If not stunned effectively, small ruminants such as sheep and goats can experience severe pain and fear when killed. According to the latest opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on animal welfare, this procedure can be improved in order to reduce pain and fear.

Outside of slaughterhouses, animals may be killed for purposes other than human consumption if, for example, they are unproductive, injured or terminally ill. They can also be harvested on a large scale for disease control or emergency management. In the first phase of the process the animals are taken and transferred to the slaughter site, while in the second phase they are immobilized and killed.

EFSA experts observed that both phases can cause welfare problems and therefore underlined the need to adequately stun the animals so that they do not regain consciousness before killing. They also made a series of recommendations on the correct use of killing methods to minimize fear and pain.

EFSA's new advice follows a previous opinion on the slaughter of small ruminants for human consumption published in 2021. A new opinion on the welfare of equines at the time of slaughter is expected by the end of 2024. EFSA's studies will form the basis for the current review of EU legislation on the protection of animals at the time of killing.

The full text of EFSA's opinion is attached to this EFA News .