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Tassie Truck Service a Winner

2005-12-29

Farmers are jumping on board with the latest initiative in livestock selling in Tasmania, according to HW Greenham and Sons livestock manager Adarn Pretty. Six months ago, the processing company introduced its on farm liveweight buying service on the North Coast.


The service consists of a truck that will come to the farmer's property and pick up cattle, with the farmer receiving a cheque on the spot.

Mr Pretty said the response from North Coast producers had been terrific. "We're getting all types of cattle we're getting bullocks, trade cattle, cows, bulls, feedlot cattle," he said.

The only such system in Tasmania, it was based on two similar trucks servicing Greenhams' customers in Victoria's Goulburn Valley.

Mr Pretty said farmers simply rang up, made an appointment, got the cattle into the yards and Greenhams did the rest.

"The farmers don't even have to leave their farm. We can do it while they're milking, or any time that suits them," he said.

Because there was no transport cost being deducted from the price paid, Mr Pretty said there was no downside for producers.

"All our prices are the same. So if you take them to our liveweight centre, that price is the same as If you ring the liveweight truck."

The truck can handle 22 to 30 head but Mr Pretty said they were happy to make an appointment to pick up just one animal.

Although they can be somewhat limited by roads and infrastructure, Mr Pretty said there was always a way around it.

"We get around that by the cattle running through the next door neighbour's, or put them in a tray truck and bring them out to the truck," he said.

North Coast cattle producers can call Greenhams' Reg Baker on 0418 308 011.