When Data Tells the Full Story at Toorilla
“Someone once said to me, collecting data is expensive and it is time consuming. Black Box was a way for me to analyse that data much quicker and much better than what I was able to do myself.”
Lachlan and Trudy Mace run Toorilla, a mixed breeding, backgrounding, and fattening enterprise located 130km north of Rockhampton near Stanage Bay, Queensland.
With a clear focus on efficiency, their goal is to produce crossbred animals that can be finished on grass within two and a half years — a target that demands tight management and informed decisions.
For years, the Maces had been collecting data across their operation, but as Trudy admits, they weren’t unlocking its full potential.
“I wasn’t analysing it properly. I wasn’t drilling down into what each animal or each mob was really doing,” she said.
They adopted Black Box Co to streamline their data collection and interpretation. By integrating the system into their operation, the Maces can now track each animal from weaning right through to carcase.
“What I really saw value in was being able to link carcass and feedlot feedback right back to where that animal started its weaning journey,” Trudy said.
“That was something I just couldn’t do efficiently on my own.”
With clearer insights, the Maces have sharpened their approach to fertility management, genetics, nutrition, and grazing decisions.
“Data is important because it tells you a story. You need that story to know whether what you’re doing is actually working,” she said.
For Trudy, Black Box has become more than just a record-keeping tool. It’s a decision-making partner that saves time — something in short supply on a working cattle property.
“I feel like Black Box addresses an issue that I couldn’t tackle myself, with the time constraints that I’m under,” she said.
“It just adds something to our business and gets all of that information into one place.”