This month, we’re featuring Dan McDonnell of SJ McDonnell and Sons, a third-generation family farming business with deep roots in the Tumblong region of NSW.
Family Legacy in Farming
Dan’s family farm dates back to 1952 when his grandfather, after serving in the 2nd World War, secured a soldier settlers block at Rosedale Tumblong. Today, this mixed farming enterprise runs sheep and cattle while focusing on fodder production with irrigation from the Murrumbidgee River. Their sheep operation features predominantly merino ewes of Bundilla Blood, complemented by a self-replacing first-cross ewe flock.
Why Gundagai Lamb?
“Our business goal is to produce a consistent premium product,” Dan explains. What sets Gundagai Lamb apart for him is how they reward producers for quality. “Unlike other marketing options, Gundagai Lamb rewards us for doing so,” he notes, adding that he’s impressed with their efforts to open new markets worldwide, with a particular focus on enhancing consumers’ eating experience.
Partnership Built on Communication
For Dan, choosing the right partner comes down to fundamentals: “Communication, honesty, feedback and transparency are key aspects in any partnership. Gundagai Lamb excel in these attributes.” He appreciates their flexible approach and how easy they are to deal with.
Quality-Focused Improvements
Feedback from Gundagai Lamb has driven real change on the farm. “We’ve enhanced our focus on quality and everything that affects it,” Dan shares. He values Gundagai Lamb’s comprehensive feedback process, noting how “they ask more questions than they answer,” which pushes producers to keep improving.
Industry Challenges and Changes
Dan has observed significant shifts in the lamb industry: “Cost of production has increased dramatically,” with a parallel intensification of focus on quality. He believes relationship-building is becoming increasingly vital as “marketing is becoming increasingly difficult, so building relationships to reduce risk whilst obtaining maximum returns are increasingly important.”
When he’s not producing premium lamb, Dan enjoys the simple pleasures of cooking and eating lamb: “My favourite is a toss-up between leg roast with gravy and baked veggies and a chop off the BBQ. Then again, a shoulder roast or chop is pretty good too, marinated lamb ribs are a fantastic, did I mention my lamb shank and vegetable soup? Oh, I almost forgot, you can’t beat a cold lamb sandwich on fresh bread or cold lamb fritters.”
The Reward of Premium Production
What drives Dan’s passion for lamb production is the unique suitability of their product to their land and climate. “There is enormous potential to increase demand for lamb worldwide,” he believes. “The key is to produce a product that consumers want to ‘repeat buy.'” He credits Gundagai Lamb’s objective measurement and feedback for helping achieve this goal.