Turning Feedlot Organics into a Resource: MECBIO at BeefEx 2026
For Australia’s grain-fed beef industry, the conversation around productivity increasingly extends beyond the cattle themselves. How organic material is handled, processed and returned to productive use is also an important part of efficient feedlot operations.
That makes BeefEx 2026 an ideal opportunity to discuss practical approaches to organic material management and the equipment that can support them.
MECBIO will be at Booth 83 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre from 22–24 September 2026, connecting with the industry and discussing technologies for resource recovery and organic waste processing. BeefEx is one of the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association’s flagship events, bringing the feedlot sector together to share knowledge and showcase innovation across the industry.
Manure Management Is More Than Waste Management
Manure is an unavoidable part of feedlot operations, but it can also be treated as a resource.
The Australian Lot Feeders’ Association has specifically identified using manure as a resource, composting fundamentals, environmental management strategies, sustainability and innovation as important areas for feedlot operations.
Effective composting depends on managing factors including aeration, moisture distribution and temperature. Regular turning helps maintain appropriate conditions throughout the composting process and supports the production of a more consistent final material.
This is where the right compost-turning equipment becomes important.
JT Rectec Compost Turners
Among the technologies available through MECBIO are the JT Rectec eTurner and JT-Turner ranges, developed for professional windrow composting applications.
eTurner Series
The eTurner Series uses a fully electric drive combined with semi-autonomous operation, remote control and sensor-based pile detection.
The range includes the E380 and E530, designed for different windrow sizes and processing requirements. Applications include windrow composting, organic waste processing and sustainable waste-management projects.
For operators considering how electrification and automation may fit into future organic-processing operations, the eTurner provides another approach to windrow management.
JT-Turner Series
For operations requiring a diesel-powered solution, the JT-Turner Series includes the JT580 and JT630.
These machines incorporate semi-autonomous operation, remote control, advanced rotor technology and pre-installed work programs. Applications include windrow composting, biological drying, soil remediation and heavy-duty material processing.
Screening and Refining Compost with Neuenhauser
Turning is only one part of producing a usable and consistent composted material. Once material has progressed through the composting process, screening can help separate material into the required fractions and remove oversized material.
MECBIO also represents Neuenhauser Recycling Technology, which manufactures mobile and stationary screening and separation systems for applications including organic waste, composting and biomass processing.
Neuenhauser Star Screens
Neuenhauser’s star-screen technology uses rotating screening elements to separate material into defined fractions.
Star screens can be used across organic and green-waste processing applications and provide an option for operators looking to separate material according to the required output size. Neuenhauser produces both mobile and stationary screening solutions for different processing requirements.
For composting operations, screening can form an important finishing stage by helping create a more consistent material while separating larger fractions for further processing where required.
Doppstadt SM Series Drum Screens
Another screening option available through MECBIO is the Doppstadt SM Series, a range of mobile drum screening machines designed for a broad variety of recycling and organic-material applications.
The SM Series can process materials including compost, green waste, bark, wood chips, biomass and other waste streams, depending on the machine configuration and screening requirements. MECBIO currently lists multiple SM Series machines within its waste-screening range.
Doppstadt’s SM machines use interchangeable screening drums and can be configured for different material fractions and processing requirements. Depending on the model and configuration, additional screening and separation options can also be incorporated into the process.
For example, the SM 620.2 SA is designed as a two-fraction drum screening machine and can process materials including compost, bark, wood chips and excavated material. It can also operate with either a trommel or star-screen insert depending on the application.
For feedlot and composting applications, this flexibility allows screening to be considered alongside turning as part of the overall organic-material processing operation.
Looking at the Complete Material-Processing Chain
For feedlot and agricultural operations, the discussion is not necessarily about one individual machine.
A practical organic-material management process may involve:
- Turning and aeration — using equipment such as the JT Rectec eTurner and JT-Turner Series to manage windrows during the composting process.
- Screening and sizing — using Neuenhauser Star Screens or Doppstadt SM Series drum screens to separate processed material into the required fractions.
- Further material processing — depending on the feedstock, site requirements and intended end use.
Looking at the process as a whole can help determine where different equipment technologies may fit within an operation.
Finding the Right Approach for the Operation
There is no single equipment configuration that suits every site.
Material volumes, windrow dimensions, moisture content, available space, existing machinery, operating model and processing objectives can all influence the type of solution that may be appropriate.
MECBIO works across a broader range of organic waste and resource-recovery technologies, including compost turners, shredders, screens and complete processing systems, allowing equipment to be considered in the context of the overall material-handling process rather than as individual machines alone.
Talk to MECBIO at BeefEx 2026
If manure management, composting, screening or organic-material processing is part of the conversation at your operation, come and speak with the MECBIO team at BeefEx.
BeefEx 2026
22–24 September 2026
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
MECBIO – Booth 83
Visit Booth 83 to discuss your operation, the materials you are processing and the equipment options available through MECBIO.