Sharing the gains from meat mechanisation

The most obvious benefits, he says, are the reduced reliance on labour and improved productivity, which will in turn improve returns for farmers.

“This consortium potentially improves the value chain returns both to the farmers in New Zealand and the processors. Ultimately, what we want to do is then invest back in their businesses as well. So if we can improve profitability, particularly domestic, significant investment opportunities will be opened up.”

It is important to understand that reduced reliance on labour does not mean redundancies, Richard says. While 25 years ago people were leaving school to join the meat industry, this has now changed and the industry struggles to get the labour it needs - particularly as real wages in the industry have fallen during this time.
 
As OAL Manager, Richard co-ordinates the contracts with Government  and with the providers of the technology, specifically IRL and Millers Mechanical. OAL was set up as a consortium by the industry partners to manage the ovine automation programme, with Richard becoming involved through his role as Innovation Programme Manager with the Meat Industry Association and previous roles within industry.

Industry at the time was looking at projects that met certain criteria, he says. They had to be of a size that no individual company would be able to commit to on their own, and have the capability to attract Crown funding.

“That was really what attracted us to it,” says Richard. “And also that it was the first cab off the rank, if you like - every carcass in New Zealand has to go through the slaughter board and, by and large, the processes are fairly similar from company to company. It’s when you get to the boning rooms they get a bit different, and the commercial drivers subsequently change.”

Whilst there have been many challenges along the way, Richard McColl believes that ultimately the OAL consortium will significantly  reinforce New Zealand’s position as a pre-eminent research provider and innovator in sheep meat processing around the world.