Funding provides new purpose for Southern Downs abattoir

Carey Brothers abattoirs at Yangan was one of 14 businesses to receive a Rural Economic Development (RED) Grant of up to $250,000.  

Project director Mark Carey said the funding would be used to help upgrade the rendering equipment of the abattoir to help keep up with changing market demands.  

“We currently sell cattle hides for use in the leather industry, however, market demand has been severely diminished due to the increase in demand for synthetic materials which can be produced much cheaper than natural leather,” he said. 

“Because of this drastic change in the market, we now receive nothing for the cattle hides and pay to freight the hides to Brisbane, so we needed to find a solution.” 

A new specially designed pressurised batch cooker will be installed at the abattoir to enable the cooking and rendering of these cattle hides into by-products meat meal protein and tallow. 

The increased production of meat meal protein will be sold into the pigs and poultry feed market and the tallow is exported. 

“As yet the abattoir engineering industry has not developed equipment for the cutting of hides before cooking, and it remains a labour intensive process.  Before cooking, the hides have to be cut into smaller pieces and then combined with other raw product so that the hide breaks down efficiently during the process,” Mr Carey said.  

The installation of the pressurised batch cooker and planned increase in throughput will create up to 16 full time employment opportunities directly and indirectly in the Southern Downs region. 

 “Initially, after the new equipment is installed and throughput increases Carey Brothers abattoir will need up to 10 new employees,” Mr Carey said.

“These new employment opportunities will predominantly be sourced locally and may attract new residents to our area which will help to support other local businesses.” 

The Rural Economic Development (RED) Grants program offers emerging projects up to $250,000 in co-contributions to build industry and grow employment opportunities across the agricultural sector. The $10 million grants program provides for three funding rounds over a three-year period ending 2021. 

A total of 14 businesses have received $3.34 million under the second round of funding for the RED Grants program. Overall these 14 projects are expected to create more than 600 jobs across the agricultural sector in regional Queensland.

QRIDA offers a range of assistance to primary producers, small business and non-profit organisations. To find out what’s available visit Programs and Services.

The Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) administer the RED Grant scheme on behalf of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.