Monitorisation of animal welfare in a bovine and ovine/goat slaughterhouse

Abstract

Animal welfare in the slaughterhouses is a recent issue in European legislation (Reg. (CE) N. 1099/2009 of Council 24^th September) and still with low mien at national level, mainly in respect to ruminants. Nowadays its known that animal welfare is not only a moral question, but also that have a significant influence in meat quality. Further, consumers are more sensitive to issues concerning animal welfare and food safety, valorizing new ways of production that respect animals, demanding to the producer an update to his working methods and adaptation to the legislation.

To accomplish the present work, developed in SAPJU CARNES, S.A. slaughterhouse, in Beja, daily monitoring was carried out, with observation and registration of the bovines, ovines and goats pre-slaughter processing, with the goal to verify the compliance of animal welfare procedures along pre-slaughtering, which were implemented by the legislation Reg. (CE) N. 1099/2009.

The bleeding was the indicator that obtained higher rate of compliance, showing that the operator is skilled in executing the task, and proceeds in an exemplar mode in all different species.

Thus regarding the results obtained, in general terms, its possible to conclude that besides all the developed efforts by the animal welfare responsible of the slaughterhouse, its still not possible to achieve the total commitments in the implemented procedures. Collaborators are still in the adaptation step to the new procedures and in the training stage which is given at the workplace with the acquisition of new methods and respective practice. This assignment demands an effort from SAPJU CARNES S.A. team to be in compliance with legal requirements.