§ Mr. MorleyTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 12 December,Official Report, column 521, what regulations allow the slaughter of ostriches on farms; if these regulations allow for slaughter for commercial sale; and what method of slaughter of ostriches on farms are permitted.
§ Mrs. BrowningThe slaughter of ostriches on farms is permitted by the Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1994. These regulations provide for premises slaughtering less than 10,000 birds a year to be exempt from the licensing and detailed hygiene and inspection requirements. Meat produced under this exemption can be sold for human consumption subject to certain restrictions on distance and end-user. The on-farm operation remains subject to the terms of the Food Safety Act and general food hygiene legislation made thereunder.
Current animal welfare legislation does not stipulate slaughter methods for ostriches on farms. The EC legislation to be implemented this year will permit stunning of animals, including birds, by means of a captive bolt, concussion stunner or electronarcosis to be followed as soon as possible by bleeding.