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Animal Welfare Concerns - Live animals held at Abattoir for more than a week

Wed, 19 Jul 2023

Industry sources have raised concerns regarding animal welfare at the Government run abattoir.

This is after livestock due to be slaughtered, were held at the plant for more than seven days after operational breakdowns.

Energy FM understands that the animals were due to be slaughtered last Wednesday (July 12) at Isle of Man Meats, and were subsequently fasted on the Tuesday (July 11) in order to have empty stomachs to be prepped for slaughter the following day.

Another source told us that their animals entered the plant last Tuesday (July 11) and weren’t informed their lambs hadn’t been killed until late on Thursday (July 13).

Speaking on the matter they said: “There has been a lack of communication as we weren’t aware until a few days later that the lambs hadn’t been killed."

They added that they had no option but to “bear with the situation as their hands were tied” due to regulations that don’t allow animals to be taken home once they have entered the lairage area at the meat plant.

Further concerns regarding the lambs were made as these in question were spring lambs, meaning they’d gone from being with their mothers and having a grass and milk diet, to then being fed hay and meal. The concern that the change in diet and habitation could lead to further stress and weight loss on the animals.
 

Livestock producers received the following statement from IOM Meats last night (July 18):

“Dear Producers,

“We would like to update you on the lambs currently held at the plant. The required repairs have now been completed, and subject to testing we are intending to process your lambs at 7am tomorrow. We will communicate as soon as this has been completed.”

It added that it wanted to reassure producers that livestock’s welfare had been the main priority and the animals have been under the supervision of the plants onsite vet, Valenti Canal, along with government vet, Amy Beckett.

IOM Meats acknowledged this has been a time of unease and concern for producers, with a closing statement saying “we are mindful that this has been a difficult situation for you as producers and thank you for bearing with us at this time”.

Troubles at plant

This issue follows on from the damning ‘Burnie report’ in to the plant's operations that was published late last year.

The report was an audit of the facility; the outcome of which showed that the meat plant was operating at a below average standard.

It stated that the “factory displays an overall malaise and in places, gross ineptitude”. The report added that “there are multiple problems and it will take an extended period of time to resolve them”.

The largest challenges at the factory related to the following areas according to the IOM government:

• Fundamentally flawed sales model;
• Amount of management and financial information collected is much too low’
• Pace of operation of the plant is much too slow;
• Staff management and training programme is fundamentally flawed;
• Adherence to regulation is poor;
• Factory process reveals an overall lack of attention to detail.

Reporter: Charlie Morrey
charlie.morrey@energyfm.net

 

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