Animal Health Certificates

Sheep

18-24 months

Higher income in lower and middle income countries

Pork

To aid decision making for animal health and welfare

Appropriate certification and practicing membership of the religion

No, for all animals

Details of medicines and withdrawal periods

The FBO (Food Business Operator)

Yes, for religious purposes with appropriate certification

Pregnant animals

Maintaining welfare of each animal in each group

All of the above

All of the above

All of the above

Health certificate approved by veterinarian

A sharp, clean knife

A restraining pen specific to each species

All of the above

All of the above

Restraining pen specific to each species must be used inline with regulations. A sharp, clean knife appropriate to the size and species. A slash that is quick and consistent.

Animals must not be caused injury or unnecessary suffering. Animals must be fit to travel.

Animals that cannot move independently. Animals with severe open wounds or prolapses. Pregnant (>90%) or gave birth within 7 days. New-born mammals with navel not completely healed. Pigs of less than 3 weeks, lambs < 1 week, calves 100km. Animals younger than 7 days. Medicated animals for which withdrawal periods have not been complied with.

Animals must be unloaded as soon as possible and slaughtered without unnecessary delay. Unloading must be done safely using ramps, etc. Non-slip floors and side guards must be provided. There should be no sharp opportunities to injure the animals.

The AWO is responsible for environmental design, handling, and transport. They also ensure that animals are free from pain and suffering and assess the welfare of each animal in each group.

Good management leads to a reduction in post-mortem rejections, improved meat quality, increased efficiency, and reduced stress levels, which in turn reduces contamination.

Veterinary professionals ensure compliance with animal welfare standards in abattoirs. They are responsible for conducting ante-mortem checks on all live animals and checking the Food Chain Information (FCI). They also maintain responsibility for welfare, hygiene, and animal by-products compliance.

If farmed game animals are killed in an abattoir, the same requirements as for cattle apply. If they are killed at the farm, a health certificate approved by a veterinarian along with the farmer is needed. If they are killed in the wild, a hunter's declaration is required.

Animals must have access to drinking water at all times. If they are kept overnight or for more than 12 hours, they must also have access to food. They must be kept safe from potential injury and provided with appropriate shelter and space. They must be free from pain and suffering.

A slaughterhouse must be previously approved by the FSA. The infrastructure must include a restraining pen specific to each species and a sharp, clean knife appropriate to the size and species. The slaughter process should be quick and consistent.

The FCI is a valuable source of information for decision making in relation to animal health and welfare. It provides details about the animals' health status, holding health status, medicines and withdrawal periods, production data, diseases, and analysis.

To be slaughtered using Kosher or Halal methods, the animal must be slaughtered without stunning. Additionally, the person performing the slaughter must have appropriate certification and be a practicing member of the respective religion.

Yes, it is possible for slaughtering methods without pre-stunning to be performed in the UK, as long as it is done in line with religious use and the person performing the slaughter has appropriate certification and is a practicing member of the religion.

The slaughtering age for beef in the UK is 18-24 months.

No, animal health certificates are not required for importing from the EU to the UK. Only animals leaving the UK for the EU require an animal health certificate.

The role of veterinary professionals at the abattoir is to check the Food Chain Information (FCI) before authorizing slaughter. They must ensure that the FCI contains all the necessary information and assess the health status of the animals.

The Official Veterinarian (OV) is responsible for assessing the Food Chain Information (FCI) and ensuring that it is complete and accurate. They must also ensure that animals are not accepted without FCI and that the FCI is presented by the Food Business Operator (FBO) in advance.

The responsibility of the Animal Welfare Officer (AWO) at the abattoir is to ensure good management and welfare practices are followed. They play a crucial role in maintaining animal welfare standards during the slaughtering process.

The minimum information requirements for pigs and poultry in the Food Chain Information (FCI) include the animals' health status, holding health status (important in cattle), details of medicines and withdrawal periods, and relevant production data, diseases, and analysis.

Before animals are transported to the abattoir, the Food Chain Information (FCI) must be assessed by the Food Business Operator (FBO) and presented to the Official Veterinarian (OV) at least 24 hours in advance. Animals cannot be accepted without the FCI.