It is not always possible to prevent animals from becoming so seriously injured or ill that emergency slaughter becomes necessary. Emergency slaughter is the humane killing of sick and injured animals within a herd. It refers to the stunning and killing of an animal when there is no other practical way to alleviate its pain and suffering. Emergency slaughter does not serve a commercial purpose, but is always decided on a case-by-case basis with reasonable grounds. Once the decision has been made that no further treatment will take place and that the meat of an animal is unfit for human consumption – for example, due to an inflammatory or infectious disease, or because the withdrawal period for medication has not yet elapsed – slaughter cannot take place.

For the emergency slaughter of cattle, euthanasia (lethal injection) by a vet or stunning by bolt gun followed by killing through blood drainage or destruction of the spinal cord by a person with the necessary expertise are options. The carcass and, where applicable, the blood must be disposed of at the animal carcass disposal facility.

Further information on emergency slaughter:

DLG Leaflet 459 “Handling sick and injured cattle”

Emergency slaughter requires that an otherwise healthy animal has suffered an accident which, for animal welfare reasons, prevents it from being transported to the slaughterhouse. In all cases, a pre-slaughter inspection (‘live inspection’) must be carried out by an official veterinarian. ‘Emergency slaughter’ under food law is therefore not to be equated with ‘emergency killing’ within the meaning of animal welfare law. In the case of emergency slaughter, the meat of the animal is fit for human consumption provided that the following conditions are met. The legal basis for the slaughter of farm animals is set out in Chapter VI of Annex III to EU Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

• Conditions:
  • in the case of animals with fresh injuries that are difficult to heal, e.g. broken bones, lacerations, acute uterine prolapse, large, heavily bleeding wounds. The animal is unfit for transport
  • the incident must not have occurred more than 24 hours ago
  • the animal’s general condition is otherwise good
• Procedure:
  • The official veterinarian must carry out a pre-slaughter inspection (‘live inspection’) of the animal and be present during stunning and bleeding by the slaughterer.
  • He must then issue a certificate for emergency slaughter, noting the findings and the time of bleeding (accompanying document in accordance with Annex 8 of the ‘Animal Food Hygiene Regulation’ (TierLMHV) or Annex IV, Chapter 5 of Regulation (EU) 2020/2235).
  • The farmer must complete the food chain information (‘standard declaration’ – Annex 7 TierLMHV) and, among other things, confirm with their signature that there have been no withdrawal periods for medicinal products in the last 7 days or which medicinal products have been administered for which the withdrawal period has expired in the last 7 days.
  • Since 2021, the farm veterinarian may only issue this certificate if they have been appointed as an “official veterinarian” for emergency slaughter by the competent veterinary authority. (Note: The competent veterinary authority can be contacted to find out which veterinarians registered there have been appointed as official veterinarians).
  • The animal is stunned by the slaughterer using a captive bolt and killed by bleeding.
  • The slaughtered animal and the blood must be transported to the abattoir under hygienic conditions within 2 hours. Further processing takes place there immediately.

In the case of cows involved in accidents during the final trimester of pregnancy, slaughter is not possible, as the prompt killing of the unborn calf must be ensured. Killing is carried out using specially authorised medication (euthanasia).

When slaughtering cattle for private consumption within one’s own household (home slaughter), an official ante-mortem inspection is not normally required. However, if the animal shows signs of ill health, the owner must have a ‘pre-slaughter inspection’ carried out by an official veterinarian. Sick animals (e.g. cattle with a fever) must under no circumstances be slaughtered for human consumption, not even for personal consumption.

Products from home slaughter, even from animals fit for slaughter, must not under any circumstances be passed on to persons outside the household.

Stunning and killing must be carried out by a person with the necessary expertise (in the case of a service provider: proof of competence). The subsequent slaughtering, cutting and processing do not need to be carried out at an approved slaughterhouse in the case of home slaughter.

However, a post-mortem inspection must always be carried out by an official veterinarian, and if home slaughter takes place due to an accident (emergency slaughter), a BSE test must be carried out on cattle over 4 years of age. Animal by-products and risk material must be disposed of properly (disposal of animal carcasses).

Further information is set out in the legal framework governing the slaughter of farm animals in EU Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and the Animal Slaughter and Processing Ordinance (TierLMHV).

The new EU regulations on mobile slaughtering (Chapter VIa of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004) have been in force since 9 September 2021.   

The authorisation procedure and the legal basis are described in detail in the new Hessian guidelines dated 9 May 2024. 

Go to the guide: "Hessian Guide to Slaughter at the Farm of Origin"

Slaughter at the farm of origin in accordance with Chapter VIa of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 is expressly not a provision for emergency slaughter. This is demonstrated by the fact that every slaughter must be notified at least 3 days in advance and a different accompanying document must be completed (Annex IV, Chapter 3 of Regulation (EU) 2020/2235).

Sick animals may not be slaughtered, even on a mobile basis. However, in individual cases, slaughter cows with mild to moderate lameness but in good general health may be spared a long live transport to the abattoir through a pre-approved on-farm slaughter. This applies only if they are fever-free and their fitness for slaughter is confirmed by the official veterinarian. The lameness should also be recorded as a relevant prior finding in the food chain information (standard declaration) and in the accompanying document in accordance with Annex IV, Chapter 3 of Regulation (EU) 2020/2235.

< Previous page Next page >