Hmm kosher does not mean animal will be stunnned going on this. What is kosher slaughter in Australia? Article ID: 117 Last updated: 01 Jun, 2011 Print Export to PDF Subscribe Unsubscribe Email to friend Add comment Views: 7306 Comments: 0
Kosher describes what is ?fit and proper? for people of the Jewish faith to consume. It gives a range of beverages and foods (including meat) that are acceptable. Kosher food laws are based on interpretation of the Bible and the Torah, the Judaic scriptures. Jews are forbidden to consume blood. Kosher meat must be slaughtered in a particular way, so the rabbi in a kosher meat plant is a specially trained religious slaughterer. The animal must be killed so it feels little pain. A sharp knife is used to cut the oesophagus, the trachea, carotid arteries and jugular veins in one action. Excessive pressure on the blade is forbidden. The animal is raised so blood flows out and this is then covered with dirt. Failure to do any of these acts correctly means the animal is unfit to eat.
The standard for meat production in Australia is that all animals must be effectively stunned (unconscious) prior to slaughter. Kosher slaughter does not comply with this standard.
Despite the Australian standard requiring stunning, there are instances where the relevant Australian state or territory meat-inspection authority can provide an exemption and approve an abattoir for ritual slaughter without prior stunning - either halal or kosher - for the domestic market. For cattle and sheep, the requirements for this type of slaughter are set out in a nationally adopted guideline Ritual Slaughter for Ovine (Sheep) and Bovine (Cattle):
For cattle, this means the animal must remain in an upright position with the head and body restrained. The animal must be stunned with a captive-bolt pistol immediately after the throat is cut (known as ?sticking?). Two separate people must perform the sticking and stunning. If there are any problems restraining the animal while attempting to stick it, then it must be stunned immediately.
For religious slaughter of sheep, the guideline requires cutting both the carotid arteries and the jugular veins. This must be confirmed ? if they are not completely severed, then the animal must be immediately stunned.
Cattle and sheep requirements are different because cattle have an extra blood supply to the brain through the back of the neck. Therefore, cutting cattle?s throats results in less rapid loss of consciousness.
