I was talking about this with wife and her friend the other day and we weren't sure exactly what halal meat is wifes friend thinks that the animal being killed has to face Mecca or something while being slaughtered and muslim prayers are said? I see more and more halal meat signs around but don't know what the difference between a normal leg of lamb or a halal leg of lamb can someone enlighten me?
davidt4,
May 9, 10:48pm
From Wikipedia:
The food must come from a supplier that uses halal practices. Specifically, the slaughter must be performed by a Muslim, who must precede the slaughter by invoking the name of Allah, most commonly by saying "Bismillah" ("In the name of God") and then three times "Allahu akbar" (God is the greatest). Then, the animal must be slaughtered with a sharp knife by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck, causing the animal’s death without cutting the spinal cord. Lastly, the blood from the veins must be drained.
For further details here's a link to the full piece:
WTF? that's murder really. they don't even stun the animal first or anything. we should not allow this in NZ!
desertcolt07,
May 9, 11:04pm
no, they are stunned first. i worked on beef slaughter for a few years.
pa2,
May 9, 11:11pm
Methinks if someone is slaughtering an animal like this, it at least gives the animal the chance to realise it is for a higher award - rather than marching in two by two in a typical NZ meatworks where the animals are slaughtered without care or thought - well perhaps care is taken. Do away with the halal practice and you take away a huge portion of export trade to muslim countries and as well our own muslim community would not feel happy eating NZ meat. The Halal practice is relatively quick and as painless as any other slaughter method. Look at any home or farmkill, Similar methods - wringing the neck or chopping the head off chickens, a .22 bullet through the head.
You want to eat meat, or fish, or poultry? Somewhere along the line something was killed
davidt4,
May 10, 12:07am
Quite so.
mopeds,
May 10, 12:25am
For meat to be considered kosher under Jewish law or halal under Islamic law, the animal must be conscious when killed. Denmark has banned religious slaughter placing animal rights ahead of religious freedom.
hah. You have never seen in a standard slaughterhouse then have you. All meat is from murder. They sure don't commit suicide.
samanya,
May 10, 4:04am
How do you think home kill butchers slaughter an animal? Pretty much the same way with out the Islamic input.
muffin2,
May 10, 4:07am
well when animals go to the slaughterhouse they are stunned or gassed so they are not awake or conscious when they are killed. and to me that is a more humane way of killing
at the end of the day though the meat will probably taste the same.
mopeds,
May 10, 6:26am
Under Islamic law, the animal must be conscious when killed.
cookessentials,
May 10, 6:34am
I can find out exactly if you want me to? A friend of mines husband has one of the larger halal certification businesses in NZ
All animals must be stunned prior to slaughter in NZ, and this includes halal.
Most boards in NZ are built facing the appropriate location (I believe it's West or NW) to minimise hassle (NZ exports a lot of halal meat so it's just easier to build it that way), and there are prayers involved but ALL animals must be stunned.
EDIT: The reasons for halal and kosher rituals were mainly for SAFETY. Before they had bolt guns or cold storage, an unconscious animal was most likely sick and not suitable to eat. Fortunately the laws we do have around humane care do not bend to ancient rituals and acknowledge modern technology hence the stunning compromise.
samanya,
May 10, 7:08am
That must surely only apply to stock for resale? http://www.beeflambnz.co.nz/index.pl?page=faq&m=458#home I had some sheep home killed on Thursday, by a registered operator & no stunning involved, but a quick kill none the less ( thankfully). I hate it, but it has to be done.
jcsolgier,
May 10, 7:12am
This was what I was going to add - you are quite right. An animal bleeding out by its throat is not humane, if you had seen it, vs a bolt or bullet in the brain you would never say it is. When you wring a chickens neck you break its spinal cord - completely different to slitting its throat.
fizzy_kiwi,
May 10, 12:56pm
I'm not sure about homekill, I only know commercial abbatoirs. Though I would assume butchers and homekill operate under the same laws and any undue suffering would not be legal. But no, they're not required to stun as they can provide instant or near instant death with a gun, the animal isn't in a situation where people need to get close enough to cut the throat.
In other words, ever tried to get close to a big angry beefy.
lythande1,
May 10, 6:36pm
Have you actually seen the process? I have. The stunning does not render them unconscious. They sag at the knees, scrabble around with their hooves, look terrified, some bellow - yes their eyes stay open, while they're panicking over that, then their throats are cut.
roshu,
May 11, 4:21am
Do they have to face Mecca as well? (or just face death)
duckmoon,
May 11, 5:21am
i have heard that the Taylor Preston abettor (sp) in Wellington is all halal killed meat
rainrain1,
May 11, 5:42am
I understand that they have to face the right way
rainrain1,
May 11, 8:16am
God sheeprus, you are such a drama queen or king
rainrain1,
May 11, 8:47am
Been farming this land for over 100 years and never struck one like you ever, thank goodness. Is there anything you don't know about kiwi farming?
rainrain1,
May 11, 9:01am
We's pretty good at it though, WOW. cheers old chap, the last word goes to you
holly-rocks,
May 11, 9:15am
Request a gun next time. We have done our own homekill for many years but now get a pro in now and i always request a gun. I hate it too!
rainrain1,
May 11, 9:35am
We all hate it, one of the downsides of farming, but it is done every day all over NZ
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