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Karl Schembri
Cattle transferred to the government-run abattoir in Marsa on their final voyage are facing a disturbingly cruel, filthy and unsafe environment that is also raising the risk of contamination of meat sold for human consumption, MaltaToday can reveal.
A report drawn up by foreign veterinary health experts on an EU inspection in Malta last September gives an infernal picture of what the cattle have to go through before they are slaughtered. In many cases, the killing itself ends up being painful because of unsuccessful and repeated attempts, as other cattle watch in shock and trauma.
The Abattoir Welfare Assessment report leaked to MaltaToday speaks of cattle awaiting slaughter in abysmal health conditions, cows pulled with extreme force towards restraining pens, inadequate stunning guns that required repeated killing attempts and cattle restrained to wall-mounted rings for long periods left unable to drink and lie down.
Equally disturbing is the filthy situation inside the abattoir where experts found that “the risk of contamination of meat by dirty hides, skin and dirty hair is significant”, with the problem having probably worsened during the autumn and winter months.
The experts say in their report that some of the protective boots worn by the workers were “very dirty and contaminated with faeces” raising even further the risk of meat contamination.
“The risk of carcass contamination by ineffectively cleaned equipment or clothing is very significant,” the experts say. Even the splitting saw was inadequately cleaned as “the water bath provided for its cleaning did not reach an adequately high water temperature”.
Cattle are also suffering at the restraining box where they are supposed to be stunned to death. Experts say the overall environment there, including bad lighting, loud noise, inadequate surfaces and unnecessary personnel, create “significant welfare issues” – with the most significant being “the need to pull, push and force animals to enter the ramp area” leading to the stunning box.
“It has become accepted that unofficial personnel are allowed access to the area – to the detriment of animal welfare and carcass quality,” the experts maintain. “The whole operation in many commercial abattoirs is conducted by 3/4 abattoir personnel – it is strongly suggested that a minimum number of people are permitted in this area.”
Also in contravention of the law, individual cattle were witnessed as being tied to a lorry by the front leg and dragged by extreme force into the restraining pen.
“The welfare implications of this practice are severe,” the experts say.
Tail twisting – also an illegal practice – is also used as a method of coercion in an attempt to get the cattle to move forward into the restraining box, while pieces of wood and pipes are believed to be used to provoke the cattle that refuse to move forward.
The animals were also found to be extremely fearful of entering the stunning box because of shadows created by the sunlight and loud noises. So loud is the noise created by the compressed air used to power the entry gate that besides scaring animals the experts say this may be hazardous to the slaughter men’s hearing.
The very floor of the restraining pen used for stunning was found to be permanently angled to facilitate the roll-out of the cattle after they are stunned, but this was causing them to slip and fall within the box “following extreme coercion”.
“Where cattle failed to exit automatically from the restraining pen following stunning, a steel pipe was used to initiate movement by levering the animal against the side,” the experts added. “Given that the heart is still beating at this point, it is possible that bruising of the carcass and direct damage to the hide could take place as a result of this.”
The stunning procedure itself lacks a backup in cases when the animals still manage to remain alive, making the whole procedure even more prolonged and painful. The cartridges used to stun the cattle are also found to be “completely inappropriate” as their size was not effective for cattle, with the experts maintaining they found evidence that different types of cartridges were being used on heavy cattle “without consideration as to whether they provided the required strength”.
A number of knife washing points and water baths were present, however they did not contain water at a temperature high enough to cause sterilisation of the knives used. Even here, the experts report, the risk of carcass contamination by ineffectively cleaned knives is very significant.
Several ‘middlemen’ were seen in the slaughter hall during the inspection.
“These persons were not appropriately dressed to be present in a place preparing meat for consumption and sale to the public,” the experts warned. “It would seem unlikely that these persons have been trained in appropriate behaviour within a food preparation area, have signed a health declaration or have been officially authorised to be present.”
Even the transport of cattle to the abattoir was found to be of shocking standards.
“The conditions of transport observed on all lorries during the visit was in general contravention of the Animal Welfare Act,” the experts said, who reported lorry surfaces covered in water, urine and faeces leading animals to slip and fall even when the vehicles were stationary.
“Given the condition of Maltese roads this is a potentially injurious environment during transport,” the experts reported.
Among the cows transferred to the slaughterhouse, the experts reported that a number of them showed “significant health conditions”, with overgrown feet being the most common condition suffered by the animals, besides hobbles, large abscesses and even a case of a mass growth on a bull’s penis.
The experts also found that cows that were unable to walk were being dragged to the place of slaughter in direct contravention of the law which states that such animals must be killed where they lie or, if possible and it does not entail any unnecessary suffering, they should be transported on a trolley to the place of emergency slaughter.
Cattle were also closely haltered and restricted in ways that prevented them from reaching drinking water.
“Cattle were close haltered to the wall-mounted rings, restricting head movement, and preventing the requirement to be able to lie down and preventing the ability to drink even if water had been provided. From a welfare perspective this form of restraint within the lairage is not to be recommended,” the experts said.
Evidence that this kind of cruel and restrictive haltering is a long established procedure can be seen from wall damage produced by cattle horns, the experts continued. The same are was also generally unclean, with blood spattered on the wall and rubbish on the floor including plastic water bottles, old ropes, ear tags, and paper wrappers.
The inspectors found that there is “a general state of disrepair found in the offloading area” which though not necessarily affecting the welfare of slaughter animals it does represent “a health and safety hazard for stockmen and hauliers”.
Facilities at the reception area for the processing of cattle are “generally compliant” but whenever unloading is delayed the facilities are in breach of the law which requires protection of animals from extremes of weather.
The lack of organisation and procedures at the offloading area allows random access to the facilities with little regard as to the potential consequences to the animals and stockmen. The facilities could operate more effectively both in regard of animal welfare and health and safety by restriction of unnecessary personnel to the facilities.
Government confirms abattoir problems
Confirming the extent of the problems at the abattoir, a spokesperson for Environment Minister George Pullicino said government will be investing up to Lm400,000 to upgrade the slaughterhouse and bring it in line with EU regulations.
“An action plan aimed at tackling issues concerning hygiene, animal welfare, on both the bovine and swine lines and other initiatives common to both the bovine and swine lines has been prepared,” the spokesperson said. “The services of a veterinary consultant and an abattoir engineer have been contracted for assisting in the preparation of such an action plan. The following are the main measures being taken with respect to animal welfare:
“The ‘emergency slaughterhouse’ will be upgraded in order to operate as a red meat slaughterhouse. It will only be used for slaughtering of horses and emergency slaughtering.
“The plan is to slaughter cattle of all sizes on the bovine line and sows/boars and pigs and sheep/goats on the swine line on separate days. Layouts have been prepared for necessary adjustments of the lairages (where animals are kept before slaughtered) and stunning equipment and areas. The lines are also being upgraded in order to allow for the slaughter of such animals.
“The lairage will be reconstructed with pens which allow one-way movement to the stunning box/area. Drinking cups with supply of potable water will be installed in the pens. Sick pens with separate drainage and easy access to the stunning area will also be established. Layouts for adjustment to the lairages have been prepared, discussed and agreed with the stakeholders and reconstruction works will be starting shortly.
“Hydraulic ramps for the unloading areas will be installed. These new ramps will be installed as a part of the reconstruction for the respective areas.
“The present cattle stunning box will be reconstructed and the runway relocated according to the layout for the lairage and replaced by a new sufficient ramp.
“The existing swine stunning is being upgraded and will be used until it is replaced by a new and more welfare friendly stunning system.
“As a part of the reconstruction for the stunning area for the pigs the horizontal sticking and bleeding (sticking table) will be replaced by vertical sticking and bleeding. Furthermore, training of butchers in sticking technique and hygiene and in animal understanding will be carried out in February.
“Talks are also underway with the farmers’ cooperatives with the aim of improving practices during transportation of animals to be slaughtered and other practices during offloading and prior to slaughter.
“The Ministry is investing at least Lm400,000 to implement the plan.”
kschembri@mediatoday.com.mt
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