FREMANTLE, Western Australia – Wellard, an Australian agri-business specializing in livestock and grain, acquired Beaufort River Meats abattoir in Woodanilling, Western Australia.

The acquisition expands Wellard's product range for overseas clients and complements the company's live sheep export business. Additionally, farmers will have more opportunities to market their sheep while satisfying global demand for protein.

"We now can offer sheep producers a “the whole of mob purchase option” because we can select animals which are suitable for export and animals which are suitable for local processing, an option we did not have before," said Mauro Balzarini, Wellard executive chairman. "Western Australian producers will benefit from this certainty and can take advantage of that dual demand.

"Combined, Beaufort River Meats and Wellard will provide important slaughter and live export competition in the market place that will benefit Western Australian sheep producers," he added.

Beaufort River Meats will re-open in October after its annual winter shutdown, according to Wellard. The Beaufort River facility has a capacity of 2,500 head per day. Sheep and lambs will be Halal slaughtered, chilled and frozen to supply global markets, according to Wellard.