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Abstract:

Most meat-animals are confronted with the stresses of manipulation, transport and slaughter. Transport results in stress, increased potential for injuries, and for subsequent lower meat quality and quantity. The European legislation allows for national initiatives that investigate animal-friendly alternatives of live transport to the slaughter-house such as the development of a mobile slaughter unit. This could result in significant welfare amelioration by decreasing transport time and by eliminating transport-associated stressors such as loading and unloading, the shocks and sensory stimuli of driving, injuries, fatigue, waiting time, deprivation of water, inadequate micro-climate,…. We carried out several focus group-meetings to reveal the opinions on mobile slaughter among on-farm meat processing cattle breeders, cattle farmers and American bison breeders. The perceived benefits of mobile slaughter for the animals were: the low-stress, respectful, relaxed, familiar, quiet context for the animal, translating in higher meat quality. The farmers appreciate the possibility to follow up the treatment of the animal from birth till death, with a maximal transparency. They consider a respectful death of high importance. Parallel with the decreased animal-stress, the farmers expect to stress less themselves. On-farm mobile slaughter offers an attractive marketing story. Some breeders see a potential for on-farm education concerning slaughter. Most breeders trust that the consumers will be willing to pay a higher price; for some, the profitability is the biggest open question. Most on-farm marketers are confident that their current customers of conventionally slaughtered animals will continue to buy on-farm slaughtered meat. The practical concerns relate to the organization, timing, price, subsequent meat temperature and conservation, transport to the meat processing place and waste treatment. Most farmers think mobile slaughter is or will be feasible, some think it will practically not be feasible; most farmers “just want to do this”, they need political support and they want a dialogue with the food safety services. The majority of the breeders is positive towards the functioning of a mobile slaughter unit in Flanders.