Savanna Beef has completed its first trial slaughter at its new processing facility, as the plant nears the end of its construction phase.
Board Chairperson Mecki Schneider said twenty cattle were delivered for the trial from a shareholder near Windhoek. “After taking one slaughter animal through the slaughter line without any major hick-ups the management team immediately decided to slaughter another 5 head of cattle,” Schneider said.
He added that the remaining cattle would be processed over the course of the week, with cooling facilities to be monitored over the weekend and the deboning, vacuum packing and boxing facilities tested next week.
He explained that the trial was aimed at testing both equipment and personnel.
“The main aim of this trial slaughter run was to test the functionality of all equipment as well as the first training session of new personnel on the slaughter line and acquainting them with the new equipment, the technological advances in machinery, data capture and software procedures,” he said.
Schneider said the trial was crucial to refining the plant’s efficiency.
“This first test run was essential to identify numerous improvements and adjustments which will be made after this first practical testing of the equipment as well as training of the new personnel. All this is still part of the EPC contract before official handover. Many small adjustments that are now planned will make this facility even more efficient,” he said.
According to Schneider, the trial slaughter was carried out with the support of the abattoir’s international partners.
“We had the support from an Irish team who supplied part of the equipment as well as the training team still under the Nexus EPC contract. Many other equipment suppliers, engineers, financiers, monitored the slaughter procedure with great enthusiasm and interest,” he said.
Looking ahead, Schneider said the next objective would be to secure regional and international market access.
“Our next aim then would be to achieve SADC export status and start with the EU accreditation process still with a limited number of slaughter cattle,” he said.
He added that management had been authorised to acquire cattle on an ad hoc basis until the official slaughter allocation system takes effect after February 2026, once EU accreditation is achieved.
Since 2021, more than N$600 million has been raised for the project by Cirrus, including N$200 million in equity from over 700 producers.
