About Us
Our History
The Smithfield enterprise began operating as a lot feeder on July 2nd 1986. The feedlot quickly expanded and currently has the capacity to accommodate approximately 18,500 head of cattle at any one time. There were however some significant hardships that Smithfield Feedlot had to endure before evolving into the state-of-the-art feedlot operation that it is today.
From this period on, Smithfield Feedlot has secured valuable supply contracts with long-term customers, many of which have continued to develop to this day. In 1998, the feedlot began tempering grain. This was the first major change in the way in which grain was processed at the feedlot. From 1998 to 2000 all facets of operation at Smithfield Feedlot were expanded, with pen space, cattle numbers and employee numbers all steadily increasing.
Today, Smithfield Cattle Company has evolved into one of Australia’s premier feedlot operations, especially with the purchase of a second custom feeding facility, Sapphire Feedlot at Goondiwindi. Smithfield Cattle Company has also become increasingly involved in research and development with a number of projects ongoing and a number planned for the near future. This research participation has allowed the company to play a key role in developing and implementing new technologies that ensure the two feedlots are at the forefront of applying industry best practice across all areas of its custom feeding operations.