"Sick pigs - sick system"? - Westfleisch comments on the ZDF broadcast

Submitted by Fleischportal.de am 03 October 2022, Published in Colorful

Westfleisch comments on the recordings shown on September 20.09.2022, XNUMX in the ZDF program "Frontal". "The recordings shown in the ZDF program also affect us. Because for us, the well-being of the animals we keep is always our top priority. Our suppliers are regularly checked in various ways - including in the form of unannounced spot audits by QS. Who fails and loses his QS seal, is automatically eliminated as a Westfleisch supplier."

"Accordingly, we also take the allegations against the individual livestock owners very seriously and are investigating them with all determination. Our employees have made direct contact with the farmers concerned, with the official veterinarians and with QS GmbH Quality and Safety - and are still in close contact with them. As far as we know, the veterinary authorities closely monitor the affected companies; We do not have any information about an official ban. Furthermore, all companies are authorized to deliver after carrying out a special QS audit in the past few days. We reserve the right to sanction until all allegations have been finally clarified Measures up to and including the termination of the supply contracts."

Three steps in focus
"For Westfleisch, the focus is now primarily on three steps: Firstly, we are currently checking every affected company and are carrying out extensive special monitoring. Secondly, we will inspect all of our supplying companies at short notice and document the status quo in detail - also so that the generally excellent work of our more than 3.000 contractual partners does not fall into disrepute."

"And thirdly, we will expand our control network. The status quo is clear: Animals that are unfit for transport and slaughter were and will definitely not be accepted for slaughter in Westfleisch plants. At all Westfleisch meat centers, an official ante-mortem inspection of each individual animal is carried out as soon as the livestock truck is unloaded animal by an official veterinarian. Above all, he checks whether there are any signs of animal welfare violations. In addition, official veterinarians examine each individual slaughtered animal carcass and all organs individually as part of the official meat inspection in order to also detect abnormalities in this way. In the case of signs of animal welfare violations immediately initiate official measures (reports, administrative offences). In addition, in all cases, feedback is given to the farmers via the official veterinarians and the Westfleisch animal welfare officers in coordination with the slaughter cattle purchasing department."

"We are now expanding this already existing extensive ante-mortem inspection with another concept. The focus here is on the risk-oriented inspection of live animals, with which we want to get an even better impression of what is happening in our suppliers' stalls in the future. We will be working on this concept in the coming weeks Roll out across the board. Because one thing is clear: recordings like the current ones must finally be a thing of the past."

https://www.westfleisch.de/