P.PSH.1052 - Sandalwood Feedlot
| Project start date: | 14 April 2018 |
| Project end date: | 29 March 2022 |
| Publication date: | 28 November 2023 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National, NSW, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, Tasmania |
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Download Report
(0.7 MB)
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Summary
A 17,000 head cattle Feedlot is set to install a fixed wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) that links to the existing Mill Tower. Evaluation of various connectivity solutions is part of the MLA connectivity strategy and this project will contribute to that. In addition, replacing the unreliable satellite data service will enable the feedlot to adopt innovative technologies that require bandwidth. The baseline data collected from this project will facilitate MLA documenting the array of connectivity options available to the red meat industry, where they do and don’t work and benchmarking improvements.
Objectives
The project aimed to improve staff connectivity around the site and to the outside world. This would allow for:
• greater efficiency in day-to-day operations
• connecting staff to family and friends
• more effective livestock control and decisions
• smarter management through real time information and feedback
• improved maintenance procedures.
Key findings
The key findings that arose over the 3-year project monitoring period are detailed below.
• An increase in speed and reliability of the network.
• Enabled remote monitoring of livestock and operational systems.
• Enabled remote access to the Sandalwood private network.
• Delivers real time, reliable information to help make smarter, faster decisions.
• Enabled video surveillance and recording.
• Enabled cloud computing and facilitated scalable technology choices.
• Helped to improve staff hiring, satisfaction and retention.
Benefits to industry
The wider industry operates in similar rural and remote locations as Sandalwood Feedlot. Access to high speed, reliable telecommunications can produce similar results in improvements to operational efficiency, staff productivity and cost-saving for other industry participants.
MLA action
The project has provided valuable economic and feasibility assessments of connectivity options for red meat producers to be disseminated and distributed to industry through publication reports and connectivity design evaluations.
Future research
MarchNet will look to perform similar studies with other industry participants in the future to confirm the findings of this report are repeatable.
This project provides evidence that deployments of a similar design will deliver improved operational efficiencies and benefits for the Red Meat industry.
It is the recommendation of MarchNet that similar deployments are rolled out across other feedlots and sites in the Red Meat Industry.
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For more information Contact Project Manager: Jack Cook |
