The benefits of data on-farm

• Northern NSW
• King Island
• South Australia

Three case studies in northern NSW, King Island and SA explore the impact that online feedback, analysis and benchmarking of livestock consignments can have in driving data-based decisions and optimising supply chain performance.

LDL is an online feedback system that allows sheep and beef carcase information to flow between processors and their producer-suppliers. Using LDL, producers can receive, analyse and compare results about their livestock’s carcase compliance and animal disease information, and track their livestock’s performance over time.

David Bignell from Bignell Family Cattle, Gloucester NSW (featured in the northern NSW case study) has found LDL highly beneficial in helping to meet the specifications of the markets that he’s trying to access.

“We’re using LDL as a yardstick on our genetic choices,” David said.

“We used to buy fairly cheap bulls once upon a time, then as the requirement was to produce better cattle, better carcasses, we’ve upped our ante a bit on our bull purchasing, and through the LDL that’s paying off.”

Jane Kellock from Kellock Enterprises, Farrell Flat South Australia (featured in the South Australia case study) says using LDL to measure and improve carcase compliance has been invaluable to the business.

“For me, the LDL information and feedback is fantastic because it shows where we’re meeting our targets as far as our meat and fat condition score,” Jane said.

“If we’re outside those guidelines it costs us money, and LDL tells us exactly what it’s costing us if we’re not meeting those targets. That’s critical for any business to know.”

King Island’s Hoare family use LDL to benchmark how their operations compliance is tracking against the local area, and other producers across Australia.

Robyn Hoare said “I enjoy working with LDL to trace how things are performing not just in the last kill but over the last 12 months or the last two years.”