But using a similar philosophy to former Aussie Rules coach Robert Walls, Mr Maconochie says beef producers need to find the 'one percenters' in business to improve their productivity and keep cost of production down.

Speaking at the recent South Australian Hereford Breeders Group annual field day, he said focusing on the small things such as processing locations, bone-out ratios and even the type of cardboard packaging all add up in their paddock-to-plate business.

Mr Maconochie questioned whether farmers followed their product up enough to make future genetic decisions and said beef producers needed to consider themselves as suppliers.

"Nine out of 10 farmers would not know what happens to their product- they need to go to the customer and ask for feedback," he said.

"How do you know which bull to buy next year if you don't know how their cattle performed. Did they background well? Did they slaughter well?".

And to retain valuable dollars he said producers needed to consider marketing cattle direct to a feedlot or processor themselves.

* Extract from a full report in Stock Journal, December 4 issue.