A team from TSB/AWF and EonA was invited to observe the Halal slaughter of sheep at a slaughterhouse in Clarens/ Switzerland.
Once or twice per week a number of sheep is slaughtered Halal in this slaughterhouse. Today 60 sheep would be slaughtered Halal. Prior to slaughter the sheep are electrically stunned and then cut by a Muslim butcher.
The sheep destined for slaughter this morning are waiting in the lairage. The pens are equipped with an automatic water system. A worker moves the sheep in groups towards the electric stunning system, from dark to light area.
As they must enter the electric stunning system one after the other, the raceway becomes more narrow to separate individuals from the group. The sheep are alert, but remain calm. They are rendered unconscious immediately and do not show pain or struggle during slaughter.
A few years ago the local Imam observed the reversible electrical stunning and considered it fully acceptable for Halal meat. Halal is usually assocatied with the killing of fully-conscious animals without stunning- but this is changing as more and more Imams realize that many forms of stunning are reversible and are more welfare-friendly- which is also an important criteria for Halal (“the animal must not feel pain or stress”).
 Sheep in raceway |
 Sheep driven to electrical stunning |
 Stunning of sheep |
 Bleeding of sheep after cut |
 Hoisting and supending of sheep |
