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NAMA, Grandin developing new ways to monitor high-risk animals at slaughter
Story Date: 8/30/2012
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Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 8/29/12
The North American Meat Association and animal welfare expert Temple Grandin are working on a new approach to monitoring animal handling at slaughter facilities and using that data to coach employees, in the aftermath of last week’s animal handling problems at Central Valley Meat.
In a note to NAMA members, the association explained that after reviewing the under cover video shot at Central Valley Meat, NAMA and Grandin are working with a remote video auditing (RVA) services provider to design a cost-effective new plant process that will be accompanied with additional remote video services to better address the animal handling practices of the higher-risk animals after they arrive at plants.
Since the current use of RVA services is typically focused on a relatively small number of designated pens, an innovation is needed to more actively segregate and then audit the handling of those animals that have a higher likelihood of being handled over aggressively, the note explained.
Specifically, the new RVA application is being designed to sample a new plant process to segregate higher-risk animals into designated pens that have full RVA camera coverage.
This new RVA application would also audit cameras in between the unloading area and the designated pen to ensure that any higher-risk animals identified at unloading do not get diverted to other pens.
By implementing this new approach, NAMA believes the industry will be able to better ensure humane handling of all animals.
Central Valley Meat, which was re-opened on Monday after a week long shut-down to assess animal handling practices and make improvements, was undergoing major construction during the time the video was filmed and as a result, all of the images shown were not in areas receiving RVA services at the time, according to NAMA.
Additionally, the areas shown in the undercover video in the outside pens were not previously covered at all with RVA services.
As a result, Central Valley Meat has installed extra cameras for additional RVA services.
“It is important for our industry technology and service suppliers to drive new discoveries through partnerships within our processing community, such as propelling advancements in animal welfare,” said NAMA CEO Barry Carpenter.
“RVA conducted by third-party auditors help to ensure that plant employees follow proper procedures for handling and stunning animals. For RVA to be effective, it must be monitored by auditors outside the plant,” noted Grandin.
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