Abattoir adopts benchmarking

BEEF FARMERS supplying the Aberdeen-based McIntosh Donald abattoir are to receive regular feedback bulletins, allowing them to benchmark their performance against the plant‘s average.

Producers‘ summaries will report on carcass weights, conformation and fatness scores, as well as estimating liveweight gain compared to the factory average.

Managing director Ralph Green said this represented a positive move with real benefits to farmers.

“Achieving maximum performance and hitting the required [carcass] grades will be even more important for producers after CAP reform,” he said.

Benchmarking summaries will also indicate values for different carcasses, allowing producers to see differences in returns.