Nippon Meat Packers Australia will host an open day for active livestock suppliers at its Oakey abattoir west of Toowoomba next Tuesday, September 6.

The day, starting at 9.30am will include a short address from NMPA director of sales, Stephen Kelly, followed by a detailed inspection tour of the plant.

Many suppliers may not yet have had the opportunity to inspect Oakey’s state-of-the art boning room and kill floor facilities, completed three or four years ago.

The boning room completed in late 2008 features four production lines, and the ability to provide individual animal traceability right through to vacuum-packed primals in a carton. This is unique in Australian processing systems with large throughputs like Oakey’s, of above 1100 head per day, single shift.

Another change in emphasis for Oakey in recent years has been the move from being primarily a dedicated grainfed plant to killing a much broader range of cattle, from grassfed export steers to grain and grassfed yearlings, bulls and cows, and high quality EU grain and grassfed. 

The day will conclude with a barbecue and ‘taste test’ lunch showcasing the wide range of grain and grassfed product now generated through the plant.

The Oakey open day will coincide with the start of Toowoomba’s Ag-Show field days, making a convenient value-add stop-off for cattle producers heading from west to east for the field days, being held from September 6-8.

Intending visitors are asked to contact Oakey livestock manager Kurt Wockner in advance for catering purposes. Kurt’s email is kwockner@oakeyabattoir.com.au