Halal and kosher abattoirs are exempt from Food Standard Agency (FSA) compulsions to knock-out the animals before slitting their throats.
But the FSA does not record the number of animals killed under these exemptions, leading to fears over the quality of animal welfare.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA), which opposes the religious exemptions on animal welfare grounds, called for regular reporting of the numbers, which has now been granted.
FSA chair Heather Hancock said the new survey would show how many slaughterhouses were stunning or not stunning and “this routine data will be regularly supplemented with additional information on the numbers of animals that are slaughtered by these methods”. [Daily Express] Read more
