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The rules and the craftsmanship behind a considerate and correct euthanasia
For the speciality of slaughter humane and correct killing is the core of the craft. Animal welfare is not just ethics — it is a legal requirement and a prerequisite for meat quality. Stress before slaughter can give inferior meat including faults such as PSE (pale soft wet) and DFD (dark firm dry). Treating the animal calmly and correctly is therefore both a welfare and a quality matter.
Protection of animals at slaughter is regulated by the EU slaughter regulation (Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing). It requires, among other things, that animals are spared unnecessary pain and fear, that personnel have the necessary qualifications and that in principle animals are anaesthetized before killing. In Denmark the Danish Food Authority supervises and there is a veterinarian present at slaughterhouses.
| Method | Typically for | Principle |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt gun | Cattle | Mechanical blow to the brain |
| Electrical (electrical tongs) | Pigs, sheep, poultry | Current through the brain |
| Gas (CO₂) | Pig | Anaesthesia in gas chamber |
Regardless of method, the principle is the same: the animal must lose consciousness instantaneously and remain unconscious until death occurs through exsanguination. The equipment must be maintained and the employee must check that the stunning worked before work continues. Failed stunning must be handled immediately with re-stunning.
A calm animal produces better meat. Stress hormones and hard muscle work shortly before slaughter empty the muscles of energy stores and affect how pH develops in the meat after slaughter. This can cause quality defects that reduce appearance tenderness and shelf life. Therefore animal welfare is not in conflict with the gourmet butcher's pursuit of quality — it is a prerequisite for it.
“Respect for the animal does not end at the stall — it follows all the way to the counter.”
— Slaughtering principle