Yes, if British vets, the RSPCA and the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) are to be believed. Halal is an Arabic term in Islam which means permissible, allowed. A recent study that was conducted by Bristol University into the Halal meat market attained responses from 250 Muslims into their buying behaviours as well as their Halal meat & poultry preferences. Therefore, after careful consideration, HFSAA has decided to approve reversible methods of stunning in the short term for poultry and sheep under strict supervision to ensure that the animal does not die. There is a requirement of four million chicken per week of which only 770,000 is the actual Prophetic (non-stunned), Sharia compliant Halal meat produced within UK. In practical terms, the percentage of non-stunned Halal meat is extremely low and the majority of Halal meat is stunned. It allows our most engaged readers to debate the big issues, share their own experiences, discuss real-world solutions, and more. Since the legal status of a stunned animal is dependent on it being alive at the time of slaughter, there is a need to discuss how to ascertain that the animal is alive at the time of death. Denmark announced last year it would ban Halal and Kosher slaughtering practices. Halal-slaughtered animals are 'dying in agony' because of 'Muslim ignorance' over pre-slaughter stunning, say experts Under Islamic law Muslims can only consume meat that is deemed 'halal' For halal slaughter that includes pre-stunning there is no practical difference in the way the animal is treated. Halal is an Arabic term in Islam which means permissible, allowed. There are different types of stunning used for different species including turkeys, chickens, lamb, and cattle. SUPERMARKETS are selling halal and kosher meat from animals killed without being pre-stunned, a Sun investigation reveals. This could leave consumers unsure about whether the meat had been stunned before it was slaughtered; according to the House of Commons Library there isn't a consensus on whether halal rules require this. For the majority, no. Among the respondents who said they preferred meat from stunned animals, 46% (100) said they were unsure of the Halal status of this meat, while around a quarter (24%; 52) said they sometimes ate meat from animals that had been stunned in the absence of an alternative. The halal meat market in the UK is estimated to be worth around £2.6 billion a year. All the meat we sell from these suppliers is stunned before slaughter, the only difference being that Halal meat has received a blessing.” There is currently no domestic UK law (or European regulation) saying halal or kosher meat products must be labelled as such. This point is verified by extensive research at the ground level on the Halal supply chain in numerous cities all over America. The debate in the UK resurfaced in spring 2014 after Denmark prohibited unstunned slaughter in February that year. You must meet all of the … they may have other documentation. Tesco has since clarified that in the UK, all its Tesco branded halal meat is stunned and the only difference is the prayer before slaughter. One, called dhabihah, requires a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck that cuts the jugular vein. There is a viable alternative in the form of the ‘kill box’ which restrains the animal for slaughter and eliminates the need to stun. UK Food Standards Agency figures from 2011 suggest 84% of cattle, 81% of sheep and 88% of chickens slaughtered for halal meat were stunned before they died. The majority of Halal lamb and goat in America and a good percentage of the Halal beef is imported from New Zealand and Australia. They are authorized to remove such animals from the line and ensure that they are not included in the Halal production. According to the dietary rules of Islam, halal refers to the foods that are fit for Muslim consumption. HFSAA will do their best to educate the Muslim public with regards to the harms of stunning and plan to introduce a system to label products which are stunned and products which are not stunned. Food Standards Agency figures from 2012 showed that more than 80% of animals are stunned before slaughter for halal meat in the UK. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment. It is adamant, however, that animals should not be stunned to death. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. For example, the vast majority of New Zealand lamb is processed by Halal standards. The LCM described the decision as “undemocratic and hugely discriminatory”. When irreversible methods of stunning are applied, the animal will die if it is not slaughtered within a few minutes. However, HFSAA will not allow lethal and irreversible stunning methods for cattle which will cause the death of the animal in a few minutes and will initiate cardiac arrest. Meat from stunned livestock presents more quality problems compared to non-stunned. A report from the FAWC said chicken and turkeys were likely to be conscious for up to 20 seconds after a transverse incision is made across their neck.“Such a large cut will inevitably trigger sensory input to pain centres in the brain,” the council said. We will discuss these two rulings separately below. For halal slaughter that includes pre-stunning there is no practical difference in the way the animal is treated. There are numerous advantages to non-stunned meat including complete drainage of blood, better consistency of the meat, and no concern of the animal dying due to the stunning. They use a form of electrical stunning which animals quickly recover from if not slaughtered, proving that the stunned animal is “healthy”, thereby qualifying as halal. It is a broad term covering what is allowed in the context of Islamic law, but is often used in conjunction with the issue of how meat is dealt with. Its antonym is Haram. Currently, meat in the UK that is labelled as halal could be from pre-stunned slaughter or not pre-stunned slaughter – it is very difficult to guarantee either way. However, all animals are stunned before commercial slaughter in New Zealand and New Zealand is a major exporter of halal meat. For halal and kosher consumers, meat quality has both spiritual and conventional components. The presence of halal meat in shops and restaurants has been big news today. The RSPCA says slaughter without pre-stunning causes "unnecessary suffering". While Halal meat is well known in the Arab and Muslim World, as well as in Arab American and American Muslim communities, much of the world does not know what it means for meat to be halal. Currently, meat in the UK that is labelled as halal meat could be from pre-stunned slaughter or not pre-stunned slaughter – it is very difficult to guarantee either way. A spokesman for the college said the college is looking into the request, but will also be expanding its kosher and halal meat … The opposite of halal is haram, meaning “forbidden”. In halal premium, 37 per cent of sheep and goats, 25 per cent of cattle and 16 per cent of poultry were killed without being stunned first. "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." Animals reared in Denmark and New Zealand must be pre-stunned – with no legal exemptions for halal or kosher – and such meat is widely available in British supermarkets. Q What have governments done about the issue of halal slaughter without pre-stunning? Likewise, there are many Muslim leaders who are completely opposed to stunning and do not allow it. The animal is hand-slaughtered with a sharp knife. Above all, unstunned meat should not be served to the wider community. With the issue of halal meat back in the news this week, we answer some of the questions you may have about the practice: Halal is the Arabic word for “lawful” or “permitted”. The majority of beef slaughterhouses use a pneumatic stunner or a captive bolt pistol to subdue the animal before slaughter. Comment. Read our full mailing list consent terms here. There are numerous types of stunning including the pneumatic stunner which delivers a blow to the head of the animal, captive bolt pistol which shatters the brain of the animal, electric water through which delivers an electric shock to poultry, and electric brain stunner for sheep. While Halal meat is well known in the Arab and Muslim World, as well as in Arab American and American Muslim communities, much of the world does not know what it means for meat to be halal. If the Halal authorities were to completely reject stunned Halal meat and only accept non-stunned meat, then it would be extremely difficult to find authentic Halal meat in America. Islam has strict laws on the proper method of slaughtering an animal. The legal status of an animal which has been stunned is dependent on whether the animal was alive at the time of slaughter. After learning of the evil of stunning, a Muslim should do his best to consume meat which was not stunned and support businesses who supply non-stunned Halal meat. The majority of halal meat in the UK is pre-stunned. This article will attempt to shed light on this important issue. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. AFAIK there are no kosher authorities that allow stunning so it's a much more difficult issue for religious Jews. A second, independent issue is the ruling of consuming an animal which has been stunned prior to a proper Halal slaughter. The report concluded that 70% of Muslims prefer to buy meat/poultry that is non stunned. BUT, to check, you can ask if their meat is stunned or not, some places do have unstunned meat, just cannot afford the certification of HMC etc. (from the Conversation [1] ) Stunned Halal meat is considered to be Haram or forbidden. If the animal was indeed alive at the time of a proper Halal slaughter, then the meat of such an animal will be lawful to consume. The … A renowned Islamic scholar, Mufti Taqi Usmani, has shed light on this important issue and he writes: ” The jurists have mentioned many signs that can be taken as proof of an animal being alive at the time of slaughter, for example if the animal bleeds at the time of slaughter like a living animal, or closes its mouth or eyes, or pulls together its legs, or shows any kind of movement, etc. The level of voltage and the application of the stunning mechanism is closely monitored by Halal inspectors and supervisors. While European law requires animals to be stunned before slaughter, the UK has an exemption in place for halal and kosher killing. Some animals killed for halal meat in the UK are stunned electrically before their throats are slit, known as “pre-stunned slaughter”. HFSAA sent a delegation to research the Halal status of this meat and found that almost all of this meat is stunned due to the governmental regulations in these countries. Currently, meat in the UK that is labelled as halal could be from pre-stunned slaughter or not pre-stunned slaughter – it is very difficult to guarantee either way. Our journalists will try to respond by joining the threads when they can to create a true meeting of independent Premium. Online Editors Independentie A significant number of British Halal meat-eaters might be persuaded to switch to meat from stunned animals, if they were reassured that some forms of stunning are compatible with Halal rules, suggest the results of a survey published in Vet Record this week. It's no different from standard abattoir practice. Approximately 90% or more of chickens are stunned through the reversible method of the electric water trough. Supermarkets selling halal products also report that all animals are stunned before they are slaughtered. Halal food, here, is a proxy for ... are that halal is here used as a synonym for a cruel kind of killing in which animals are slaughtered without being pre-stunned. Supermarkets selling halal products say they stun all animals before they are slaughtered. However, a report from the Food Standards Agency last year suggested some would step into the broader food chain. Likewise, the vast majority of lamb and goat slaughterhouses apply an electric rod to the head of the animal before slaughter. The vast majority of halal slaughter in Australia (including at export abattoirs) complies with standard slaughter practice where all animals are stunned prior to slaughter. No, with the single exception of whether or not stunning is used. For meat to be considered halal the animal must be alive and healthy before it is killed, and all the blood must be drained from the body. Supermarkets selling halal products also report that all animals are stunned before they are slaughtered. “Ban halal and kosher meat in the UK.” This is the demand of an online petition signed by more than 88,000 people doing the rounds on social media. Halal and kosher meat cannot be labelled organic if the animal was not stunned before being killed, the EU’s highest court has ruled. Chickens slaughtered for Halal meat are not being stunned effectively. Its antonym is Haram. Figures from the Food Standards Agency say that in 2012 of those animals slaughtered in the UK according to halal rules 84% of cattle or calves, 81% of sheep and goats, and 88% of poultry were stunned before slaughter. However, a small number of abattoirs in Australia (located in NSW, SA and VIC) have been granted permission by the relevant State food authority to slaughter animals without prior stunning. Pressure drop When probed further and asked why then halal meat is so controversial, Muslims volunteer or concede that it is because halal meat comes from animals that were not stunned prior to being slaughtered, a practice that some animal rights activists find cruel to the animals. Are you sure you want to delete this comment? It is an established fact that the majority of conventional meat slaughterhouses in North America use some form of stunning to subdue and immobilize the animal before the slaughter. Last year politicians in Britain said they would not be outlawing halal slaughter without pre-stunning despite pressure from activists including the RSPCA, which has in the last week brought a new e-petition for them to do so. If the slaughterhouse fabricates meat to be sold as halal, the meat has not been co-mingled with any food or food product not represented to be halal. Halal meat has returned to headlines in the past weeks - but what are the facts? The stance of HFSAA is that stunning should be avoided as much as possible and Muslims in the long term should move towards removing stunning completely from Halal slaughterhouses. There are numerous advantages to non-stunned meat including complete drainage of blood, better consistency of the meat, and no concern of the animal dying due to the stunning. Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. The majority of Halal lamb and goat in America and a good percentage of the Halal beef is imported from New Zealand and Australia. Definitely not for cows, though electrical stunning is apparently allowed for goats and chickens by the British Halal Council. On the other hand, if it is established that the animal was indeed dead at the time of slaughter, such an animal will be unlawful to consume despite the fact that it was slaughtered in accordance to Islamic law. The Halal Food Authority is one the largest of these organisations and says that both poultry and ovine meat can be stunned. But kosher-certifying authorities say that no form of stunning before slaughter is permissible, said Rabbi Menachem Genack, who oversees … Between 84 and 90 per cent of animals killed for halal meat in the UK are processed by one of the large number of halal slaughterhouses which do use electric stunning beforehand. It is far from the first. UK Food Standards Agency figures from 2011 suggest 84% of … Our understanding (as of 2017) is that there are 8 abattoirs in Australia with approval to cond… Online Editors Independentie Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. (All Halal slaughter of chickens in Australia includes prior stunning.) A significant number of British halal meat-eaters might be persuaded to switch to meat from stunned animals, if they were reassured that some forms of stunning are compatible with halal rules. Unstunned halal meat is provided in school meals for some of the 12,000 children in 27 Lancashire schools. Create a commenting name to join the debate, There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts, There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. The Halal meat sector is one of the fastest growing in the meat industry in Britain, with supermarket chains scrambling for a share of the market. Most Halal slaughterhouses in North America also use some form of stunning before slaughter. So Allaah excludes from these forbidden types of meat those that are reached when still alive and slaughtered in the proper manner. Animals can also regain consciousness UK Food Standards Agency figures from 2011 suggest 84% of cattle, 81% of sheep and 88% of chickens slaughtered for halal meat were stunned before they died. Please be respectful when making a comment and adhere to our Community Guidelines. The European Parliament has approved a law change which would see compulsory labelling for all meat killed through halal slaughter without pre-stunning – but it could be years before this is implemented. Standard Australian slaughter practice ensures that animals are stunned, i.e. In practical terms, the percentage of non-stunned Halal meat is extremely low and the majority of Halal meat is stunned. Instead of being rendered instantly unconscious when stunned, they will be receiving a painful electric shock that immobilises them before being slaughtered whilst fully conscious. Not Reciting God’s Name When Slaughtering. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) says it believes “all animals should be effectively stunned before slaughter to improve the welfare of these animals”, while the RSPCA says it causes “unnecessary suffering”. Thus it is known that the Qur’aan does forbid animals that have been stunned if they die as a result of that stunning before being slaughtered properly, because the animal that is stunned has suffered a violent blow, and Allaah has stated in this verse that such an animal is haraam unless it is reached while it is still alive and slaughtered in the proper manner. This presents challenges for the Muslim consumer who makes a conscious decision to consume only non-stunned Halal meat. Retailers and food chains insist that while they do not label all the halal meat they sell, it does come from animals which have been pre-stunned, which removes the concerns about cruelty. For this reason, many scholars have declared that the act of stunning is extremely disliked and close to being impermissible. UK Food Standards Agency figures from 2011 suggest 84% of cattle, 81% of sheep and 88% of chickens slaughtered for halal meat were stunned before they died. You must stun all animals before you slaughter them unless an animal is being religiously slaughtered for halal or kosher meat. In the current situation, the supply of non-stunned Halal meat is insufficient to meet the supply needs of the North America Muslim community. What most non-Arabs or non-Muslims do not know about halal meat is that it is healthier and tastes better than the generic meat most Americans consume. Halal and kosher slaughter practices per se do not affect meat quality more than their conventional equivalents. Correction appended, July 30. HFSAA has adopted a balanced approach in the short term with regards the issue of stunning and have consciously chosen the ‘lesser of the two evils’ in order to provide more options for Muslims to consume authentic Halal products. The Jews have historically taken a strong stance against stunning and do not allow it under any circumstance. Stunning is an unacceptable action and the person who stuns will sinful for causing extra pain to the animal. These ‘approvals’ are effectively exemptions to standard Australian slaughter practice and only apply to cattle and sheep. Current data shows that the production of stunned meat, also including covert halal, and meat that is not even halal, is being labelled as halal within the industry. According to the dietary rules of Islam, halal refers to the foods that are fit for Muslim consumption. The most insightful comments on all subjects will be published daily in dedicated articles. The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Therefore, if the fact that the animal was alive can be established in any way, it will be permissible to slaughter it, and its meat will be considered Halal. Some stores claimed last week they only sell products from stunned animals. 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