Gut health is the cornerstone to boosting the gains and condition of your cattle, which is why Cadelga Cattle Company Directors Jason and Maureen Johnstone have included the market’s most extensively researched direct-fed microbial probiotic, Beef Culture, in their feeding program.
Jason and Maureen opened the gates to the Cadelga Cattle Company feedlot in the heart of the Darling Downs in 2018. Running about 5000 head of cattle, they feed a combination of British breeds for the domestic market and Black Angus on a longer-fed program for the export market.
Beginning their feeding operation, Jason and Maureen met with Austasia Animal Products where they were introduced to AAP’s signature specific organic trace mineral additives and premium probiotic products.
“At the time of opening Cadelga Cattle Company, Australia was in the groups of an intense drought,” Maureen said.
“The 2018 drought affected the majority of the Eastern Coast, with little rainfall making its way to the mainland which impacted the pasture quality for local farms. We had noticed the decline in the pasture quality had affected the condition of incoming cattle.
"Because the quality of pasture wasn't providing enough sustenance for the cattle coming in, we our own research for a product to help improve the gut health of our cattle which led us to Beef Culture."
Maureen Johnstone, Cadelga Cattle Company
“AAP had the research and the data supporting positive benefits Beef Culture presents.”
Beef Culture is a direct-fed microbial that consists of Christian Hansen’s patented combination of Lactobacillus animallis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii, which is prepared at AAP’s state-of-the-art facility in Forbes, NSW.
This combination of lactic acid-producing and utilising bacteria enables changes to the gastrointestinal microflora, inhibiting the growth of gram-negative pathogens such as Salmonella, E coli., and Clostridia.
AAP National Business Manager Paul Lloyd said by inhibiting the growth of gram-negative pathogens in cattle, Beef Culture encourages the lengthening of intestinal villi which leads to an increased capacity for nutrient absorption.
“Improving the digestive system in feedlot cattle at the start of a feeding program sets up the foundation to better utilise their feed to improve their health performance,” he said.
“Enhancing the intestinal health of feeding cattle can remove the roadblocks to set your cattle up for success.”
After introducing Beef Culture into their feeding program, Jason and Maureen started to see positive changes in their cattle after about two weeks.
“The cattle that we introduced Beef Culture to were producing manure that was of a healthy consistency,” Maureen said.
“Working with AAP, they’ve taken the time to get to know not only our operation but also Jason and I with their excellent personable service. I recommend Austasia Animal Products, ZinMet, and Beef Culture to any lot feeders looking to enhance the performance of their operation.”
Learn more about the market’s most extensively researched probiotic additive, Beef Culture, and its benefits for beef cattle.
It’s been a busy year for our team travelling overseas and throughout the country, visiting customers, attending industry events, team members retiring and more.
Here is a summary of Austasia Animal Products 2023.
AAP Tours the USA
The start of this year saw Chris and Paul travel to North America to learn the latest news from our parent company Global Animal Products and the USA feedlot industry.
Chris and Paul attended the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans where they learnt about American feedlots and supporting industries.
After the conference, they travelled to Amarillo, Texas where they visited the Global Animal Product plant, gaining an insight into how their Texan counterparts operate and their plans for 2023.
The tour provided them with useful insights into American beef market developments, consumer trends, and emerging data on our products.
Fourth Annual Feeding Lambs for Profit Field Day
Our team made their way to Cowra to attend the Fourth Annual Feeding Lambs for Profit Field Day at the start of March.
The team had a great time catching up with customers and industry colleagues. With producers from all over Australia attending, there were several fantastic presentations from industry leaders such as Dr Stephen Bonner, Andrew Jackson from Thomas Food Industries, Dr Col Scrivener and more.
It was a great opportunity for our team to learn more about Australia’s lamb industry and get to know local producers.
Riverina BEEF4U
Committed to supporting all livestock industries across Australia, we were more than thrilled to support Riverina Stockfeeds’ BEEF4U as sponsors. Over the two days of the conference, Iain, John, and Liam caught up with customers, producers, and industry colleagues.
The second day of the conference was spent touring the award-winning Stockyard Beef Kerwee Feedlot at Jondaryan with additional presentations on agistment, cattle lung health, feed preparation, and more.
WagyuEdge 2023
At the start of April, the Team was in Sydney for the Wagyu sector’s largest conference, WagyuEdge 2023. The conference brings together the components of the sector under one roof.
WagyuEdge 2023 had industry experts hold in-depth presentations on production, exporting, nutrition, marketing and more.
Austasia unveils new look
Halfway through the year, we rebranded our logo to reflect our status as Australia’s market leader in specific organic trace minerals and probiotic additives.
The new branding is in line with our parent company Global Animal Products’s new branding while also being distinctly Austasia Animal Products.
Contact us to find the right specific organic trace mineral for you.
Christian Hansen launches new probiotic
As the sole providers of Christian Hansen’s Beef Culture, we were excited to see them launch the latest product Beef Culture Defend Plus at the National Cattleman’s Beef Association conference in New Orleans.
Beef Culture is a research-proven probiotic additive for feedlot cattle that contains two different species of Bacillus organisms which helps with weight gain in beef.
We can’t wait for Beef Culture Defend Plus to come to Australian markets.
Contact us to learn more about Beef Culture
AAP welcomes new CEO
After more than 20 years leading our team, Chris decided it was time to take the step into a well-deserved retirement. We’re grateful for Chris’s service to AAP, using his skills and experience combined with his leadership to lead our team as the market leader of specific organic trace minerals and probiotic additives.
With his retirement, AAP appointed experienced agribusiness manager Gerhard Oberholzer as the new CEO. Gerhard brings over 20 years of experience in the agriculture industry working in both Australian and South Australian sectors.
We look forward to Gerhard leading our team, continuing where Chris had left off.
Beef, Bling, and Bowties
While we’re all working hard growing quality beef, it’s also important to let the hair down which is why we were proud to sponsor the Women of Lot Feeding’s Beef, Bling, and Bowties Ball.
The ball was a great excuse for Paul, Iain and Gerhard to look sharp, catch up with our customers, and have a good night out.
To keep up to date with our team, events, and news, follow Austasia Animal Products on social media.
Our Sales Team had the pleasure of attending the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association’s SmartBeef 2023 conference at Tamworth, NSW last month.
AAP CEO Gerhard along with Paul, Iain, Liam, Jason, and Tony from our team attended the two-day conference where they were able to catch up with our customers and colleagues while learning about the latest developments in the feedlot industry.
Throughout the conference, our team got an update about shade management from two of NSW’s prominent feedlot facilities from Andrew Talbot, Elders Killara Feedlot General Manager and Alex Smith, Rangers Valley Feedlot Manager.
Paul said AAP was proud to support SmartBeef 2023, sponsoring the SmartBeef Campdraft Competition.
“We have been proudly supporting Australian livestock industries since 1998, and sponsoring events such as SmartBeef 2023 is a great way to keep in touch with what is going on with our customers and the beef feedlot industry as a whole,” he said.
Some insights from SmartBeef 2023 included the benefits of investing in shelters to improve cattle performance.
“It was interesting to hear how feedlots are starting to utilise shelter to mitigate stress coming from the heat, rain and cold,” Paul said.
“Some operations are now investing in purpose-built shedding allowing them to harvest rainfall, or outfitting them with solar to power their feedlot. Building purpose-built infrastructure allows these operations to get more utility from their investment.”
ALFA President Barb Madden said the massive success of SmartBeef23 wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support from our sponsors and Platinum Members.
“We thank everyone who came to the event. It was wonderful to host the largest crowd we have ever seen at a SmartBeef, it shows the strength in our industry,” she said.
Learn more about Australia's market leader in specific organic trace mineral and probiotic additives for local livestock industries.
Austasia Animal Products (AAP) has announced the appointment of experienced agribusiness manager Gerhard Oberholzer as its new CEO. Joining the AAP team on Monday, September 11, Gerhard picks up from where former CEO Chris O’Brien left off in retirement.
As CEO, Gerhard says his first six months in the role will be learning about AAP’s business, understanding their market, and getting to know their customers.
“AAP is committed to supplying safe, high-quality, and cost-effective products for all Australian livestock industries and it’s within this proven framework, I believe we will grow market share and broaden our product offering from our industry-leading manufacturing facility in Forbes, NSW,” Gerhard says.
Having worked with the company throughout his career, Gerhard says it’s a highly sought after opportunity to work with AAP’s qualified team and proven product as their CEO.
Working in the agriculture industry all his life, Gerhard’s experience in primary production and agribusiness spans over 35 years, in both Australian and South Africa industries.
With a Bachelor’s in Engineering, Masters in Business Administration, and a Masters in Project Management, Gerhard says he enjoys the challenge of value adding agricultural commodities and by-products, creating feed sources for our food, by applying scientific disciplines.
“Arriving in Australia in 2004, in pursuit of a better future for our children. Since moving to Australia, I continued with my career in agribusiness with oilseed processing, value adding commodities, before moving to stock feed manufacturing,” he says.
“My experience in Australia’s stock feed industry has prepared me to add value to AAP’s business through assessing and improving staff engagement, operational efficiencies, business systems and market growth.”
Gerhard says the Australian farming industry is facing a lot of demands from consumers, government, and other stakeholder groups.
“I believe our farmers are still the best people to address these demands that are being placed on the industry and we, as part of the feed industry, will work tirelessly to assist the farmer through scientifically developed solutions for animal welfare.”
Learn more about Australia’s market leader in specific organic trace minerals and probiotic additives for livestock industries.
While vaccination is widely considered a critical component of cattle health management, could the timing of vaccination impact the efficiency of the product?
A study by the West Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Sciences and the USDA Agriculture Research Service Livestock Issues Unit in Lubbock, Texas shows there may be more effective vaccination protocols for stressed, high-risk calves arriving to a backgrounding or feedlot operation.
While bovine respiratory disease (BRD) remains the costliest disease in the U.S. cattle industry, modified-live virus (MLV) vaccination against respiratory pathogens in cattle on feedlot arrival has been unanimously recommended by consulting veterinarians. However, there is surprisingly limited, but emerging literature describing the efficiency and safety of vaccination in different cattle production environments including: delayed administration of MLV vaccines in stressed, high-risk cattle says the report published online in the National Library of Medicine.
According to the USDA Centre for Veterinary Medicine, the USDA approval process does not require examining the safety of vaccination in highly stressed, immunosuppressed cattle. Additionally, products are labelled to “be effective for the vaccination of healthy cattle” and not necessarily proven to work on cattle under physiologic stress.
Source: Paige Carlson, Bovine Veterinarian
Research has shown that low levels of vitamin A during a cow's pregnancy are associated with abortions, stillbirths, and weak-born calves. In addition to playing an important role in reproductive efficiency, vitamin A is essential for vision, bone growth, and maintaining epithelial tissue such as skin and hooves in cattle.
Animals obtain vitamin A from consuming green forage and/or the addition of supplements to their diet. Lush green pastures contain high amounts of vitamin A but as plants mature and during times of drought, the amount of the essential vitamin decreases.
In general, animals obtain adequate amounts of vitamin A by grazing green forage. Animals grazing on green pastures will build a healthy store of vitamin A in the liver. When vitamin A is in short supply, the store in the liver prevent deficiencies. According to Oklahoma State University Extension Beef Cattle Specialist Dr David Lalman the stores should last two to four months during times of deficiency.
Chris O’Brien and Paul Lloyd had a great trip to the United States of America at the start of the year, visiting our sister company Global Animal Products and visiting beef conferences.
They attended the annual National Cattleman's Beef Association Trade Show at New Orleans from Wednesday, February 1 through to Friday, February 3, learning about developments in the beef industry.
Afterwards, they travelled to the Global Animal Products at Amarillo, Texas where they learnt about their current initiatives, going through the latest research and product developments.
They joined GAP Director of Technical Services Dr Allen McDonald and CEO Ben Tarr to have some quality time with the young meat team from Texas A&M University.
Some of the highlights of the USA trip included:
