Selected work

On the ground, where the work actually happens.

A selection of the projects and programs I’ve worked on since 1986 – cattle ships and herd development in South America, industry training across Australia, dairy development in Pakistan and Siberia, and more than two decades of beef and dairy work in Indonesia.

Past projects

Selected projects, 1986 – 2025

1986 Australia to Venezuela

Stockman on board

Stockman on board in 1986, accompanying Droughtmaster heifers and bulls and Illawarra Shorthorn dairy cattle to Venezuela.
40 years ago I experienced poor livestock welfare at sea on a 49-day voyage from Australia to Venezuela — dairy heifers calving on board, salt-water ulcers and injuries. It tuned me into the need for a better process with better animal welfare outcomes.

1987 Venezuela

Herd Development Supervisor

Employed to supervise the Herd Improvement program using Artificial Insemination with heat detection, and cattle movements on horseback. Focus and determination brought us high conception and high survival rates.
Work challenges ranging from the technical animal health issues of screw fly and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), to management issues of extreme isolation and language barriers.
The dangers of piranhas and massive water snakes in the water ways, and nightly raids from gun-bearing thieves, provided me with a benchmark on personal challenges.

Five stockmen with saddled horses in dry scrub country, two of them mounted, during herd development work in the Venezuelan llanos — Cattle movements on horseback with the llaneros

1990 – 1994 Australia

AUS-MEAT training

Our team developed and carried out the highly successful “Beef Feedback workshops” across Australia to the beef cattle industry. AUS-MEAT language was contentious, but became the foundation of objective measurement on farms, saleyards and abattoirs.
As part of a team, we re-vamped the Beef Specification Course work that remains in use by the industry today.

Archive photograph of a beef feedback workshop at cattle yards in South Australia, 1991 — Beef feedback workshop — South Australia, 1991

2000 – 2001 West Punjab, Pakistan

Improving dairy cow productivity

We (Riverina Artificial Breeders and Nestlé Milkpak) initiated a program to develop owner-operator Artificial Insemination businesses, to efficiently and effectively access the dairy community. Involvement of women was necessary but highly problematic in this very conservative religious region — but ultimately successful. It involved selection of candidates, establishing a school and training, providing equipment (all paid off through their profits) and follow-up in the field. That it ran for years after my departure is testimony to its success.
Re-engaged RAB with the Military Dairy Farm in Abbottabad, Pakistan. We implemented a program to improve record keeping and herd development of the Australian heifers imported five years previously.

Richard Slaney in a cap and dark red shirt talking with a dairy farmer beside a Sahiwal-type cow at a feed trough — Talking herd management through with a dairy farmer

Richard Slaney crouching to examine a cow beside a shade tree, with two farmers and a small group of cattle — Working through a herd in the shade of a tree

A group of village farmers gathered around their cattle in a dusty yard, one of them smoking a pipe, with Richard Slaney standing at the left of frame. Composite: Richard has been added to this archive photograph. — Discussion with villagers, one on the pipeComposite — Richard added to this archive frame

Nov – Dec 2001 Siberia, Russia

Dairy co-operative farm

Assisted a newly formed Dairy Co-operative Farm, established during Glasnost, to address a few of the critical factors in their 450-cow dairy.
Established and implemented SOPs to improve calf survival and mastitis rates with the vastly under-trained but highly receptive female workforce.

2002 – 2016 Indonesia

Elders Indonesia

Drove the growth of the business upstream and downstream — buying and expanding an old feedlot, then buying an abattoir to value-add, establishing efficient distribution networks and marketing (B to B, B to C) — becoming the premier local chilled beef brand from 2006 to 2016. Top line growth of 300%, and EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) consistently above most other company enterprises.

Industry projects Indonesia & Australia Australian GovernmentDepartment of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

ESCAS and animal welfare

Played a critical role in ESCAS (Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme) development, with direct input to the auditing process of feedlots and abattoirs, with lead consultants and its initial deployment.
1st approved supply chain globally to secure ESCAS approval, with Elders (NACC) as exporter and Elders Indonesia importing — the entire process was approved within 6 weeks of the Australian government suspension of trade. This provided the model that almost all exporters and importers subsequently followed.
Initiated approval from the Indonesian government, military and police to import and distribute cattle stunning equipment across Indonesia. Other private parties have continued this commercially, and it continues to underpin animal welfare outcomes for Australian cattle.

2016 – 2018 Indonesia

Red Meat Cattle Partnership — DFAT sponsored

Conceived by myself following the cattle export suspension, but later initiated by other parties.

Indonesia Commercial Cattle Breeding Program (2016 to 2018), within the RMCP

As Team Leader under the DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) program, we proved the commercial sustainability of both Cattle under Palms (SISKA) and Smallholder Cut and Carry models, in several locations with private enterprise partners. Most projects still running 10 years later.
All achievements, systems and processes well documented and in the public domain.

Richard Slaney kneeling beside a newborn calf, checking for screw worm, under oil palm in South Kalimantan — Checking newborns for screw worm — cattle under oil palm, South Kalimantan

Brahman cattle grazing under mature oil palm with two stockmen, South Kalimantan — Grazing under mature palms — South Kalimantan

A pen of healthy young calves resting under shelter, Indonesia–Australia Commercial Cattle Breeding smallholder program — Happy and healthy calves — smallholder cut-and-carry program

Richard Slaney in discussion with a local stakeholder in a cattle shed, 2017 — Discussing progress with a key stakeholder — 2017, South Kalimantan

2019 – 2025 East Java, Indonesia

Greenfields Indonesia — on my watch we:

Avoided the extreme risk to the Greenfields dairy herd of Lumpy Skin Disease and FMD in 2022, by immediate rollout of high-level biosecurity measures and quickly accessing the right vaccines, overcoming an array of high-level barriers. The result — nil infections on either of two farms (pop. 19,000 head), whilst local herds suffered losses of up to 80%.
Delivered focused breeding work that sustains >50% heifer and >40% cow reproduction rates. This continues to play a key role in overcoming herd health and herd development challenges.
Revamped and grew a partnership with the local dairy community that, by the end of my tenure, was collecting >120 tonnes of fresh milk daily — and now up to 180 tonnes a day. This self-supporting, independent relationship has become the most functional and sustainable local dairy farmer partnership in Indonesia; proof being >10,000 farmers producing more milk, with better quality and higher prices, all due to the KSG (Kemitraan Sapi Perah Greenfields) program. Probably the best partnership between a large private company and small farmers anywhere in Asia.
After 7 years, and upon my retirement, we were able to smoothly transition away from foreign managers to local Indonesian farm managers, bringing efficiency and a higher level of sustainability. In the context of my early years, a very proud achievement.

Jersey dairy cows walking up a concrete laneway back to the barn after milking, past a Greenfields free-stall shed in East Java — Jerseys going back to the barn after milking

Richard Slaney with a local farmer at a corn growing trial plot in East Java — Corn growing trials with local farmers — East Java

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