Animal Welfare Policy
This Policy sets out the baseline standards and commitments for Choice Meats on Animal Welfare.
We believe that having a good Animal Welfare management system is an important part of our business and forms part of our technical strategy to continually improve on the standards within our production and supply chain.
We recognize our responsibility to work with our suppliers to ensure that they are also committed to the best practice in Animal Welfare while supporting continuous improvement in welfare standards. We also aim to ensure that supplier performance against this policy is continually measured, monitored and improved where necessary.
Policy Statement
As one of the most respected branded meat plants in the region offering the ultimate in customer service, satisfaction and guaranteed quality assurance. We believe that having good animal welfare management is an important part of our business and forms part of our technical strategy to continually increase standards in our supply chain. This belief stems from our responsibility towards our customers based on our quality assurance programs anchored on our Food Safety Management System.1 We further recognise our responsibility to work with suppliers who are also committed to adhering to the best practice in animal welfare management and to support continuous improvement in welfare standards.
We aspire to produce products from animals that are treated according to established Animal Welfare standards hence we expect our suppliers to be committed to upholding good animal welfare practices and to strive for continuous improvement. We will not tolerate animal abuse or neglect within our production and supply chain. We shall regularly review and modify our policies with the guidance of a third-party panel of scientific experts.
Scope
Our animal welfare policy statement is applicable to all products sourced locally and internationally. As such, it is universal for all our relevant species including, but not limited to: beef, lamb, goat and poultry. We have also adopted a clear position regarding environmental issues relating to the production of animal raw materials.
This Policy provides a framework to:
- Ensure the ethical, humane, and responsible treatment of animals within our production and supply chain and
- Ensure that we comply with all relevant national, regional and global Animal Welfare policies, statutes, codes, regulations, guidelines and standards.
Our Guiding Principles
According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Animal Welfare means ‘the physical and mental state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies.2 We recognise animals as being able to feel and perceive the world around them, and consider that an animal is in a good state of welfare where it is healthy, well nourished, safe, comfortable and able to express normal patterns of behaviour, as supported by unbiased scientific evidence. Our policy is further informed by the Five Domains Model, which looks to balance positive and negative effects to ensure livestock lead ‘a good life’ within the bounds and practicalities of production.3 We believe that good animal welfare is supported by knowledge and skilled management and guided by the following principles:
- Animal Handling and Husbandry: Personnel should be adequately trained in practices that promote good animal welfare and carry out routine husbandry practices in a way that minimizes pain and distress.
- Feed and Water: Animals should receive water and quality feed on a regular schedule that meets their nutritional requirements for good health.
- Genetics and Breed Selection: Breeds should be selected for both the environment/climate and the system in which they are bred.
- Health: The health and well-being of animals be assured from breeding, rearing and fattening to transportation and slaughtering and, if possible, this should exceed that which is required by legislation.
- Housing Systems: Animal housing should be designed, constructed, maintained and operated in a manner that minimizes and prevents animal distress or injury.
- Transport and Slaughter: The processes and facilities for loading, transporting, unloading and slaughter should be designed, constructed and maintained so as to permit proper handling of animals and prevent increased risk of injuries and minimize animal distress.
- Products: In our entire product range, we promote products that meet higher animal welfare standards while rejecting products from endangered species.
Policy Requirements
All animal protein supplied to Choice Meats must meet national, regional and global legislation and adhere to the principles of the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) Five Freedoms for animal welfare.4 These state that, at all times, producers/farmers have a duty of care to ensure that animals are:
- Free from hunger and thirst: animals must have access to fresh water and a diet to maintain their full health and vigor
- Free from discomfort: providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area
- Free from pain, injury or disease: ensuring the prevention of illnesses, rapid diagnosis and treatment
- Free to express normal behavior: providing sufficient space, proper facilities, and company of the animal’s own kind
- Free from fear and distress: ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. We strongly encourage our suppliers to adhere to national and global Animal Welfare standards, regulations and guidelines while focusing on animal welfare and good husbandry techniques.
