Robotic sheep processing continues

The meat industry is to spend millions of dollars researching how the use of automation technology in sheep processing can increase productivity and help with labour shortages reports the NZ Herald. The Foundation for Research Science and Technology said it was working with nine meat industry companies in the $16.7 million research initiative. MIA chief executive Tim Ritchie said the project would deliver productivity improvements of up to $43m a year within five years. Researchers planned to use state-of-the-art sensing and robotic technology to fully automate the early stages of sheep processing including removing the pelt and the internal organs, Mr Ritchie said. The technology would mean 18 fewer people were needed on each processing chain, per shift.It would also improve pelt and meat quality, and cut costs related to accidents and injuries, Ritchie said. The technology would help the industry tackle a growing labour shortage. "Rather than carrying out repetitive and heavy manual labour, workers will be operators of sophisticated technology," said Ritchie. The nine meat companies involved in the research were Silver Fern Farms, Alliance Group, ANZCO, Taylor Preston, Progressive Meats, Bernard Matthews, Crusader Meats, Auckland Meat Processors, and Blue Sky Meats.