Western Downs piggery on track to expand

The piggery recently bought an additional allocation from a private vendor to extract from the Hutton Aquifer. As well it has received an allocation for the deeper Precipice Aquifer, through the Great Artesian Basin Sustainability Initiative (GABSI) allocation.

According to Sunpork Group CEO and managing director, Dr Robert van Barneveld, this latest water security gives the company confidence to go forward.

"We have long been concerned about water security at Tong Park, as we were relying on surface water for wash down and cooling, and a single Hutton Bore for drinking," he said.

The piggery will increase production from 9000 sows to 13,000 with approval for expansion plans given by the Western Downs Regional Council.

Dr van Barneveld said the company can now develop its growth. 

“This will enable us to manage our growth at Tong Park which is a ‘farrow to finish’ operation,” Dr van Barneveld said.

“We’re a ‘genetics to food, supply chain business’, and there is huge demand for fresh pork.” 

The expansion will take place over a number of stages, with the building of 16 new finisher sheds already underway. Once the expansion is completed, it will house an additional 40,000 pigs.

The expansion fits well with the company-owned pig processing facility, Swickers, at Kingaroy.

“We are building a new kill floor that will accommodate our increased production, and that of other producers,” he said.

The Tong Park Piggery currently turns-off 3600 pigs weekly, and production will increase to 5200 each week. 

Each sow produces 23 pigs annually, with the piglets weaned at 23 days-of-age.

Sows are mated by artificial insemination using genetics from its own PIC Australia advanced breeding program. 

“By using these genetics it gives us the cutting edge to keep ahead of the market place,” Dr van Barneveld said.

Once weaned the pigs are fed for a variety of markets including butcher, supermarket, restaurant and export specifications. Veterinarians and nutritionists guide the differing feeding regimes from weaning to finishing. 

The pigs are turned-off to Swickers at 21 weeks and averaging 100kg liveweight.  All male pigs are vaccinated at 17 weeks against boar taint. 

Water security is vital in supply drinking, water, washdown and cool cell water for the air conditioning in the units.

Tong Park was originally the Hayward piggery and was sold to Nippon Meat Packers in 1999. Nippon started on a new 6000 sow farrow to finish facility in 2000.

In 2012 the CHM Group took ownership, and it has gown to a 9200 sow capacity.  Tong Park was rebranded under the Sunpork Farms brand in 2015. 

Western Downs Regional Council Mayor, Paul McVeigh, said the expansion will create 30 new jobs into the small community and source 55,00 tonnes of grain locally.