Today, Eyes on Animals visited Van Kemenade, a small-scale pig slaughterhouse in the Netherlands, to assess animal handling, lairage conditions, and stunning practices. This facility slaughters pigs from Dutch farms that are no longer considered suitable for further fattening due to health problems, including umbilical hernias, abscesses, or bite wounds. Without a local slaughter option, these pigs could face worse outcomes, such as long-distance transport to slaughterhouses in southern Europe, or their conditions worsening or being neglected on the farm. In the best-case scenario – at least for the pig – they would be humanely euthanized on the farm, but this also means their carcasses are sent for destruction.
Most pigs observed today arrived directly from farms. However, there was also a group of younger piglets that had come from an assembly center, where they had been rejected for export, likely the previous day. Eyes on Animals is not in favor of routing pigs via assembly centers, as this practice significantly prolongs their journeys. Piglets often have to wait there for half a day to two days – which puts their welfare at risk.
The owner was welcoming and transparent, granting us full access for two hours. We were impressed by the calm lairage with low stocking density and gentle handling. Unlike in many large-scale plants, we did not see animals being rushed. The small scale of the slaughterhouse also supports good staff communication and low staff turnover. During our visit we openly discussed possible improvements, such as reducing sudden noises, ensuring proper placement of the electric stunner, and systematically checking for signs of unconsciousness. Van Kemenade was receptive to these suggestions and expressed interest in Eyes on Animals providing training.
Eyes on Animals continues to advocate for small-scale slaughterhouses, which can often offer calmer lairage, herding, and stunning. Unfortunately, high veterinary inspection costs are forcing many to close. We are grateful to the manager for his openness and look forward to continued dialogue.
