A slaughterhouse in the middle of the country is no longer allowed to slaughter and receive animals. When inspectors found that 22 young goat kids had died in the slaughterhouses barn, this prompted the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) to immediately suspend the companys recognition. The NVWA demands improvements from the company.
In the slaughterhouse, sheep and goats are slaughtered. The NVWA repeatedly found during inspections that several business premises and materials were not clean. Also, the water in the sterilizer, which is used to disinfect knives, was not at the correct temperature. Furthermore, the procedure for lifting animals after stunning and cutting was not adequate. The heads and necks of large sheep came into contact with the floor as a result. Various reports of findings have been made for these violations.
Duty of Care
The company was under intensified supervision. For slaughterhouses that are under intensified supervision, the NVWA conducts extra checks. The NVWA had informed the company that recognition would be suspended in the event of a new serious violation. As a result, the company would no longer be allowed to slaughter. In February, another serious violation was detected.
When animals are slaughtered on a different day than they are received, a slaughterhouse has a heavy duty to provide the animals with proper care in the meantime. When inspectors found that 22 young goat kids had died in the slaughterhouses barn, this prompted the NVWA to immediately suspend the recognition. The animals likely died due to a combination of cold temperatures in the barn and poor immunity.
No Trust
Given the history of this company, the NVWA does not trust that the slaughterhouse can currently slaughter in a sufficiently hygienic manner and ensure animal welfare. Therefore, the NVWA demands improvements from the slaughterhouse. This can be done, for example, by creating an improvement plan.
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