ROMA-BASED beef producers Cam and Sharon Colley have taken over stockfeed manufacturer Top Country, signalling plans to grow the business and bring fresh ideas to its product range.

Top Country came to market in November last year after health issues led owners, Stephen and Natalie Aisthorpe to offload the plant and other facilities

The business had been the brainchild of the Aisthorpe family for over 30 years.

The 8.087-hectare site manufactures dry loose lick supplements, self-regulating production mixes and complete grain rations for the beef, dairy, sheep, goat and equine industries.

The companies linked to the Aisthorpe’s businesses were placed under administration in February with Top Country  continuing to operate in a limited capacity.

After taking over the operation in early April, the Colleys have focused on upgrading the mill infrastructure and bringing back customers that had looked elsewhere during the short period of uncertainty.

Mr Colley said the Top Country team had received enquiries from former clients looking to return to Top Country.

“The quality of the product is drawing them back,” Mr Colley said.

“The licks that they’ve been producing at Top Country are well renowned for exceptionally high quality and effectiveness.

“We’re flat out at the moment getting all the upgrades done, to ensure there’s no log jams in the system, no bottlenecks.”

He said under the ownership of the Aisthorpes, Top Country, had a wide range of loyal customers from across Queensland.

“It’s been a very, very valuable link in the chain for the primary producers all throughout Southwest Queensland and North Queensland.

“The products have surprisingly gone to a wide area of the state, as far east as Beaudesert, and they’re sold stock up towards Charters Towers and out to Winton.

“It’s got an incredible footprint.”

Elders Real Estate agribusiness transactions and investment specialist Phillip Kelly handled the transaction.

Mr Kelly said it was the perfect outcome for the business to be purchased by local people with existing knowledge and relationships in the cattle and agricultural sectors.

He said he is sure the Colleys will continue on the great work of the Aisthorpes.

“It is good to see local people investing in the town from a business and employment perspective,” Mr Kelly said.

New products, innovation

The acquisition of Top Country is expected to complement the Colleys’ existing operations.

The couple run a breeding property, Brucedale, near Roma, with about 1100 pure Angus breeders, along with a registered feedlot, rotational oats program and additional backgrounding country at Beaudesert and Roma.

Mr Colley said the feedlot is expanding and “doubling capacity as we speak”.

He said the Top Country “tied into the same nutrition values and the same feed production” as they were undertaking at the existing operation at Brucedale.

He said, as long-term members of the cattle industry, the couple are focused on fine-tuning nutrition and adopting the best innovations coming to market.

He said the new wave of bio-worming formulas were an exciting development for the cattle industry.

“We’re monitoring those monitoring bio-worming formulas to add into the mix.

“We’ll be incorporating all the additives that we can get our fingers on to enhance any ability to control parasites with a safe product, not a chemical.

“We’re keen to go and we’re jumping at every everything at the moment to try and get the business up and running to its fullest capacity.”

With an eye firmly on protecting the beef industry from its critics, Mr Colley also has plans to adapt lick formulations to reduce methane emissions.