Halal slaughter work to be modified

Press, 26 November 1982, Page 7

Halal slaughter work to be modified

PA Invercargill Halal slaughtering will be modified at meat works throughout New Zealand this season to meet a Muslim requirement that the lambs bleed to death. The executive officer (technical) of the New Zealand Freezing Companies’ Association, Mr John Miller, said from Wellington that the industry was trying to develop a system of Halal slaughtering that would meet the requirements of all the Muslim authorities.

The industry was adopting the “most conservative” approach. For example, some Muslim countries believed that it was vital that the animal faced Mecca when slaughtered, but others did not, said Mr Miller. In New Zealand, all Halal slaughtering was done that way. Most time was spent talking to the Iranians since their market was the biggest and the most conservative of' the Muslim countries. Adjustments had to be made as greater- understanding was

gained of what they wanted. With a longer bleeding period to meet the requirement that the animals bleed to death before being touched, they tended to kick more, said Mr Miller. To overcome that, Mr Miller said, an immobilisation system — a low-voltage current — was to be introduced to hold the muscles rigid until bleeding was completed. The changes will add an extra link to the killing chain. The animals will now be stunned, have their throats cut by a Halal slaughterman, and then sent through the current before passing down the chain. Mr Miller said that there would be some resultant change in technique for meat workers engaged in shackling. About half the meat works in New Zealand do Halal slaughtering. Trials with the immobilisation system have started at the two Southland works which process lambs for Muslim markets, Ocean Beach and Mataura.