Gerhard Oberholzer Reflects on a Lifetime of Agricultural Innovation and Leadership
Gerhard Oberholzer reflects on a lifetime of agricultural innovation and leadership.
From South African farm fields to helping shape Australia's feedlot industry, Gerhard's journey is one of passion and lasting impact.
For Austasia Animal Products' Chief Executive Officer, no two days are ever the same. One moment he's reviewing operations, the next he's working alongside the sales team to explore new markets or collaborating on product improvements that help producers achieve better performance.
"It's about empowering people to do their jobs well," Gerhard says. "We have a fantastic team and everyone has an important role to play."
His role spans everything from overseeing manufacturing and supply chains to ensuring Austasia continues delivering innovative nutritional solutions to Australian livestock producers. As the business continues to grow, so too does the focus on improving systems and efficiencies to keep pace with demand.
A Lifetime in Agriculture
Agriculture has always been part of Gerhard's story.
Growing up in a farming community in South Africa, he attended an agricultural high school before completing a degree in Agricultural Engineering. He then spent 16 years farming, running a mixed enterprise of around 400 breeding cows and 12,000 laying hens in a sunflower and corn-producing region.
Rather than simply producing grain, Gerhard saw an opportunity to create additional value.
"I fed my chickens with the corn we produced and developed my own egg branding and distribution business, supplying local stores," he recalls.
That entrepreneurial mindset continues to influence his approach today.
After moving to Australia more than 22 years ago, Gerhard managed a vegetable oil processing facility in Moree, where canola by-products were transformed into valuable animal feed ingredients before later leading operations at Riverina Stockfeeds in Warwick.
Those experiences provided the perfect foundation for his current role at Austasia. Years spent farming gave him a practical understanding of the challenges producers face every day, while his agricultural engineering background developed his problem-solving skills and appreciation for efficient production systems.
Products Built on Proven Science
One of the things Gerhard values most is the integrity behind Austasia's products.
"Our products have been trusted by the industry for more than 30 years," he says. "They're well researched, proven in the field and genuinely deliver value for producers."
Just as importantly, he enjoys being part of a workplace where people are valued.
"We have very low staff turnover because we genuinely appreciate everyone's contribution."
As Austasia continues to expand, one of Gerhard's biggest priorities is ensuring the business grows efficiently alongside its customers.
"The challenge is making sure our systems and processes keep pace with the rate we're growing," he explains. "We're continually looking at ways to improve productivity, streamline operations and better support our customers."
For Gerhard, continuous improvement isn't simply about manufacturing more products. It's about creating smarter solutions for Australian agriculture.
Driving the Future of Feedlot Performance
Gerhard believes nutrition will continue to play an increasingly important role in the future of Australian beef production.
"Austasia contributes directly to improving feed efficiency while helping reduce methane emissions," he says. "Those improvements benefit not only producers, but agriculture as a whole."
With sustainability and productivity becoming increasingly important across the livestock sector, Gerhard sees innovation as essential to ensuring Australian producers remain globally competitive.
Never Losing Sight of Where It All Begins
Away from work, Gerhard enjoys following sport, particularly cheering on the South African Springboks and spending time on the golf course. He and his wife also return to South Africa every two years to visit family, with favourite travel destinations including Zambia, Namibia and Botswana.
Despite travelling the world and working across multiple agricultural industries, one simple moment always reminds him why he chose this career.
"Sometimes I'll walk through the fresh produce section at the supermarket and think about where it all started," he says.
"Everything here began on a farm."
It's a reminder that every product on the shelf, every meal on the table and every innovation within the agricultural industry begins with the hard work of producers and with passionate people like Gerhard Oberholzer working behind the scenes to help them succeed.
