Mort and Co lodge development application for new feedlot at Rookwood Weir

A new feedlot could create dozens of new full-time jobs and inject millions into the economy right across Central Queensland if it’s given the green light by council. Here’s what the project would involve.

A major project for the beef industry is set to benefit from one of the region’s biggest water infrastructure projects if it gets given the green light from council.

One of Australia’s largest managers of lot fed cattle, Mort and Co Lot Feeders, has lodged a material change of use with Rockhampton Regional Council to develop a new feedlot more than 1450 hectares in size.

If approved, the Rookwood Feedlot would be the company’s third alongside its “world class” feedlots in Dalby and Millmerran.

Mort and Co has 90,000 head of cattle on feed at a time and turn over 215,000 cattle annually.

As well as feedlots, the company has 3400ha of farmland producing a variety of crops including cotton, sorghum, corn,

According to the development application, the 1485.53ha feedlot would have a capacity of 36,500 head and be developed in two stages.

The development application for the Rookwood Feedlot says the operation would have a capacity of more than 36,000 head of cattle.

Stage one of the development would account for about 63 per cent of the feedlot with a production capacity of 22,870 standard cattle units (SCU).

The owners of the land have acquired a large water allocation from the Rookwood Weir development upon its completion.

The proposal document states that for the feedlot to run at capacity, it will require 730ML of water per year.

“According to the National Guidelines, approximately 24 ML/year of water is required per 1,000 head,” the document says.

“At least 730 ML of this will be made available to the feedlot with additional water likely to supplement effluent irrigation, particularly during dry periods where effluent volume is reduced.

“Water supply will be contractually secured with the owner of the land.”

The proposed feedlot would have an average stocking density of 15.4 m2/SCU with 20 rows of production pens.

The document proposed two types of pens to allow for flexible management of cattle including larger and smaller pens.

The development would benefit from a large water allocation from Rookwood Weir once the weir’s construction is complete.

“The pen area of three smaller pens (2,332 m2 each) equals that of two larger pens (3,498 m2 each). Each larger pen has a capacity of 227 SCU with each smaller pen having a capacity of 151 SCU,” the document says.

The designs for the feedlot show it would be located in a controlled drainage area which would ensure all clean, upslope water is diverted around the feedlot and all contaminated run-off will be controlled and contained in dual sedimentation basins and an effluent holding pond.

According to the document, the feedlot has been designed for long-term sustainability and has an indefinite lifetime”.

The proposed development is expected to create 64 full-time jobs and is also projected to contribute millions to the local economy.

“In addition to direct employment related economic benefits, Deloitte Access Economics (2018) identified that a 30,000 SCU feedlot in Goondiwindi has a combined (direct and indirect) contribution of $25.6 million to the local economy (within 75 km) and $43.7 million to the regional economy (within 150 km),” the proposal document says.

“Based on these numbers, the proposed feedlot will have a combined economic contribution of $31.1 million within the local economy (i.e. Rockhampton to Duaringa) and $53.2 million to the regional economy.

Executive Chairman of Mort and Co Charlie Mort.

“However, unlike Goondiwindi, as there are local abattoirs in Rockhampton, it is likely that the local economic benefit from this development is much higher.”

Executive chairman of Mort and Co Charlie Mort said the new feedlot would “only cement” Rockhampton’s title as the Beef Capital of Australia.

“We’d be excited to be part of it,” he said.

“We’ve been looking around for prospects in the Central Queensland region and this is a really good site.

“There’s a great supply of grain in the region and it goes right past the site on its way to markets. Aside from that, there are a lot of great producers in Central Queensland.

“Mort and Co prides itself on the relationships it builds with producers. We’re looking forward to meeting with a lot of producers and of course working with many other businesses in Rockhampton, Biloela and Mackay.

“The demand for grain-fed meat is increasing, and therefore, more lot feeding is required.”

Originally published as Mort and Co lodge development application for new feedlot at Rookwood Weir