Animal Welfare Policy

Purpose. Commits Southern Cross to the humane handling and slaughter of every animal received at the plant and sets the standards that workers must meet from unloading to stunning.

1.Policy statement

Every animal received at Southern Cross will be handled calmly and humanely, rested with access to clean water, protected from injury and distress, and rendered unconscious by an effective stun before sticking. The business will meet the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Livestock at Processing Establishments and the animal welfare requirements of the Approved Arrangement.

2.Animal welfare officers

The plant will maintain at least one trained and appointed animal welfare officer on every shift in lairage and on the slaughter floor. Animal welfare officers have the authority to stop unloading, stop the chain and direct an emergency kill. Their names and shift are displayed at the lairage office.

3.Handling standards

Workers must move livestock using flags, rattles and body position and must not use electric prodders on sheep, lambs or goats, or on cattle other than as a last resort on the hindquarters when an animal refuses to move and has a clear path forward. Animals must not be dragged, lifted by the head, ears, horns, tail or wool, or struck with any object. Downer animals must be assessed by the animal welfare officer and either killed in place or moved without being dragged.

• No prodders on small stock
• No dragging of conscious animals
• Water available in every holding pen
• Pen density within the posted limit
• Unloading ramps inspected every morning

4.Stunning and sticking

Stunning equipment must be checked before the start of each shift and after every break, and a back-up stunner must be available at the knocking box at all times. Every animal must be checked for signs of an effective stun before shackling and must be stuck within the interval set in the work instruction. Any animal showing signs of returning sensibility must be re-stunned immediately and the event recorded.

5.Monitoring and audit

Animal welfare officers will record effective first stun rate, slips and falls, vocalisation and prodder use on every shift in the QA monitoring system. An internal animal welfare audit will be conducted quarterly using the audit checklist and the results will be reviewed by the Livestock and Lairage Manager and the General Manager. Customers and the regulator will be given access to these records on request.

6.Reporting concerns

Any worker who sees an animal being mishandled or suffering must report it immediately to the animal welfare officer on shift. Reports will be investigated the same day. Southern Cross will not tolerate retaliation against any worker who raises an animal welfare concern.