Abattoir for light lambs
Abattoir for light lambs
THE Welsh Meat Company began operating its own abattoir this week, but only for light lambs entered into the governments welfare disposal scheme.
In a joint venture with the previous owners, the 540-member co-operative has re-opened Caerfagu Abattoir at Nantmel in Powys. In just two weeks about £200,000 has been invested in a refurbished slaughter hall and a modern sheep line. But because slaughtered lambs will go to landfill sites for now, only part of it will be used for the stun and bleed operation.
The co-ops directors have reassured farmer investors that building work will continue so the whole set-up can be licensed to kill sheep for human consumption. They anticipate having an export licence by the time the 2002 crop of lambs comes off the farms of mid-Wales.
John Davies, a director who farms 20 miles from the plant, says it makes sense to have a fairly high capacity slaughtering facility in the area with the greatest concentration of sheep in the UK. *