Bega was a domestic, service kill abattoir of small animals such as rabbits and poultry.

Unknown if currently in operation

Other Names

Current Operation

• Unsure as at 06.11.2013.

Location   

•  Bega is located 150km South east of Canberra, NSW east coast.
  

Hema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

• Co-operative owned – Bega Valley Gourmet meats co-operative small species¹

Other abattoirs in Australia

Go to this link to view Location of Australian Abattoirs

Operation of Bega. NSW

• Small species abattoir to process rabbits and poultry¹
• Service kill abattoir for local producers of small species¹
• Encouraged backyard breeders of small species to have animals processed at Bega and improve self suffiency²
• Provided service to homesteaders and small scale farmers across the Bega valley

History

2004

• June. Opened¹

2012

• Sept. “Despite rising costs for meat processors, small private orders can be profitable for abattoirs” Philip Wolf – Bega Valley Gourmet meats²

2013

• Mar. May be forced to close
• Only 2 members left and supplies of chicken and rabbits have waned³
• Processing less than 100 animals, at peak was processing 800, abattoir has a very uncertain future.³
• “Cost of keeping this place going has risen dramatically since we started nearly ten years ago” Chris Frank, Meat safety officer.³
• “The commercial operation of growing poultry or rabbits has not kept pace with the costs of our operation here”.Chris Frank, Meat safety officer.³
• Jun. co-operative is on brink of insolvency and looking to close doors at end of financial year⁴
• Last small species abattoir in operation in NSW⁴
• Meeting to be held in Narooma consider abattoir future⁴
• “If people don’t have this option they are forced to buy chickens from Coles or Woolworths, we need the abattoir to keep local fresh produce viable” John Champagne, South East Producers Association⁴
• Not enough commercial breeders of small animals in the Valley to support the co-operative,⁴
• Insurance and electricity prices were a heavy burden⁴
• Abattoir licensed to process bones of larger animals, cattle & sheep, but can not afford the infrastructure to expand its operations⁴
• Meeting – 10 people signalled an in interest in using the abattoir which means its future is secure for now⁵
• Lack of members and decline in the supply of chickens and rabbits has meant the facility has been struggling to meet its running costs.⁵

Sources

1. ‘Abattoir welcomed’ Bombala times 16.06.04
2. ‘Slaughter your own meat, says Bega Abattoir’ ABC rural. 03.09.12
3. ‘Small abattoir at Bega may close” http://www.efarming.com.au. 15.03.13
4. ‘Fight to keep Bega abattoir afloat’ Bega District News 11.06.13
5. ‘Bega abattoir saved from getting the chop’ ABC News 14.06.13

Tagged: Australian co-operative abattoir, Australian meat processing, Bega abattoir, NSW abattoir, rabbit and poultry processing abattoir