Illa Langi's paddock-to-plate pork is starting to pay off

What started with selling a few cuts of lamb to family and friends has grown into a paddock-to-plate enterprise built around eating quality and direct connection with consumers for Sherlock producers Tim and Vanessa Mudge.

Trading under the Illa Langi Pastoral brand, the couple now markets homegrown lamb, pork and beef direct to consumers through farmers' markets, private orders and deliveries across SA, with demand stretching as far as Broken Hill and Port Augusta.

For fourth-generation farmer Tim Mudge, the business grew from a desire to see reward for years of hard work spent improving livestock genetics.

"We spend so much time researching genetics, intramuscular fat and constantly improving our animals, but then you send 800 lambs on a truck (to an abattoir) and never know how they turned out," he said.

The couple had already been supplying meat to friends and family for several years before deciding to expand into a commercial paddock-to-plate operation.

The Mudges run 40 Murray Grey and Angus cross-dairy breeders joined to Murray Grey bulls, 400 Merino ewes joined to Suffolk rams and 15 Hampshire-Tamworth sows, with plans to increase the breeding herd to 25.

The Suffolk-Merino cross is aimed at producing prime lambs with muscling and eating quality suited to direct sales, while the Murray Grey influence in the crossbred cattle ensures quality beef.

The Hampshire-Tamworth cross pigs were selected for their heritage genetics and slower growth, with the Mudges prioritising flavour and eating quality over rapid turnover.

Their outdoor raised heritage pigs were the initial catalyst for the paddock-to-plate business.

The pigs remain outdoors throughout their lives, with sows only brought into sheltered pens while raising young piglets.

"There are no farrowing crates," Mr Mudge said.

"They're still in an open pen so everything can happen naturally.

"After seven or eight weeks the piglets go back into electric-fenced paddocks where they stay until they're about 100 kilograms liveweight at six months of age."

The pigs are run across paddocks ranging from one to three acres.

The enterprise focuses on low-intervention production, with antibiotics only used when required.

Instead of routine vaccinations, the Mudges incorporate herbs including oregano, garlic, cinnamon and chilli flakes into feed as part of their animal health program.

The couple said preventive management, nutrition and good husbandry were key parts of their approach to maintaining health animals.

Home-grown barley, wheat and lupins form the basis of sow rations, supplemented with vitamins, while the growers receive a grain blend free from meat meal.

Mrs Mudge said producing quality meat, rather than chasing volume, underpinned every decision.

"We're trying to produce a quality product that we believe in.

"We stand by what we're producing and we want the best outcome for the animals."

After processing, livestock are transferred to accredited facilities before finished cuts are collected in an accredited vehicle and sold directly to consumers.

The couple attends the Mount Barker Farmers' Market fortnightly, while deliveries now extend across metropolitan Adelaide and regional centres.

"If people are interested, we'll make it happen," Mrs Mudge said.

"We've delivered to Broken Hill, and we're looking at opening up Port Augusta, Port Pirie and the Yorke Peninsula as well.

"If there aren't enough orders straight away, we'll advertise for a couple of weeks and build those numbers before making the trip."

Social media and word-of-mouth recommendations have helped build the customer base, allowing consumers to follow the animals from paddock to plate and return for regular orders.

"People want to know the farmer behind their meat," Mrs Mudge said.

"They want to see the animals in the paddock, the work that goes into producing them and know they're not coming from a mass-produced system.

Their first market, just before Christmas, exceeded expectations.

"I didn't even bring home a roast for Christmas.

"That really gave us confidence that there was a demand."

The Mudges have since expanded online sales while continuing to build a loyal customer base through direct relationships.

The couple plans to relocate to Port Wakefield in coming months, with the livestock moving alongside them and farmers' markets continuing as normal.

Despite the growth, both say their focus remains on producing meat they are proud to put their name to.

"The biggest reward is hearing customers say they can taste the difference," she said.

"They tell us the flavour is different, the colour is different and they keep coming back.