Warragul

Other Names

• Radford’s¹
• R Radford and Sons abattoir³

Current Operation

• Currently operating at 16.11.2013

Location   

• Warragul is approximately 120km south east of Melbourne.
  

Hema Maps – Australia Handy map – 9th edition

Owner

• Radford’s¹
  • Family-owned meat processing business³
  • Managing director – Robert Radford¹

Operation  

•  At 2011 processing 120,000 sheep and lambs and 80,000 cattle per year²
  
• Operate 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year³
  • 1,400 cattle and 2,500 lambs a week³
  • Currently processing sheep and cattle but looking to process goats in the future⁵
    • Goat processing added after closure of Trafalgar (Giles) abattoir⁷
  • Currently domestic processing 18-21kg carcases boutique markets⁵
  • Process lamb for different domestic cultural and religious festivals⁵
    • lambs need to be very lean 116-18kg⁵
    • Italian community like 18-20kg⁵
    • Vietnamese and Chinese want very lean 20-22kg, no fat⁵
    • Warragul own a retail shop in Kyneton, this has added to tourist trade⁵
  • Export markets
    • Middle east require a very lean carcase under 18kg⁵
      • cook meat slowly and too much fat congeals at top of pots⁵
    • Lamb and mutton exported both whole and 6-way cuts, fresh and frozen air freight⁵
  • 15% production is certified organic⁵
    • 40-50% growth in organic meat processing in lst 3-5 years⁵
• Animals sourced all over Victoria, In SA Mt Gambier and Naracoorte, In NSW as far as Gunnedah, at times also Tasmania.³

Source Hema maps – Australia Handy map 9th edition

Figure 1 – showing area from which Warragul abattoir source animals across South east Australia

• Animal Welfare practices³
  • animals are stunned with electric stunner, cattle knocked unconcious prior to slaughter³
  • Stunning is audited and people are specifically trained for the stunning role³
  • Primesafe -Victorian meat authority conduct regular audits at least 3-4 times a year³
  • Audits are unannounced inspections³
    • “Focus on animal welfare is critical to the success of an abattoirs relationship to its suppliers and customers” Robert Radford, Manager⁵
    • There are sound business reasons to conduct rules of treatment and slaughter of animals.³
      • business can be closed instantly for breaches³
      • Plant invested heavily to allow animals to rest prior to slaughter³
      • Stock yards are covered in sawdust to soften footing. – then is reused as fertlizer³
      • stressed animals create poor quality meat cutting so better welfare is a better animal carcase produced³
        • stockyards are undercover and allow 750 cattle to be held.³
        • Animals allowed up to 48 hours rest before slaughter⁵
  • Prediction of meat quality use³
    • PH level as indication³
    • hanging method of carcase is tender stretching and not hung from achilles³
  • Resources used³
    • water was a major problem in the drought – using 100,000 litres per day,³
      • not connected to mains water and had no access to ground water³
      • developed a recycling of own effluent waste³
      • developed with help of governmentm cost $1.1M³
  • Products
    • skins – are all sold as tenders to various markets and graded to their quality³
      • skins often to China – car seat covers, shoe lining, clothing⁵
    • Offal and other byproducts are value added, producing tallow and meat meal⁵
  • Business
    • need to constantly look at Research and development to consider productivity, running costs and new technology to increase through-put³
    • Looking to enter Halal export markets⁵
    • Domestic Halal is common, enables offal byproducts to be sold for human consumption⁵
    • Only some victoria abattoirs allowed to do Kosher processing⁵
  • Slaughter process
    • Last 20 years focus is meat processing and wholesalers⁵
    • After each kill – meat buyers mark up (rate) bodies at 5am each morning, looking at quality and matching to orders⁴
      • Average 120 bodies – 60 will get top money, 30 OK, 15 barely cover costs and 15 probably lose money due to bruising or cutting dark⁴
      • “You’ll get your money on 50% of the beef bodies, the next 20-30% you’ll make a bit on, and the rest you’ll go backwards by about $40 to $50 a body” Danny Hood – Meat Wholesaler⁴
      • Being a perishable item, aim is to have the kill sold and placed within 7 days⁴
      • Price spread across beef bodies of 100c/kg carcass weight⁴
      • Domestic to wholesaler mark up is approximately 50-70c/kg⁴
      • 200kg carcase from abattoir has markup about $140 by wholesaler to cover transport, processing fees and delivery charges.⁴
  • Employees
    • Warragul employees average 10 years of continuous service⁶
    • In 60 years of trading not lost a single day to industrial disputes⁶
    • All employees require Certificate 2 status in food processing⁶

History

1944

• Father began business as one-man slaughterhouse
  • on-man slaughterhouses were in most towns, Warragul had 6.

   

1946

• Radfords – Warragul established⁶

2007

• Involved in delegation of 200 Victorian food manufacturers to develop worlds first  global halal brand, invited by the Brunei government.¹
• Note from Managing director R Radford and Son – 28/02/2014 – Radfords were a participant in the delegation to Brunei, any publications stating or implying that R Radford and Son process meat for halal markets are incorrect. R Radford and Son do not and have never processed meat for halal markets and have not sought accreditation.¹
  

2011

• Won awards²
  1. NAB agribusiness leader of the year²
     • In past decade Warragul have doubled processing to 80,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and lambs a year.²
  2. Environment and Energy management²
  • Reduced consumption of electricity by 4.17%²
  • Reduced gas consumption by 30.5%²
  • Reduced fuel use by 19.2%²
  • Reduced water use by 44.5%²

  2012

• Up to 2012 had invested $8.3M in new plant. equipment and supporting infrastructure

Sources

1. ‘Victorians work on first global halal brand’ The Age 24.09.2007
2. ‘Abattoir leads way’ Pakenham Gazette star community 07.12.2011
3. ‘A cut above’ ABC Landline 21.10.13.
4. ‘Story behind beef retail prices’ Weekly Times 10.10.2013
5. ‘Abattoirs cater to emerging markets’ Stock Journal 26.09.2013
6. http://www.radfordmeats.com
7. Inquiry into the impact of food safety regulation on farms and other business 18.10.12.
8. Personnal Communication. R Radford. 28.02.2014