Princess Royal Station beefs up its SA cattle numbers in feedlot expansion
Princess Royal station is planning to earn the state millions as it beefs up cattle numbers in the state’s Mid North.
PRINCESS Royal Station is planning to earn the State millions of dollars in the Mid North as it triples the size of its cattle feedlot to handle 58,400 head each year.
The ambitious project was approved by the State Planning Commission this month, after it was determined the enterprise could generate $5.5 million for the economy, along with creating 25 new jobs during construction and another 20 long term.
Princess Royal’s multi-million-dollar undertaking near Burra will lift its current capacity to house a 6090-strong herd in the lot to 16,642 head, and is part of a long-term plan to meet rising demand for its premium, grain-fed cattle.
Major projects co-ordinator Rebecca Rowe said the family business sent most of its European Union accredited cattle to processor Teys Australia at Naracoorte, with much of the meat exported to compete with the US product on a global market.
“My father has been in the feedlot industry for more than 30 years and we bought the feedlot in 2008, then started construction. That took a couple of years,” Ms Rowe said.
“We decided to expand when our customers kept asking for more.”
It’s yet another commercial triumph for the award-winning company that has achieved rapid growth over the past 15 years.
The business is now made up of about 14 properties, including 5000sq km of station country and 40,500ha of farmland across the state.
On the back of a rich history in cattle trading, owner Simon Rowe bought the Princess Royal Station in 2002 with his father, Robert Rowe, who had previously earned industry prominence through starting the T&R Pastoral Company.
It has since grown extensively, now encompassing Wooltana and Wertaloona stations in the Flinders Ranges – along with a vineyard, Burra Creek Wines.
It has been recognised as one of the largest employers in the Mid North district.
Mr Rowe runs the properties with his daughters Rebecca and Katherine, his son Jack, and wife Andrea, with Rebecca Rowe saying about 40 per cent of grain needs for the existing 23.8ha feedlot are grown on Princess Royal land at Mackerode Station.
The remainder is bought from local farmers.
Cattle are moved into the feedlot at between nine and 12 months of age and fed “a scientifically formulated ration” for between 80 and 115 days before being sold, with Princess Royal running its own freight division for livestock transport.
Ms Rowe said the group would work through development conditions after the project was approved and hoped to start construction of the new feedlot before the end of this calendar year.