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
- Middle east require a very lean carcase under 18kg5
- 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
- water was a major problem in the drought – using 100,000 litres per day,3
- 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
- skins – are all sold as tenders to various markets and graded to their quality3
- 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
- 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
- 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
- NAB agribusiness leader of the year2
- Up to 2012 had invested $8.3M in new plant. equipment and supporting infrastructure
Sources
- ‘Victorians work on first global halal brand’ The Age 24.09.2007
- ‘Abattoir leads way’ Pakenham Gazette star community 07.12.2011
- ‘A cut above’ ABC Landline 21.10.13.
- ‘Story behind beef retail prices’ Weekly Times 10.10.2013
- ‘Abattoirs cater to emerging markets’ Stock Journal 26.09.2013
- http://www.radfordmeats.com
- Inquiry into the impact of food safety regulation on farms and other business 18.10.12.
- Personnal Communication. R Radford. 28.02.2014