On-farm killing of sheep and goats: welfare issues identified

Outside of slaughterhouses, animals may be killed for purposes other than human consumption if, for example, they are unproductive, injured or terminally ill. They may also be killed on a large scale for disease control or disaster management. In the first phase of the process animals are handled and moved to the killing site, and in the second phase they are restrained and killed.

Our experts noted that both steps can give rise to welfare issues and stressed the need to adequately stun animals so that they do not recover consciousness before killing. They also made a number of recommendations on the correct use of killing methods to minimise pain and fear.

EFSA’s new opinion follows previous advice on the slaughtering of small ruminants for human consumption published in 2021. New advice on the welfare of equids at slaughter is expected by the end of 2024. Our work will inform the ongoing review of the EU Regulation on the protection of animals at the time of killing.