MD Foods Australia
On the banks of the Murray River, MD Foods slaughters thousands of sheep and goats every week in a purpose built killing factory.
Previously known as Riverside Meats, the slaughterhouse was exposed twice by Animals Australia in 2013 and 2016, with footage showing abuse, poor stunning and suffering of sheep, cows, goats and bobby calves. These investigations led to significant media coverage and the slaughterhouse was forced to install CCTV, before opting to shut down in 2018 amid protests from workers.
Three years later they quietly reopened as MD Foods Australia. Three years after that, we visited to see if much had changed.
They may have a new name, but our cameras captured the same violence and abuse towards animals. From the holding pens to the race, sheep and goats were pulled by their ears and horns, pinned by gates, and roughly thrown through the air by workers.
Upon being restrained, improper stunning and mishandling led to many animals escaping onto the kill floor, being painfully stunned multiple times, and even being killed while fully conscious. Some struggled so violently after having their throats cut that they broke free of the shackle line and were left to thrash on the kill floor as the blood of others washed over them.
The recent footage bears a disturbing resemblance to the cruelty uncovered almost 10 years ago by Animals Australia. All of this abuse was done in clear sight of the same CCTV cameras which were installed to prevent cruelty all those years ago. There is no compassion, remorse, or consequences. These animals are abused at every step along the path towards their painful deaths.
Parent company:
Dabbagh Enterprises Pty Ltd
Address: 3-15 Plummer Rd, Laverton North, VIC 3026
Phone: +61 3 8360 5265
E-mail: [email protected]
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dabbaghqm/
Demand action:
- Contact the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Julie Collins MP
- Contact the Victorian Minister for Agriculture, Ros Spence MP
Prior investigations
First investigation (2013):
Footage taken by hidden cameras inside Riverside Meats Abattoir, Echuca VIC, was anonymously provided to Animals Australia in early 2013.
The footage depicts young calves being pushed, shocked with electric prods, hit and dragged up a metal ramp to be slaughtered; "waste products" of the dairy industry. Some, too weak to stand, are thrown into the slaughter chute. Over 700000 calves are killed each year at around 5 days old so that their mothers can continue producing milk to be sold to consumers.
Upon receiving the footage, Animals Australia lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) for breaches of Victorian animal cruelty laws and the illegal use of an electric prod on a calf. A formal complaint was also lodged with PrimeSafe for breaches of the Australian Standards governing welfare at abattoirs; PrimeSafe ordered the practices cease immediately. Investigations have now concluded - incredibly, no charges have been laid. Instead, the abattoir owners and several workers were issued with formal warnings by DPI.
Second investigation (2016):
Exposed a second time by Animals Australia in November 2016: www.animalsaustralia.org/features/they-stabbed-babies. Hidden camera footage showed horrific abuse to bobby calves ('waste products' of the dairy industry), goats, sheep, cows and pigs.
Campaigns (2)
Take action (1)
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EMAIL: Help us shut down slaughterhouses
Across 2023 and 2024, our team documented and filmed conditions at 30 slaughterhouses across fjve states in Australia, the largest investigation into animal slaughter in the countries history. We exposed systemic suffering and abuse in over 10% of Australia's animal slaughter facilities, revealing the reality which is hidden by labels such as 'humane,' and 'high welfare.' Through thousands of hours of footage from hidden cameras, we showed that no animal goes to their death calmly or willingly; there is always pain, there is always fear and there is always suffering. The mass slaughter of intelligent, sentient animals has no place within our... Act now >
Photos (159)
Videos (19)
Documents (0)
Campaign materials (0)
News (10)
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Cruelty claim at Echuca abattoir
Thursday 15 Aug 2024 by
An animal advocacy organisation has accused an Echuca abattoir of cruelty, after using secretly installed hidden cameras. Read more >
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State and federal government to probe Echuca’s MD Foods over animal cruelty allegations
Thursday 15 Aug 2024 by
Authorities are probing a notorious Echuca slaughterhouse after shocking footage allegedly revealed animals being killed while still conscious. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES Read more >
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Echuca abattoir under investigation after alleged animal mistreatment
Thursday 24 Nov 2016 by
Riverside Meats has been sanctioned and directed to remove four staff members from their roles following allegations of animal mistreatment. Read more >
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Oldest abattoir in Vic probed over animal abuse
Thursday 24 Nov 2016 by
One of Victoria's oldest abattoirs is under investigation after workers were secretly filmed mistreating animals for the second time in three years. Read more >
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Vic abattoir abuse is 'worst' vet has seen
Wednesday 23 Nov 2016 by
Animals at an Echuca slaughterhouse have been tortured in shocking videos that Victoria's chief vet says are the worst he's seen in his career. Read more >
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Echuca abattoir under investigation after whistle-blower filmed animal mistreatment
Wednesday 23 Nov 2016 by
One of Victoria's oldest abattoirs, Riverside Meats Abattoir, has been sanctioned and four staff sacked over poor animal welfare, after secret video revealed mistreatment of animals. Read more >
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Secret video inside Victoria's Riverside Meats Abattoir reveals shocking abuse
Wednesday 23 Nov 2016 by
One of Victoria's oldest abattoirs has been sanctioned and four staff moved after a secret video revealed the mistreatment of animals, including pigs and newborn calves. Read more >
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Riverside Meats: Abattoir footage 'shocking and disturbing'
Wednesday 23 Nov 2016 by
A VICTORIAN abattoir has been slammed by the State Government over allegations it mistreated animals. Read more >
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Abattoir formally warned for mistreatment of dairy calves
Wednesday 6 Feb 2013 by
Animals Australia say a formal warning issued to an Echuca abattoir found to be mistreating dairy calves is not enough. Read more >
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Victorian abbatoir accused of cruel treatment of unwanted dairy calves
Friday 1 Feb 2013 by
Video obtained by Lateline from the lobby group Animals Australia appears to show cruel treatment of unwanted dairy claves being sent for slaughter. Read more >
Media releases by FTP (3)
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Open letter to Prime Minister, signed by senator and state MPs, calls for independent regulation of animal slaughter
Thursday 24 Oct 2024
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Cassy O’Connor and Abigail Boyd join state MPs to call for independent oversight of Australian slaughterhouses Farm Transparency Project, who wrote the letter, says that the government has failed to appropriately investigate hundreds of cases of alleged animal cruelty. The organisation is accusing the government department of corruption, claiming that their actions have raised doubts about their integrity and suitability to monitor and regulate animal welfare. Read the open letter View photos and footage An open letter, signed by a senator, several state MPs and animal protection organisations, is calling on the Prime Minister's office... Read more >
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Open letter regarding inadequacy and corruption of abattoir regulator
Thursday 24 Oct 2024
Dear Mr Albanese, I am writing on behalf of Farm Transparency Project, a non-profit animal protection organisation focused on raising public awareness about commercial animal farming and slaughter practices through comprehensive investigations into Australian animal use facilities. Over the past decade, our organisation has investigated a number of facilities and practices, catalysing significant animal welfare reforms. In recent years, this has included: Publishing footage of the foothold trapping and killing of native dingoes in Victoria by government contractors, stimulating debate and likely contributing to the Victorian government ending the practice in parts of the state. Investigating the failed phase-out of... Read more >
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Sheep and goats killed while conscious at ‘notorious’ Echuca slaughterhouse
Wednesday 14 Aug 2024
New hidden camera footage has been captured at a Victorian slaughterhouse, which has been previously exposed twice for animal cruelty. The footage, captured this year by Farm Transparency Project, shows sheep and goats being beaten and thrown by workers, as well as having their throats slit while fully conscious. MD Foods (formerly Riverside Meats) reopened in 2021, three years after shutting down. A 2016 investigation revealing significant animal cruelty had led to a mandated installation of CCTV to monitor slaughter. View photos and footage Animal advocacy organisation Farm Transparency Project has released new hidden camera footage, taken during a covert investigation by... Read more >
ABN Lookup
| ABN | 89 657 211 491 (open lookup) |
| Entity name | MD FOODS AUS PTY LTD |
| ABN status | Active from 10 February 2022 |
| Entity type | Australian Private Company |
| Goods & Services Tax (GST) | Registered from 01 March 2023 |
| Main business location | VIC 3026 from 10 February 2022 |
| ABN last updated | 13 April 2023 |
| Extracted from ABR | 09 July 2025 |
