Slaughter on the holding of origin; application for approval

A so-called "mobile unit" is required for slaughter on the farm of origin. In a mobile unit, the steps of stunning, bleeding and, if necessary, evisceration as well as transportation to an approved stationary or mobile slaughterhouse take place.

Cattle (except bison), pigs, sheep, goats or equidae kept as pets may be slaughtered on the holding of origin with the approval of the competent authority using an officially approved mobile unit. Up to three cattle, except bison, or up to six pigs or up to three equidae or nine sheep or nine goats may be slaughtered per slaughtering operation. A "slaughter process" is completed with the transportation of the carcasses (in a mobile unit) to the approved stationary or mobile slaughterhouse. This means that several slaughtering operations are possible on one day in a holding of origin in conjunction with an approved slaughterhouse, provided that the holdings involved are appropriately equipped in terms of logistics and personnel.

Slaughter in the establishment of origin is generally possible across borders; the authorities responsible for the establishments involved (establishment of origin, mobile unit, slaughterhouse) must be involved or informed accordingly.

• The following documents are required:
  • Certificate in accordance with Chapter 3 of Annex IV to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2235 pursuant to Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/624
  • Application for approval of slaughtering in the establishment of origin in accordance with Annex III Section I Chapter VIa of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004
  • Agreement for slaughtering on the holding of provenance with use of a mobile unit (ME) in accordance with Annex III Section I Chapter VIa of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004
  • Utilization concept for slaughtering in the holding of origin with the use of a mobile unit (ME) in accordance with Annex III Section I Chapter VIa of Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004

Authorization for slaughtering on the farm of origin is subject to the following conditions:

• An agreement between the owner of the animals to be slaughtered and the slaughterhouse operator (at least the name, address and signature of the animal owner and slaughterhouse operator) is required; the owner of the animals must inform the competent authority in writing of the existing agreement or present it. Further information can be found under "Further links" under "Example agreement" in the appendix of the guide "Slaughter of ungulates close to the farm".
• An application must be submitted (for more information, see "Application for approval example" in the appendix of the guide "On-farm slaughter of ungulates") to the veterinary authority responsible for the holding of origin by the livestock owner or slaughterhouse or, if applicable, by their representative for slaughter on the holding of origin (with specific details of the number of animals, animal species and the holdings involved).
• The applicant(s) must provide a binding statement of compliance with the relevant requirements depending on the constellation (farms involved, technical conditions, animal species/numbers, etc.). The responsibilities with regard to equipment maintenance, cleaning and disinfection, as well as the person responsible in the event of defects being identified, must be defined and presented. The primary person responsible is always the applicant, other definitions such as the use of third parties are possible. The presentation can be made as part of the aforementioned agreement, in a separate utilization concept (see "Utilization concept ME example" in the appendix of the guide "On-farm slaughter of ungulates") or in another suitable form. For information on animal welfare requirements, see the chapter on animal welfare in the guide "On-farm slaughter of ungulates".
• Responsibility for reporting obligations must be defined in advance and adhered to.
• A mobile unit (ME) is to be regarded as a (functional) part of an approved slaughterhouse (documented in the agreement and in the approval), without this necessitating approval of the ME itself or an extension of the approval of the slaughterhouse.
• The ME should undergo a suitability test (see "Application for suitability test ME example" in the appendix of the guide "On-farm slaughter of ungulates"), which is carried out by the competent authority (usually the local competent authority at the registered office of the ME operator), taking into account the intended use and based on the specific utilization concept. The suitability is certified to the operator. The ME can subsequently be used at various establishments of origin or slaughterhouses and taken into account in the respective approval procedure without further suitability testing.

A ME must meet the requirements specified for the respective intended use (stunning/bleeding/transport or bleeding/transport or transport only):

• Loading compartment of the ME must always be easily cleaned and disinfected (suitable material such as metal, plastic or similar with a smooth surface).
• Animal carcasses and especially the puncture site must be protected from contamination. No liquids may leak into or out of the vehicle (tub, tarpaulin, etc.).
• For stunning and/or bleeding in the ME, hand wash basin, knife sterilization basin (alternatively knife change), cable winch, bleeding tub; ME dimensions and equipment enable safe, correct stunning (depending on animal species) and compliance with the maximum duration between stunning and bleeding cut in the ME
• Cooling device if necessary, depending on transportation time and weather conditions

As soon as authorization has been granted, slaughter may be carried out on the holding of origin subject to the following conditions:

(a) the date and place of slaughter and the species, category and number of animals to be slaughtered are notified to the official veterinarian (or the competent veterinary authority) at least three days (date, time) before the intended slaughter date and coordinated accordingly.

b) The owner of the animals for slaughter shall inform the slaughterhouse of the expected time of arrival of the slaughtered animals at the slaughterhouse.

c) Before slaughter begins, the following documents must be available for inspection by the official veterinarian:

• Proof of identity of the animals
• Food chain information
• Proof of expertise in accordance with the Animal Welfare Slaughter Ordinance
• Standard operating procedures in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter

d) Slaughter on the farm of origin is carried out exclusively in the presence of the official veterinarian.

e) If it is intended to stun/kill cattle that are kept outdoors all year round by means of a bullet shot, a shooting permit under firearms law from the competent public order office/weapons authority and consent under animal welfare law from the veterinary office must be available.

f) In the case of bleeding outside the ME (provided that the holding or place of slaughter are not subject to any animal health restrictions - in relation to the animal species listed for the animal disease in accordance with DVO (EU) 2018/1882), the blood is collected without contaminating the soil and disposed of as KAT 2 material.
As long as the essential and time-consuming parts of the slaughter (evisceration, dressing) take place in a slaughterhouse and the post-mortem inspection is completed in a slaughterhouse, the wording "slaughtered in a slaughterhouse" in Art. 10 lit. b, d and o Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009) is applicable and thus a categorization of these ABPs as Category 3 material is possible.
Prerequisite: no signs of a disease transmissible to humans or animals or no signs of a disease transmissible to humans or animals through blood. If this option is to be used, the blood must not already be disposed of in the holding of origin, but must be available with the carcass at the FU.

g) The stomach and intestines may be removed on site under the supervision of the official veterinarian. All viscera removed must accompany the slaughtered animal to the slaughterhouse and be identifiable as belonging to each individual animal.

h) Slaughtered animals are transported directly to the abovementioned slaughterhouse without unjustified delay and in compliance with hygiene requirements.

i) If there are more than two hours between the time of slaughter of the first animal and the time of arrival of the slaughtered animals at the slaughterhouse, the slaughtered animals are chilled from the start. Active chilling is not necessary if the climatic conditions allow it.

Further information can be found under "Further links".

Fee for issuing approval for slaughter on the holding of origin: EUR 20.00 to EUR 1,500.00