Riverford Organic Slaughter Procedure
Below is Accurate of November 2018, it is a copy of an email received from Riverford:
Here are the details of the slaughtering procedure. I have
also added in a little extra to how the animals are kept. If you did want to
find out anymore you are more than welcome to call us here at the Farm (Riverford Organic). Or on
our (Riverford Organic) website at the top left hand side there is a tab called 'about' click on
that one and scroll down there is another box on the right hand side click on
'faqs' this will open up all the information about why we do things the way we
do, packaging, prices vs supermarket prices, etc.
There is a lot of information
backed up with scientific facts to support our ethos here are Riverford.
All the beef and lamb used at the butchery is bought
directly from members of our producer group, who are all within 40 miles of the
abattoir. The group is very selective and we only use farmers we have a long
trusting business relationship with (some also supply veg into Wash). All
producers and their farms have been visited and approved by the butchery
general manager. Regular visits are also carried out during the year.
We (Riverford Organic) use a small family run abbattoire in Devon that is 10
minutes’ drive from our butchery. Unlike most abattoirs, they only slaughter
three days out of seven so it is not done on a mass scale (low throughput). It
is fully E.C. licensed and Soil Association approved, has a full time F.S.A.
meat inspector and veterinary surgeon on site during slaughter.
The method used is called stun & stuck- which means that
the animal is “stunned” to render them unconscious and then “stuck” which means
their throat is cut. This process is only carried out by fully licensed and
trained slaughter persons under the supervision of the F.S.A. staff.
Lambs are held in a holding pen, in groups of 3 – 4 as this
reduces stress, where they are “stunned” on either side of the head with a
specially designed electrical stunner. The voltage and “stun” time is
meticulously monitored to ensure the animal is fully unconscious before
“sticking”. They then have their throats cut (“sticking”) and allowed to bleed
before being further processed.
Cattle are held, separately, in a specially designed “stun
box” and shot with a “captive” bolt rather than by electrical stunner because
they are so much larger the electric method would not give an effective “stun”.
The animal is then “stuck” by having its throat cut and allowed to bleed before
further processing.
Chickens are processed at another “low throughput” facility
in Devon. This facility is also fully E.C. licensed and Soil Association
approved to process poultry and again there is a F.S.A. veterinary surgeon on
site during slaughter.
The chickens are hung on a moving line and get dipped into
an electric bath & “stunned” before coming out the other end where a fully
licensed slaughter person is waiting to ensure they are fully stunned before
cutting their throats (“sticking”). They are allowed to bleed before further
processing.
I can assure you that all our animals are killed in the most
humane way possible; none are killed using “ritual” slaughter methods, and they
do not suffer any unnecessary stress or pain. The welfare of the animal is very
important to us and our chosen processors.
All premises are monitored and supervised by F.S.A.
officials who are completely independent. We also visit and audit the premises
on a regular basis to ensure every process meets our own high standards. The
butchery won the R.S.P.C.A. award for good business in 2011.
Lamb
All of our lambs come from farms local to the butchery and
they live outdoors all year round as this is the most natural way for the animals
to live. They will graze on grass and natural herbage in the spring and summer
and are given hay/silage in the winter & autumn. Farmers may also
supplement the sheep’s diet with organic sheep nuts if there is insufficient
grass to graze.
Farmers will bring the ewes inside to lamb where there will
be straw bedding and penned off areas. These areas are large enough for the
ewes to be comfortable but small enough to ensure the safety of the lamb. As
soon as the farmer feels that the lamb is safe and healthy it will be turned
out to pasture with its mother, this could be anywhere from a few hours to a
couple of days.
The sheep are free to graze naturally which means that they
are able to grow at their own rate. This means that the meat produced is as
natural as possible, giving it a wonderful flavour and the right balance of
muscle and fat.
Beef
Our (Riverford Organic) beef herds live outdoors for the majority of their lives
and all are traditional beef breeds. The Soil Association welfare regulations
dictate that they must be brought inside for a period during the winter time.
This is to allow the pastures to recover during the wetter months of the year
so that the grass will be lush ready for the animals to be let out in early
spring.
When the cattle are brought inside they are kept in large
barns with good ventilation. They all have large bays in the barns with plenty
of straw bedding that is regularly maintained. During this period they are fed
a diet of silage with occasional cereal supplements.
As with other organic livestock, the beef herds are fed and
kept as naturally as possible. This ensures that the meat has the right balance
of muscle and fat, and also means that the need for vaccinations is eradicated.
Pork
Our (Riverford Organic) pork is now supplied by Helen Browning Organics.
http://helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk The pigs are British saddlebacks who live
outdoors all year round. They are in fields which have natural shelter as well
as “pig arks”. These arks are open so the animals can exercise their natural
behaviour patterns without restraint, avoid sunburn on the hotter days and keep
warm in the winter time. The pigs are fed organic pig meal.
The pigs will be taken inside a few days before they are
taken to the abattoir. They are brought inside so that the farmers can make
sure they are clean, healthy and up to weight. The barns have a good
ventilation system which keeps the pigs healthy and cool. They have the run of
a large barn which is bedded with straw. Pigs are sociable animals and enjoy
being able to be together in the barns. All pigs are allowed to grow at their
own rate. They are not given any supplements or fattening aids.
Chicken:
All our (Riverford Organic) chickens are organic. The chickens have huts for
shelter which are opened each dawn so the chickens can go in and out freely and
easily during daylight hours. They are shut in their huts at dusk to have
protection from predators during the night.
The chickens are fed organic chicken feed inside the huts
but when they are outside they scratch and forage in the grass for worms etc.
and lead a totally natural existence. Outside we also provide them with
shelters which they can use for protection from predators and/or inclement
weather.
Our farmers keep small flocks of chickens as opposed to
larger ones. This is so that the chickens have plenty of space inside the huts
and outside. Inside the huts the chickens have perches and hay bales and feed
toys (dried corn to peck at e.t.c.).
