§ The Countess of Marasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many reports of death, major injury and minor injury have been made as a result of farmers and slaughtermen shaving cattle in accordance with the Meat Hygiene Service clean cattle policy; whether the policy has proven efficacy; and whether they will now conduct a risk/benefit analysis of the procedure. [HL1982]
§ Lord DonoughueInformation on the numbers of deaths or injuries arising from belly clipping cattle before slaughter is not available. However, the Government are aware of recent press reports about such incidents. As a result, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and from the Health and Safety Executive will be meeting shortly to discuss the issue.
The slaughter of dirty and/or wet livestock can compromise the hygienic operation of the slaughterhouse. Research has shown that there is a relationship between the visible contamination of the coat/hide and the microbial status of the finished carcase. The Meat Hygiene Service Clean Livestock Policy is therefore aimed at improving the cleanliness of livestock presented for slaughter. However, neither the Clean Livestock Policy, nor the recently published MAFF advice to farmers on how to produce clean animals, lays down any requirement for cattle to be clipped prior to slaughter; both simply advise that such clipping may be one of a number of methods of cleaning up animals before they are marketed or sent for slaughter. In recognition of the dangers involved in clipping cattle, the MAFF advice makes clear that great care is needed during clipping to avoid injury to the animal or to farm staff, and that animals should be securely restrained in a crush.