I European Commission Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection Study on the stunning/killing practices in slaughterhouses and their economic, social and environmental consequences Assignment 3 of the Framework Contract for evaluation and evaluation related services - Lot 3: Food Chain (awarded through tender n o 2004/S 243-208899) Final Report Part I: Red Meat Submitted by: Food Chain Evaluation Consortium (FCEC) Civic Consulting - Agra CEAS Consulting - Bureau van Dijk - Arcadia International Project Leader: Civic Consulting Part I prepared by: Civic Consulting European Commission DG SANCO Rue de la Loi 200 1049 Brussels 25.06.2007 Contact for this assignment: Dr Frank Alleweldt Civic Consulting Alleweldt & Kara GbR Study on the stunning/killing practices in slaughterhouses and their economic, social and environmental consequences Final Report Part I: Red Meat Prepared by the Food Chain Evaluation Consortium (FCEC) Civic Consulting – Agra CEAS Consulting – Bureau van Dijk – Arcadia International – Project Leader: Civic Consulting Food Chain Evaluation Consortium c/o Civic Consulting Potsdamer Strasse 150 D-10783 Berlin-Germany Telephone: +49-30-2196-2297 Fax: +49-30-2196-2298 E-mail: [email protected] Expert Team Civic Consulting : Dr Frank Alleweldt (Team leader) Dr Senda Kara Ms Kristen Schubert Prof Dr Reinhard Fries Mr Robin Großpietsch Agra CEAS Consulting : Mr Conrad Caspari Dr Dylan Bradley Dr Remi Gauthier Van Dijk Management Consultants: Ms Laurence van Nieuwenhuyse Mr Anastasio Sofias fcec Food Chain Evaluation Consortium Civic Consulting – Bureau van Dijk – Arcadia International – Agra CEAS Study on stunning/killing practices in slaughterhouses: Final Report - Part I: Red meat DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain) Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................. 3 2. THE EU RED MEAT SECTOR...................................................................................................................... 4 2.1. P RESENTATION OF THE RED MEAT SECTOR WITHIN THE EU.......................................................................... 4 2.1.1. Red meat production ............................................................................................................................ 4 2.1.2. Slaughter industry ................................................................................................................................ 6 2.2. C OMPETITIVE POSITION OF THE EU RED MEAT SECTOR ................................................................................ 7 2.2.1. Overview of the import tariff instrument .............................................................................................. 7 2.2.2. Evolution of EU-15 imports and comparison with quotas ................................................................... 8 2.2.3. Possible impacts of trade liberalisation ............................................................................................... 9 2.2.4. Conclusions concerning ‘vulnerability’ of sector............................................................................... 10 3. THE SLAUGHTER CHAIN FOR RED MEAT PRODUCTION .............................................................. 11 3.1. S TUNNING /KILLING METHODS USED IN THE EU.......................................................................................... 11 3.1.1. Cattle.................................................................................................................................................. 11 3.1.2. Pigs..................................................................................................................................................... 14 3.1.3. Sheep .................................................................................................................................................. 16 3.2. P RODUCTION COSTS OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES IN THE EU ............................................................................. 19 3.3. R ELATIONSHIP OF PRODUCTION COSTS TO THE PRICE OF MEAT ................................................................... 21 4. SOCIO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF SLAUGHTER PRACTICES ........................................................ 23 4.1. D ESIGN OF RESTRAINING AND STUNNING /KILLING EQUIPMENTS ................................................................ 23 4.1.1. Current practices................................................................................................................................ 23 4.1.2. Economic consequences..................................................................................................................... 28 4.1.3. Social consequences........................................................................................................................... 30 4.1.4. Environmental consequences ............................................................................................................. 31 4.2. C OMPETENCE OF SLAUGHTERHOUSE OPERATORS ....................................................................................... 32 4.2.1. Current practices................................................................................................................................ 32 4.2.2. Economic consequences..................................................................................................................... 34 Food Chain Evaluation Consortium iii Study on stunning/killing practices in slaughterhouses: Final Report - Part I: Red meat DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain) 4.2.3. Social consequences........................................................................................................................... 36 4.2.4. Environmental consequences ............................................................................................................. 36 4.3. A NIMAL WELFARE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES .......................................................................................... 37 4.3.1. Current practices................................................................................................................................ 37 4.3.2. Economic consequences..................................................................................................................... 40 4.3.3. Social consequences........................................................................................................................... 41 4.3.4. Environmental consequences ............................................................................................................. 41 4.4. U SE OF ELECTRICAL STUNNING OR KILLING ................................................................................................ 42 4.4.1. Current practices................................................................................................................................ 42 4.4.2. Economic consequences..................................................................................................................... 44 4.4.3. Social consequences........................................................................................................................... 45 4.4.4. Environmental consequences ............................................................................................................. 46 5. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 47 ANNEX 1: SUPPLEMENTARY FIGURES AND TABLES ANNEX 2: METHODOLOGY ANNEX 3: DESCRIPTION OF MEAT QUALITY CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ANIMAL HANDLING ANNEX 4: TYPOLOGY OF STUNNING/BLEEDING METHODS USED IN THE EU ANNEX 5: FINAL QUESTIONNAIRES TO STAKEHOLDERS ANNEX 6: RESULTS OF SURVEYS ANNEX 7: LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT REPLIED TO SURVEYS Food Chain Evaluation Consortium iv Study on stunning/killing practices in slaughterhouses: Final Report - Part I: Red meat DG SANCO Evaluation Framework Contract Lot 3 (Food Chain) List of Figures Figure 1: Assessment of costs of technology by slaughterhouse operators .......................................... 28 Figure 2: EU output value of animal products over time ...................................................................... 54 Figure 3: Gross internal EU production (2005)..................................................................................... 55 Figure 4: Gross human consumption of red meat (1995-2002)............................................................. 56 Figure 5: Slaughterings by MS (2004).................................................................................................. 56 Figure 6: Net exports for EU-15 cattle meat products .......................................................................... 61 Figure 7: Net exports for EU-15 pig meat products.............................................................................. 62 Figure 8: Net exports for EU-15 sheep and goat products .................................................................... 63 Figure 9: Technologies implemented by respondents........................................................................... 64 Figure 10: Highest ranking design measures as most beneficial for animal welfare