Kangaroo Industry

Kangaroo Management Program

Kangaroos are a unique indigenous species, where as there are 48 species of kangaroo (macropods) only 5 of the most abundant species are commercially harvested. Kangaroo numbers are now greater than ever before. Due to increase in kangaroo numbers it has become necessary to commercially harvest 10% - 15% of the population yearly to prevent economic and environmental damage. Strict controls ensure that no more than the quota number is actually harvested.

Through careful management the Australian Kangaroo Industry has developed to its current level where Australia processes millions of tonnes of high quality meat as well as a large range of leather products. Each Australian state that commercially harvests kangaroos must have in place a Federal Government approved management plan. These plans must be updated every 3 years and aerial surveys of the population are conducted every year. After assessing the total populations and trends in population numbers a sustainable quota as to the number of kangaroos that can be harvested for that year. Kangaroos are harvested only from primary producing properties in Australia.

Government Regulations

The Kangaroo industry today is tightly regulated by the Australian Government's Primary Industries and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Services. Audits and inspections are conducted routinely to ensure compliance with the State's regulations and the Australian Standards. Macro Meats-Gourmet Game prides itself on being an active and responsible member of the Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia.

How The Kangaroo Industry Works

Government surveys & monitors kangaroo populations in each state to set quotas. Tags are issued to cull kangaroos only to accredited Field Processors. Field Processor's can only supply to an Accredited Game Meat Processor.

How A Commercial Kangaroo Carcase Is Handled

• Field Processor does an ante-mortem inspection
• Shoots the kangaroo
• Inspects the kangaroo just shot
• Bleeds, eviscerate & dress
• Inspects viscera
• Transport to refrigerated chiller for storage
• Refrigerated truck picks up & inspects then transports to Processing plant
• On receiving at plant inspected, placed in storage cool room
• Kangaroo is now skun and inspected by a AQIS Vet & Inspector plus company Inspector
• Once boned the meat is inspected at least another 5 points in accordance to our QA programe

Each Kangaroo carcase is inspected at lease 12 times before being passed fit for human consumption and is processed in EU Export plant

A field Processor must be first accredited by:

• Department of Heritage must license (s123) him first & deem that person to be a fit & proper person to hold a license.
• Field Processor must have character references to gain a license.
• Pass a firearm accuracy test with the Firearms Authority.
• Pass the Australian Game Meat Hygiene & Handling course run by TAFE, this course takes between 3 to 6 months & includes following modules:
  1. Hygiene
  2. Micro-organisms
  3. Growth of mirco-organisms
  4. Growth requirements of bacteria
  5. How to kill or control bacteria
  6. Causes of food spoilage
  7. Food poisoning
  8. Bacterial food poisoning
  9. Other causes of food poisoning
  10. Diseases associated with game animals
  11. Viral diseases
  12. Diseases caused by bacteria
  13. Diseases caused by protozoa
  14. Diseases caused by fungi
  15. Macroscopic organisms
  16. Federal & State Acts
  17. Humane killing
  18. Field Inspection & dressing
  19. Ante-mortem inspection
  20. Protective clothing & hygiene procedures
  21. Collecting & inspecting the newly shot game animal
  22. Bleeding the game animal
  23. Gutting the kangaroo
  24. Gut inspection
  25. Trimming & tagging
  26. Requirements of culling vehicle
  27. Transport field-dressed carcasses on a shooting vehicle
  28. Transfer of game carcasses to a field chiller
  29. Cleaning a vehicle & chiller
  30. Requirements & regulations for operating field chillers
  31. HACCP
• The above is assessed both by theory & practical