To date, the majority of abattoirs have resisted the free installation of DEXA offered by MLA. The new DEXA technology provides scientific measurements of meat yield, fat and bone, which can increase abattoir productivity and efficiency.

MLA managing director Richard Norton said there was no point in pushing the technology onto an industry that does not want it, but hoped processors would come around in time.

“While we agree that the technology is solid, we acknowledge that some processors are not currently in a position to be able to install DEXA,” Norton said.

“We hope that in the future they will be able to take it up and see just how efficiently the technology runs for their business,” he said.

WAFarmers livestock section president David Slade said the use of DEXA had been proven to increase efficiencies for both producers and processors.

“WAFarmers supports the use of this technology in abattoirs as it benefits both processors and producers so that better decisions can be made towards supplying market needs,” Slade said.

“This really is ground-breaking technology, and we applaud MLA for utilising levy funds to develop this for use on sheep and cows. Of the abattoirs that have used DEXA thus far, there has been a 20 to 30 per cent increase in efficiency, which is quite a significant result,” he said.

The WA Farmers livestock section president said use of DEXA also gives greater transparency to the producer so they can take the information and alter breeding objectives to meet market demand.

“Given labour shortages in meat processing and the fact that the technology has been proven to work, we would have thought that it would be a no-brainer for processors to take up the technology,” Slade said.