Dubbo based processor Roger Fletcher talks about how animal welfare is part and parcel of the sheep industry.
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00:00 [Music plays]
00:06 I'm Roger Fletcher from Fletcher International.
00:08 We run from farms to the transport to overseas through the abattoirs
00:16 and we follow the full chain right through
00:19 and we're proud of our achievements.
00:23 Animal welfare is part of a journey of all what we do
00:28 from our pharmaceuticals through to better yards, better sheds on farms,
00:35 looking at better things to manage our livestock in.
00:40 The transport industry has done a phenomenal job of improving theirs,
00:44 better trucks, better handling.
00:49 Abattoirs, we've got to the major, now it's more larger abattoirs
00:54 and part of the animal welfare, you know, if you're bigger
00:59 you can do a better job of looking after animals.
01:02 In animal welfare, I think we're above most countries in the world
01:05 and I'm proud of what we've done.
01:08 I think, you know, we're fortunate enough to see everyone else in the world
01:12 and, you know, we debate to try and help them too
01:15 and people come out here looking at our procedures
01:18 to try and improve their side
01:21 and that's one thing Australian farmers and us as processors, we do.
01:25 Animal welfare and pain relief, I think it's just a no-brainer of it.
01:30 I was in Sydney when I first seen Trisolvent
01:33 and it was out at someone's place and I looked and they had some movies
01:38 where they'd done it and a few lambs and things
01:41 and I just said, "This is a no-brainer."
01:44 And we were milking sheep and a couple of weeks after
01:47 and I said, "Look, where can I get it?"
01:49 And we'd done it because I was convinced there
01:53 and I don't think I've ever been to one of those sorts of things in Sydney
01:57 that would have been able to convince me so easily
02:00 because there was nothing to talk about.
02:02 It was just common sense.
02:05 Trisolvent works straight away and, you know, the animals,
02:08 when they were mules, they went out and started eating grass
02:12 and they were contented.
02:15 And it was healed up in a few days
02:18 and I think it was one of the greater vengeance, you know,
02:21 of animal welfare we've done.
02:24 Trisolvent's now been around long enough
02:27 where virtually every neighbour or everyone next door has used it.
02:31 And the best one, it's like our customers with meat.
02:35 The best people to promote my product is my customers
02:39 and when they see someone next door that's done it
02:42 and what returns showed on their livestock,
02:46 that's all you've got to do.
02:49 Self-promotion, very simple.
02:51 And it's the best promotion.