Milne Feeds looks to expand its pelleted feed into the beef and dairy sector

Australia’s largest ruminant feed mill is looking to expand its new pelleted ration into the beef and dairy sector.

Milne Feeds made the announcement at the 2026 WAFarmers Grains and Livestock Conference as part of the field day at Mt Barker on June 25.

Easy2Gro LM is a pelleted sheep feed developed by the WA company from more than 10 years of research and development.

Results proved the feed delivered strong weight gains while significantly reducing emissions.

It rolled out in southern Australia in March.

Milne Feeds general manager Michael Tarling said the next step for the business would be to expand to dairy and beef.

”Most of our focus early on has been on sheep, but of course we’re going to expand into dairy and beef, and it’s just a matter of getting the resource,” he said.

“You’re all aware that intra-rumen methane is an issue . . . it’ll be much easier to grow now.”

Mr Tarling said it was clear the product was viable in the WA feed market.

“It doesn’t cost any more, and it also reduces methane,” he said.

“Over time you’re going to get paid for those methane benefits, definitely in dairy and beef, and eventually in sheep.”

Milne Feeds business development manager Brett Blanchett said as a sheep producer, he was happy Milne Feeds was working in this space.

Milne Feeds self-funded and performed its research in-house for the pelleted feed.

Testing began on a commercial-scale at its Fox River feedlot in 2024 after gaining approval from Curtin University’s ethics department.

To date, more than 2000 lambs have been fed with the Easy2Gro LM, with emissions measured daily using a methane measurement from the US, the Open Path-Fourier Transform Infrared.

Mr Blanchett said the profit per head and the cost of live weight gain was better with the pellets than home-mix feed.

“We do find the home-mix usually yields about one per cent lower than the pellets,” he said.

Mr Blanchett said the company’s main aim with Easy2Gro LM was to provide a profit opportunity for farmers.

“Hopefully some of these tools that we have developed and are developing can actually help industry,” he said.