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Cattle Yards | Tallageira Pastoral Co. | Lucindale, SA
Located approximately 30 minutes south of Lucindale, South Australia, ‘Fernleigh’ is home to Tallageira Pastoral Company’s 500 to 600 head Angus breeding operation. Managed by Peter Ker and his wife Amanda, the pair carry out all cattle work themselves, meaning safety, functionality and ease of handling are top priorities.
With an outdated yard that had become unsafe and inefficient, Tallageira approached ProWay for a complete redesign and rebuild of the main working yards. The original yards required up to four people to push cattle into the race, and regular maintenance on weldmesh panels and fencing was becoming a significant burden. The old race had minimal capacity, the loading ramp was deteriorating, and the overall layout posed risks for both stock and employees.
"The efficiency is obviously a big benefit, but by far it's just the ease and safety aspect - whether it's loading steers or bringing in bulls, you just know you can needle, drench or draft cattle with ease."
Having previously completed several successful projects for Tallageira, including a large sheep yard and shearing shed, as well as 6 and 12 metre Bulk Handlers, ProWay was once again engaged to deliver a practical and safe solution.
“We’ve had our first calving since the yards went in,” said Peter. “Marking and drafting is now something we don’t have to stress about—you know you can just bring them in and stock flow smoothly and safely.”
Yards during construction / slab work
“Marking and drafting is now something we don’t have to stress about - you know you can just bring them in and stock flow smoothly and safely.”
A Proven Design for Safer Cattle Handling
The new yards were based on ProWay’s well-regarded PCY260 design, customised to meet the specific needs of the Demijohn operation. A key inclusion was the push-around rotary force gate, which provides a safer, more controlled environment for moving cattle into the race—where resistance is often highest.
Peter opted for a V-Race with overhanging rail, allowing treatments such as injections and pour-ons to be administered safely from ground level, reducing fall risks and strain on the operator. The existing crush was retained, but a 3-way manual draft was added in front of it, enabling remote operation by hand—minimising stress on cattle as they exit the crush.
Key material features of the yards include ProWay’s 97mm oval rail and 80NB posts, offering robust construction and longevity, while sheeted fence lines and rotary force encourage stock flow into the working race. A new roof cover over the crush and draft area provides added comfort and protection for both livestock and operators.
“In terms of access, it’s straightforward. There are manways and gates for us and truckies—you never find yourself trapped or looking for an escape route.”
“We loaded 2 B-doubles of steers in 40 minutes and he’s never seen cattle load so easily.
The original yards and ramp (left) were decommissioned with the decision to upgrade. The new yards (right) feature a single section 12.5 degree ramp extending over a concrete retaining wall.
Loading efficiency has also improved dramatically. The new loading ramp features a short 600mm incline to a level extension with a sliding gate off an embankment—allowing cattle to flow onto trucks with minimal resistance. A trailer ramp was added for moving small numbers of cattle, such as bulls, between paddocks.
“We loaded two B-doubles of steers in 40 minutes, and I’ve never seen cattle load so easily. That would’ve taken us two hours previously—with plenty of yelling and frustration.”
Peter added, “The efficiency is obviously a big benefit, but by far it’s just the ease and safety aspect—whether it’s loading steers or bringing in bulls, you just know you can needle, drench or draft cattle with ease.”
“Flexibility has been well thought out,” Peter noted. “There’s gates where we need them, and we have options no matter what we’re bringing in.
Completed in a four-week build over December 2024 and January 2025, the new facilities have already begun to prove their worth.
“At one point my wife told me to get out of the yards because I was getting in the way and she could do the work by herself,” Peter noted with a laugh and clarified “The yards just work and we know we can rely on them. We’ve gone from a four-person job to myself and Amanda, stock work is now something we look forward to.”
“The yards just tick all the boxes.”
"Compared to what we had, the yards just work and we know we can rely on them. We’ve gone from a four-person job to myself and Amanda, stock work is now something we look forward to.”
Results That Speak for Themselves
“The yards just tick all the boxes.”
The choices made in terms of features and options was deliberate balancing cost and functionality for a self-managed operation.
“Obviously this is a big investment,” Peter explained. “But knowing the benefits in the sheep yards and shearing shed built by ProWay, we knew the level of service and quality going into this project. It becomes hard not to upgrade once you understand the difference quality facilities make.”
“We would highly recommend ProWay to anyone considering upgrading their facilities.”
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