THERE is a new kid on the block in Victoria's beef feedlotting industry, with accreditation recently awarded to the Field family's Garvan Park Feedlot at Avoca.
But while the certification is fresh off the printers, feedlot owners John and Cheryl Field have had decades of experience in the beef industry.
John's ancestry in the area goes back to the 1850s and he is the fourth-generation to run the family farm, while Cheryl has cattle buying in her blood and her face is well-known around the markets the past 30-plus years.
The Fields also produce their own cattle, with 400-500 head of beef breeds on-farm, with a preference for Charolais.
Their own cattle breeding operation was the inspiration behind starting the feedlot, John said.
"It was during the drought," he said. "We were finding we couldn't finish off the cattle properly so we started small, feeding out our own."
The drought also brought on an investment in an irrigation bore, which is able to provide up to four megalitres a day for the property.
John said the water was used to irrigate 160ha of lucerne and provide water for their livestock.
"With this guaranteed water supply, we thought why not develop the business further? So eight years ago we decided to get serious and set-up a proper feedlot," he said.
In their first year of feeding cattle for others, they put about 500 cattle through the feedlot, which began with two pens, each able to hold 100-120 cattle.
They now feed out up to 8000 head a year, across 30 pens, with the help from manager Steven Carey, but have the capability to increase that number.
"We are licensed to hold up to 5000 units (1 unit = 300kg), but we are managing 3000 at the moment under the current infrastructure."
John hopes their recent accreditation will increase their client base, by guaranteeing cattle are finished under the highest standards.
* Full profile in this week's beef feedlotting feature in Stock & Land, June 21 edition.