ROBERT Gill and family, Alexander Downs, Merriwa in the Hunter Valley, run a complete ‘paddock to plate’ integrated meat supply chain business.
Apart from their farming operation, they have their own feed mill, wholesale meat business at Rutherford and just five weeks ago they purchased the Kurri Meats abattoir and retail shop at Kurri Kurri, Maitland area.
Part from their new abattoir and retail business addition’s, the Gill family also plan to expand their business by launching their own Limousin branded beef product.
In the wholesale meat business since 1995, Mr Gill said the Limousin breed has always given them the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to a high yeilding carcase as well as the high end eating quality meat they aim to produce as a farming business.
“We have built our business on the Limousin breed and high eating quality beef,” Mr Gill said. “We are looking to source more high-end Limousin cross cattle to supply our elite butcher shops and restaurant clients who appreciate quality beef.”
At present, around 150 to 200 Limousin cross cattle go through the Alexander Downs system a week. But they want more – about 400 to 500 head a week is the demand.
The Australian Limousin Society, who are working closely with Mr Gill, to plan the future supply of the numbers and quality required, see this as a fantastic partnershipfor the breed within Australia.
President of the Australian Limousin Breed Society, Michael O’Sullivan, said this is one of the most exciting projects the breed has ever seen. Working closely with Alexander Downs and their new venture he sees this as a fresh, exciting focus for the Limousin breed.
“The Limousin breed has exceptional eating quality and the added bonus is the dressing percentage and yield that the breed has always been known for,” he said.
“The trends from Europe and the UK are starting to come to their fore here in Australia. High tenderness levels of the fast growing Limousin calves – that is why the breed has become number one in Europe and the UK.”
Mr O’Sullivan said he is keen to see commercial projects like this go ahead and continue the extra demand on the breed.
