A six-week consultation recently closed on plans put forward by Defra secretary Michael Gove for mandatory CCTV to be installed in all slaughterhouses in England.

Given that animal welfare is a devolved matter, the plans do not extend to NI, but speaking at the annual NI dinner of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) in Belfast last week, the organisation’s junior vice-president Simon Doherty called for it to be made mandatory in all abattoirs. He claimed that it was a tool that could help to safeguard animal welfare.

The proposals outlined by Defra involve installing CCTV in all areas where live animals are present – from unloading in the lairage through to the kill box. Official vets and the Food Standards Agency would be given full and unfettered access to the footage.

However, it is understood that there are currently no plans in NI to make CCTV compulsory in abattoirs. At present, all the major slaughterhouses already have the technology installed in response to requests from supermarket customers. That is not the case in England, where there are still a large number of smaller abattoirs servicing the butcher and wholesale trade.

Trade

Meanwhile, after Brexit, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has highlighted that many more vets could be required to certify agricultural products traded with the EU.

Responding to a Westminster committee inquiry, the BVA points out that the UK may no longer enjoy the same trading freedom. As such, exports and imports of animals and animal products to and from the EU will need new veterinary certifications.

Estimates suggest that the volume of products requiring veterinary certifications could increase by as much as 325%.

According to BVA senior vice-president Gudrun Ravetz, veterinary certification is required not only for meat, but a whole range of products such as gelatine in sweets.

“Ironically, it is non-British EU vets who make up around 50% of our new workforce each year. However, since the EU referendum, we are facing serious problems in recruiting and retaining EU vets,” she said.