informed decisions.
Hamish also discusses transitioning lambs onto pellets, the role of genetics and feed quality in achieving performance, and why he prefers a performance-based approach rather than simply trying to produce the cheapest feed. He explains how the family has used diversification, including an irrigation farm and feed mill, to help drought-proof the business, as well as the importance of keeping capital costs under control so the feedlot can be scaled back when the opportunity isn't there. He also shares his approach to risk, traceability and data, working with family, and why automation could be the next step in making feeding more efficient.
Resources and links:
Nominate a Mate:
If you'd like to nominate a mate (or yourself) as a potential future guest on the podcast, you can do so here: Nominate a Mate for 'Seeds for Success'.
Connect:
The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.
This show is produced in collaboration with SoundCartel. Visit soundcartel.com.au for more information.
