Farmed Pig Slaughter Plant Welfare Audit

Slaughter plant welfare audits for pigs reveal significant variation in practice and compliance with legal requirements.

Key Facts

Official Veterinarians from the Food Standards Agency are present at all approved pig slaughterhouses
Common welfare concerns include CO2 stunning chamber conditions, shackling of conscious pigs, and inadequate restraint
High line speeds can compromise welfare by reducing time available for proper stunning checks
CCTV is mandatory in all UK licensed slaughterhouses and provides audit evidence
Campasign Animal Aid and other NGOs have used CCTV evidence to document violations
Welfare outcomes at slaughter are measured through official statistics and certification body audits

Welfare Considerations

Slaughter plant welfare is the final link in the farm animal welfare chain. Even animals raised to high standards can experience severe suffering at slaughter if stunning fails or procedures are rushed. Robust inspection, mandatory CCTV, and independent audit are essential welfare safeguards at this critical point.

What You Can Do

Support Compassion in World Farming campaigns for improved slaughter welfare standards
Advocate for increased resources for official veterinarian slaughter welfare inspection
Ask retailers whether their pork suppliers have independent slaughter welfare auditing
Support mandatory higher-welfare slaughter requirements including improved CO2 systems