Halal Animal Welfare Association - Articles

Halal Tourism, Wildlife conservation and Animal Welfare

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 11:03:00 +0000

With the growth of the Halal travel market, varying terminology and definitions have been used to refer to either the total Halal travel market or its sub-areas. Terms such as Halal Tourism, Muslim Friendly Travel, and Halal travel are often widely used in the media and advertising to create a niche market. The terms used have had a varying focus, based on who is using the term and in which context.

Halal tourism is used to refer to the tourism industry which caters to the faith-based needs of Muslim travellers. The level of Muslim-friendly services can vary. Other terms used to refer to this area of the industry are Muslim or Halal travel, Muslim or Halal tourism, Islamic Travel, Sahriah Tourism or Ziyarah Tourism.

However, none of them have a universally understood definition, in some instances this differs. These tourism subcategories as a whole are geared towards Muslim families who abide by the rules of Islam. The hotels in such destinations do not serve alcohol, have separate swimming pools and spa facilities for men and women, serve only halal foods, and have prayer facilities in-room and in a common hall in order to attract those who follow the faith and/ or may be bothered about the separation of these facilities.

When booking a holidays as Halal tourism/ Muslim friendly tour which has includes an animal attraction we should also take into account any animal or wildlife related elements of the tour, what our faith teaches us about this and how our visitation to this excursion may have an impact on Allah’s other creations, Additionally If you are funding something which is having a negative effect on Allah’s creations.

I particular here I mean, elephant rides, camel rides, holding and socialising with wild animals, safari tours, swimming with Dolphins- amongst others (the ideas for these are changing daily).

There are many debates and arguments about visitation to these excursions. Elephant, camel rides, holding wild animals and swimming with Dolphins- generally these animals are being kept in a non- natural environment or have been bred in captivity and imprinted on humans. In most cases have had their behaviour adjusted or maybe even questionable training methods used to make them behave in order to provide this entertainment. Their welfare and natural behaviour needs are not being catered too correctly.

When we look at these industries as a whole, at the end of the day only a small portion of your money is going to the animal to make sure it is looked after the rest is for human benefit. Although there are places who use the attractions to educate the public about conservation, it seems strange to allow such things in the name of education, but it is about attracting the customers to learn and raise awareness about the importance of conservation. It is sad to think that potentially as soon as our next generation may only see the majority of animals in a zoo because they are extinct in the wild.

Two very simple ways to determine where the true intent of the establishment lies are to examine the environment of the animals and the level of interaction with the public that is promoted or allowed. Right off- anything with a theme park or “thrill” feeling to it probably is not functioning for the wellbeing of the animals in their care, but more likely operating with the primary purpose of profit.

Any wildlife experience that is selling interaction with animals likely does not have their best interests at heart, the animal is merely the product. This can include encounters such as elephant and camel rides, tiger petting, and swimming with captive dolphins. These animals are constantly working and training most of the day, in a sense this could be classed as “enrichment” for them, but it is also not natural and training methods may be questionable. These animals are not behaving naturally, and the real question is what has been done to them to make them perform in this unnatural fashion.

Depending on the law/ legislation in the country, in a lot of cases the animal has suffered horrendous treatment, typically beatings and punishments as a form of “training,”. Animals can be trained to “perform” certain behaviour through methods such as operant condition which is a combination of reward and punishment but never to the extent of cruelty and usually takes time. In the case of large carnivorous cats allowing the public to cuddle them, they will undergo occasional drugging to ensure continued docile behaviour.

Lastly, talking to the staff will give you an insight into their level of knowledge and training into how to keep animals/ exotics and their welfare needs. They should be able to tell you all about the animal and its natural behaviour, where they came from and who the establishment is doing to conserve the species not just make money.

With regard to safaris/ car or walking. Wildlife is effected by Road Traffic Accidents – you see it everyday with local wildlife splatted on the motorways, safari’s are no different these animals are not raised to have cars running through their ranges. Safari’s can cause disruption of habitat to build roads or facilities for tourists, noise levels and the animals become used to humans.

Tourism can disrupt the feeding and breeding patterns of wildlife due to disturbances in routine and their environment. Tourists move too close to animals with the aim of viewing and taking photographs, the animals become aware of the presence of humans and cannot continue with their routine activities. Tourism can potentially put enormous stress on local land use, and can lead to soil erosion, increased pollution, natural habitat loss creating more pressure on endangered species.

How can we improve Halal tourism which involves animal attractions?

Education of these issues and the advertisement of Halal tourism to promotes Ecotourism. Ecotourism provides incentives to enhance biodiversity and preserve natural resources. Ecotourism can help to fight poverty and empower local indigenous people by providing locals with a source of income through employment opportunity. One of the most important conservation benefits provided by wildlife tourism occurs when it provides an economic incentive for maintaining or restoring natural habitats and improving the lives of others, qualities Islam installs in us as Muslims, as well as caring for animal welfare and how our desires affect Allah’s other creations.

With the right excursions Muslim tourists can increase their awareness of the importance of conservation, Allah’s other creations, how we all need to live in harmony together and learn how they can make a difference. Moreover, they can go home and share their newfound knowledge and passion with others.

H.A.W.A Animal Welfare Charter- MINIMUM standards for COMMERICAL production

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:51:00 +0000

Background:

These standards have been created to guide livestock farms who produce meat for the Halal market taking into account the animals life from birth to death. H.A.W.A believes the animals life is just as important as the way the animal is slaughtered from the religious perspective of Islam and we have a duty as Muslims to take into account the wellbeing of Allah’s other creations no matter their purpose.

In an ideal world Halal meat should all be HALAL and TAYYIB – it should be sourced from animals reared in an Organic environment with Organic feed, low stocking densities, slaughtered un-stunned, on site with time and care taken, however with the modern world, a growing population and a high supply and demand these standards have been created for all Halal producers to be able to abide by with little or maybe even no adjustment to production systems (for those who already farm to an Organic, High welfare, Tayyib standard). The idea is for a basic standard to be set and then we build and improve upon these standards over time. H.A.W.A’s aim is eventually we have a Halal industry which does Not certify factory farmed meat.

Where adjustments to production systems are needed H.A.W.A recommends a phased approach taking into account that specific countries animal welfare laws, climate and landscape.

Insha’Allah over time Halal meat producers will improve farming systems, food security, correct Halal labelling and carry the reputation of high animal welfare from farm to fork all the while building a sought after reputation in these areas as well as climate aware and sustainable in line with the principles of Islam.

PLEASE CONTACT H.A.W.A if you would like to dicuss this charter.

To Access the charter please see the link below- *PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A COPYRIGHTED DOCUMENT**

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2j2y2mafdrab05j/HAWA%20AW%20standards.pdf?dl=0

What makes our food Halal and Tayyib from Farm to Fork

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:37:00 +0000

“Oh, you people, eat from the earth what is halal and tayyib, and follow not the footsteps of the Shaytan …”
(Surat al-Baqarah 2:168)

The translation of Halal is “permissible or lawful”. Halal is considered as a concept (Khattak et al, 2011) and a perception of behaviour to include what we wear, our speech, what we eat and how we treat others.

Tayyib translates to clean, pure, wholesome. As these terms Halal and Tayyib are combined in the Holy Quran it is necessary to use the combined expression “Halala Tayyiba” when Halal food is presented (Alzeer et al, 2018).

“ Eat of the clean and pure (Tayyib) and act righteously” (Holy Quran, Surah Al-Muminun ).

With regard to food, Halal and Tayyib represents a process through which the food passes through to achieve both objectives: Therefore, how Halal, which is a subject, is being processed, will determine if Halal is Tayyib or not. Chicken as a subject is Halal but how chicken is handled, treated, fed and slaughtered will determine if the chicken is Halala Tayyiba or not which is essential, but it can be accomplished if what we eat complies well with what we believe in terms of Islam.

Halal products and the conditions which make them Tayyib:

(Haram products and Khabith processing can be found at the bottom on this blog).

Animal Welfare and Law:

Behaviour and Welfare needs considered depending on species to include:

- The Animal Welfare Act 2006, 5 Animal needs

- The Welfare of Farmed Animals Act (England) 2007

- WATOK Regulations England

- All EU regulations regarding Animal Welfare, Slaughter and Food standards.

Appropriate handling and restraint of animals when needed

Hygienic living conditions, Biosecurity against diseases

Animal cruelty is a sin in Islam as prescribed in the below hadith, even though farm animals may be viewed as “just going for food” we should be arrogant and think we are a superior species for Allah will question us for the treatment of these animals entrusted to us.

“It is a great sin for man to imprison those animals which are in his power.” (Muslim)

“The worst of shepherds is the ungentle, who causes the beasts to crush or bruise one another.” (Muslim)

“Fear God in these mute animals and ride them when they are fit to be ridden and let them go free when … they [need to] rest.” (Abu Dawud)

Traceability:

Identification and recordkeeping All farm-bred and brought in large livestock must be permanently identified.

Horses (even pet ones) can be used for meat but they MUST have a passport by Law.

Poultry and other small livestock group identification is sufficient. All animals must be accompanied by a certificate stating their origin so that it is possible to trace animals back to the original farm and parents.

Stock management records must be kept, including veterinary treatment.

Breeding:

Cattle, Sheep and Goats

- Adhere to breeding seasons, do not use light manipulation for unnatural breeding cycles to force supply for high demand

- Breeding suited animals by size, age and genetics

- Do not overbreed females which causes disease/ conditions and suffering

- Producing animals with genetic manipulation or with the use of biotechnology is prohibited(this includes embryo transfer and sperm separation for sex determination).

- Hormones can be used to synch oestrus cycles of females in the event of efficient farm management ONLY no other purpose such as growth promotion, the animals welfare must be considered.

Poultry

- In-egg sexing is prohibited.

Birth

- Nutritional requirements must be monitored at all times through all stages of breeding and birth for males and females.

- Monitor birth from a distance and respect the animals privacy and behaviour changes including housing and nutritional requirements

- For Poultry suitable nesting boxes should be put in place to accommodate natural behaviour.

Housing

Cattle, Sheep and Goats

- There must be sufficient space provided and the herd must be managed to allow the expression of social behaviour.

- Outdoor space and Indoor shelter provided (Space requirements as per EU Organic guidelines).

- Animals must be able to feed in an unhindered way; this means that there should be as many feeding stations as there are animals in the stable.

- There must be as many sleeping stalls in the stable as there are animals and the sleeping stalls must have appropriate bedding. Fully slatted floors should may not be calculated as resting-place.

- Access to fresh pasture during the summer half-year. Where this is not possible, access to the open air must be available all year round.

- To tie up stock in housing all year round is not allowed.

Poultry

- Housing and management must be designed to meet the natural requirements of the birds. This should include sufficient daylight, good climatic conditions in housing and low dust exposure.

- Access to indoor and outdoor areas (Space requirements and stocking densities as per EU Organic guidelines).

Manipulation

- Dehorning of animals, Tail docking, beak trimming, or any other form of manipulation is not permitted (only performed by a Vet if there is a valid health and welfare reason). These practices are banned under EU law.

Animal Feed

- Livestock should be fed with organic feed that meets the animal's nutritional requirements at the various stages of its development.

- Livestock shall have permanent access to pasture or roughage. Fresh or dried fodder or silage.

- Any feed materials used or processed in organic production shall not have been processed with the aid of chemically synthesised solvents.

- Growth promoters and GMOs shall not be used.

- All poultry must have access to insoluble grit

- The keeping of livestock in conditions, or on a diet, which may encourage anaemia, is prohibited.

- Force-feeding is forbidden

Transport to slaughter or other establishments

- Transport time should be kept to a minimum in well ventilated and heat-controlled lorries.

(Legal transport requirements under UK/EU law, including Animal welfare requirements and paperwork can be found on UK GOV website).

- Live export of Animals overseas is not a Tayyib practice.

Requirements of Halal slaughter

- When unloading and in waiting, Animals should be handled with care, given sufficient hygienic space, appropriate temperature and ventilation where they are kept and water to drink.

- FSA and EU approved abbitor

- Dhabiha requirements followed.

- One animal should not see another being slaughtered.

- Full tasmiyyah should be read to each animal, the cut must be done by hand immediately after.

- Facing the Kaaba

- Clean very sharp blade for one cut through the Trachea, Oesophagus and Jugular vein.

- Muslim fully licenced slaughter man.

- Vet to check the health of the animal. Animals sent for the consumer should be whole and healthy.

- Not on production lines where haram meat is slaughtered.

- UK GOV Halal slaughter guidance adhered to

Imam Ali said: “Do not slaughter sheep in the presence of other sheep, or any animal in the presence of other animals.”

‘Umar once saw a man denying a sheep, which was going to slaughter, a satiating measure of water to drink. He gave the man a beating with his lash and told him: ‘Go, water it properly at the time of its death, you knave!’.

Dressing/ Processing/ Packaging

- Not to be checked and sorted on production lines with Haraam products such as pork.

- Cross contamination with haram products is prohibited.

Display/ Distribution to the Public

- Not to be displayed or cross contaminated with Haraam products i.e.. With pork in butchers shops.

What about other products which are Halal for us?

With regard to Fish, Dairy products and Vegetables, the closest standard to Tayyib in modern day farming is Organic produce which has high standards under EU regulations.

Below are other Halal and Tayyib processes which are not specific to the UK/ EU but may be in other parts of the world due to different food or living standards (taken from a science paper):

Halal subjects	Non-Tayyib process
Chicken, sheep, fish and cow meat Duck liver	Intentionally fed with animal bones, or warms; produced on lines used for pork Foie Gras – Force feeding of the animal.
Flavour	Processed with fermented ethanol
Water	Passed through filters derived from Pork fat
Fruits and Vegetables	Intentionally cultivated with fertilizer derived from pork, genetically modified or injected with oxytocin hormones
Caviar	Fish is fed with pork haemoglobin
Cheese	Enzyme used in the production of cheese is derived from non-Halal animals or microbes grown on non-Halal media

Products which are Haraam and processes which are Khabith:

- Pork

- Alcohol

- Carrion

- Predator Animals i.e. Birds of prey.

- Sweets or deserts processed with Non-Halal animal derived Gelatine.

- Foods or Drink processed with Alcohol/ wines.

“He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swine flesh, and that on which hath been invoked any other name besides Allah’s.” (Surah Al- Baqarah)

“Forbidden unto you (for food) are: carrion and blood and swine flesh, and that on which hath been invoked the name other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been gored to death, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by slaughter) and that which hath been immolated to idols …. (Surah Al- Mai’idah)

“O ye who believe! Intoxicants and games of chance, and idols and divining arrows are an abomination of Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed.” (Surah Al- Mai’idah)

Tayyib conditions for each individual animal go much further in-depth if you are rearing them as a farmer, this blog is simplified for the general public. Please email us if you would like further details or any material which was used/ referenced.

Permissible (Halal) products and Tayyib controversy: FISH FARMING

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:33:00 +0000

As Muslims Dairy products and Fish/ water inhabitant animals are Halal for us with the exception of crocodile, alligator and frogs. Some Muslims also view crab and prawns as haram to consume (ICV 2019, M. Ibn Adam 2017), but just like meat products supply and demand is extremely high within these industries which compromises Animal Welfare and Tayyib standards.

Fish Farming and Tayyib concerns:

Within Fish farms Tayyib standards are compromised by the fish experiencing, overcrowding, habitats with poor unhygienic conditions, water temperature manipulation to speed up growth, long periods of starvation and inhumane slaughter methods being used such as suffocation (Ashley. P et al 2007). Even though it is permissible for us to consume fish we should still consider the health and welfare of the fish during farming, fishing and slaughter as any cruelty inflicted upon Allah (SWT) creations is a sin.

Just the same as mammals fish also exhibit certain natural behaviours which will be prohibited or made difficult if the fish are reared in farms. For example, Salmon are migratory fish, they perform what is known as the “Salmon run”. This is when the salmon make a length journey from the Atlantic all the way back to the river where they were born to spawn before returning again to sea (Kope R.G, 2001).

Salmon being reared in a fish farm will not have the means to perform this behaviour, instead they will often swim in circles around the cage or nets they are kept within causing damage not only mentally but physically to themselves by rubbing against the enclosure or against each other.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 cover fish that are commonly domesticated in the UK which gives farmed fish protection against unnecessary suffering and places a duty on a person responsible for the fish to ensure their needs are met. However Council Directive 98/58/EC explicitly excludes fish. Farmed fish are, therefore, not offered the more detailed welfare protection during production compared to most terrestrial farm animals.

Overcrowding:

Fish farming will most likely cause a large number of fish to be kept within a much smaller area than they would live in within the wild, much the same as livestock stocking densities, Fish will experience the same welfare issues; less freedom to swim around causing mental and physical damage, stress, aggression and poor habitat hygiene/ water quality which leads to an increase in disease and lower oxygen levels for the fish (Poli. B, 2009). Health and Welfare are two separate things but can often go hand in hand as repeated bouts of poor health may indicate a welfare issue. For example, stress can suppress immune function, Overcrowding of farmed fish causing stress will therefore play a huge factor in the health of the fish (FSBI 2002). Although health and welfare are two separate areas, illness is not always caused by environment conditions. Fish in high rearing densities have shown to have suppressed immunoglobulin, a higher mortality rate was also observed within a more stressed, higher density experimental group (Iguchi et al, 2003). Poor health among the fish can affect other behaviours such as reduced feed intake and negative social interaction.

Why do the fish experience Starvation?

Farmed fish often have food withheld before procedures such as transport, harvesting/ sorting and slaughter (this is to ensure all food is emptied from the stomach and intestines).

Scientifically studies have shown starvation did not have any effect on the fishes immunity, nor heart functions or skin integrity. Also the stress markers within the heart indicated a predictable response to crowding and handling stress, which suggests from a welfare prospective this does not do the fish any harm for a short period of time in cool temperatures.

However, Islam has the Hadith:

Although this is in reference to giving water to a sheep (Fish can also experience dehydration by the way!) – should the same considerations be met for the Fish we consume in order for Tayyib to be fulfilled, the starvation of the fish should not be unnecessary or for long periods to the point of cruelty even if the fish is going to slaughter.

Death by suffocation

There are various ways in which Fish are slaughtered, some of which are not practised in the UK but may be overseas such as:

Gassing with carbon dioxide.

Cutting the gills without stunning.

Electrical stunning (with a controlled voltage)

Strike to the head.

Left to suffocate in air or on ice, natural bleeding process un-stunned.

As you can imagine some of these slaughter methods are extremely distressing to Fish and these methods must be assessed with regard to Tayyib. Even though Fish are Halal for us and there is no need for specific certification Allah commands us to eat Halal and Tayyib and care for Animal Welfare, in this instance our commands are guidance in Islam should not be pushed aside just case the end product is Halal.

Can farmed Fish welfare be improved?

Of course, in this age of mass production to meet supply and demand welfare standards can be improved, currently around 100 million fish are being farmed at any one time to fulfil the demand of humans. Organic standards, such as those set by the Soil Association, improve the welfare of farmed fish. The difference between Fish and Livestock being that Organic certified fish can still be housed within cages, however Soil Association will only certify Fish which has plenty more room, humane slaughter and limited starvation periods (Soil Association, 2017).

Fish Farming: Our health and the environment

Environmental issues include, Uneaten fish feed, fish waste, and any antibiotics or chemicals used in fish farm operations flow back into the ocean having an impact on the surrounding environment. Farmed fish are at risk of spreading disease to wild fish who are not usually exposed to that kind of bacteria, any farmed fish which escape may also fight for wild fish resources and changes the wild fish food chain.

Fish produced at factory fish farms can have higher levels of contaminants than wild fish, which may lead to health risks for consumers. Fish farm productions outside the EU who use antibiotics can cause drug-resistant bacteria to develop, which may then be passed on to humans.

Previously antimicrobials would be used to treat the fish within these conditions to prevent disease, however now the aquaculture industry recognises and takes precautionary measures to control the use of antibiotics but improving husbandry standards and using vaccines (Cooke. M 2016), but of course only a certain standard can be maintained within overcrowded environments.

Cost

The same with meat products, if your fish is cheap you should question why, the price of cheap food will be paid else where either the environment or your health.

References.

Ashley. P.J 2006. Fish welfare, current issues in Aquaculture. Applied Animal behaviour science. Vol 104 issue 3-4 pages 199-235

Brek.O, Jorgensen. S.M, Olsvik. P.A, Timmerhaus. G and Waagbo. R 2017. Short-term starvation at low temperature prior to harvest does not impact the health and acute stress response of adult Atlantic salmon. Peerj.

Cooke. M 2016. Business Benchmark on farm animal welfare. Animal welfare in farmed fish. Investor briefing 23. [ online] https://www.bbfaw.com/media/1432/investor-briefing-no-23-animal-welfare-in-farmed-fish.pdf

Farm Animal Welfare Committee 2014. Welfare of farmed fish at time of killing. [online] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/319331/Opinion_on_the_welfare_of_farmed_fish_at_the_time_of_killing.pdf

Food and Water watch 2013. Factory Fish Farming [online]https://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/insight/factory-fish-farming

FSBI (Fisheries Society of the British Isles), 2002. Fish Welfare. Briefing Report 2. Granta Information systems. [online] http://www.le.ac.uk/biology/fsbi/welfare.pdf.

HSA, 2005. Humane Harvesting of Salmon and Trout. Humane Slaughter Association, Wheathampstead.

Humane slaughter association 2018. Humane slaughter of finfished farming around the world. [online] https://www.hsa.org.uk/downloads/hsafishslaughterreportfeb2018.pdf

Kendell Reagan Nutrition centre 2017. Wild caught vs Farm raised sea food. [online] https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/wild-caught-vs-farm-raised-seafood/

Kope R.G 2001. Salmon fisheries, pacific, Encyclopaedia of ocean sciences second edition. Pg. 12-22.

Poli. B.M 2016. Farmed fish welfare and suffering assessment and impact on production quality. Italian journal of animal science. 8 sup1, 139-160.

Rahman .S.A 2017. Religion and Animal welfare- Islamic perspective. Animals. 7 (2) 11.

RSPCA No date. Fish Farming- Key issues [online] https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/farm/fish/keyissues

Soil Association 2017. Organic Aquaculture standards. [online] https://www.soilassociation.org/media/15726/soil-association-aquaculture-standards-v1-3-may-2017.pdf

Permissible (Halal) products and Tayyib controversy. DAIRY FARMING

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:31:00 +0000

Since H.A.W.A began we have a tremendous response to our education campaign and articles (Thank you to all for your support). However we have had a few questions regarding Animal products which are Halal for us and how Tayyib is compromised such as Milk/ Dairy products and Fish farming.

As Muslims Dairy products and Fish/ water inhabitant animals are Halal for us with the exception of crocodile, alligator and frogs (Some Muslims also view crab and prawns as haram to consume) (ICV 2019, M. Ibn Adam 2017), but just like meat products supply and demand is extremely high within these industries which compromises Animal Welfare and Tayyib standards.

Dairy Farming and Tayyib concerns:

Dairy cows produce milk for around 10 months a year with a 2-month rest. On Average the cows produce 22 litres of milk per day in the UK, during high lactation periods up to 60 litres. Dairy cows usually give birth to a calve once a year, they are then artificially inseminated again around three months after giving birth.

The cows have high milk production rates for around 3 to 4 year, once they start to drop milk yield, quality, infertility or suffer from diseases such as lameness, they will be slaughtered and if the meat is suitable, sold for beef, despite a healthy cow who is not subjected to so much demand being able to live up to 20 years.

Intensive dairy farming results in an increasing number of Tayyib concerns for dairy cows.

The cows experience long periods of confinement in indoor housing, health problems occurring due to demand for higher milk yields and distress caused by early separation from their calves.

In commercial dairy farming calves are taken away from their mother at times within hours of birth. Naturally they would suckle for a year and bond with their mother. The separation so early on in life and placing the calf into unnatural social environments can have a long-term effect on their physical and social development.

The majority of dairy cows are kept indoors for part or all of the year, they will likely be housed if weather conditions are bad. Because of this , the Cows do not have the capability to perform natural behaviours and get enough exercise compared to when they are at pasture. Farms are required to abide by the Animal Welfare act 2002, along with other regulations and guidance for farm animals such as The Welfare of Farmed Animals Regulation 2007 (UK GOV 2007).

However a lot of the guidelines even with industry approval, are just that. Guidelines or standards set by private companies to obtain a seal of approval for a product, but they are not the Law. Farmers will push the boundaries as much as they can to obtain a high yield while given basic animal needs. Good housing design, management and husbandry are essential for good Animal welfare. Crowded conditions, poor ventilation and high humidity increase the risk of injury and disease which will disrupt production (CIWF n.d).

Rest is key for Dairy cows, especially during lactation just like it is for a nursing mother and they require space to lie down. Cows which are kept inside in cubicles on concrete floors with uncomfortable or inadequate bedding will be more likely to develop infections such as MASTITIS **. Housing with hard flooring can increase pain for LAME** cows with bacterial conditions such as hoof lesions, digital dermatitis or sole ulcers.

In some Dairy units the cows also experience Tethering. They are kept in tie-stalls, which involve further confinement. The cows are tied up by either a chain, stanchion (metal bars) or rope tied around the neck, for up to 24 hours a day throughout her life. (EFSA 2009). Tie-stalls restrict every aspect of cows’ behaviour and really push the boundaries of the Animal Welfare Act 5 Animal Needs (RSPCA 2019).

Cows need access to pasture with plenty of space and opportunity to graze. This is important for their physical and mental well-being, and their ability to perform natural behaviours. In the UK most dairy cows still have daytime access to grazing on pasture in summer, but more cows are being kept indoors for longer, or even all year round. This is known as ‘zero grazing’ and is increasingly used for large and high-yielding herds worldwide.

Cows in organic systems receive a diet higher in fibre and have access to pasture during the grazing season.

In the US, many dairy cows are injected regularly with growth hormones (rBST) to increase milk yield. This is illegal in the EU.

What happens to the Male calves?

Most female calves will be reared to join the milking herd, but as male calves cannot produce milk, they are considered surplus to the dairy industry. Male calves will either be shot after birth or sold to be reared for veal or beef.

Calves destined for the meat industry may be transported for several days over long distances by road and/ship, to rearing facilities which may be in different countries. This is very stressful, and calves may be transported when only a week old. Although there are now calls to ban this from the UK in parliament. In April 2018, Defra issued a six week call for evidence on controlling live exports for slaughter and to improve animal welfare during transport after the UK leaves the EU on behalf of the UK Government and Devolved Administrations. This is now being reviewed by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee, which is expected to report in due course. (UK GOV 2019)

Although within the Animal Science industry research is constantly being conducted using modern technology to try and improve conditions for Dairy cows while maintaining yield for supply and demand we must ask ourselves as Muslims if these conditions are necessary for our continuous consumption and compromise the command we were given to consume what is Halal AND TAYYIB.

**Lameness is a significant welfare problem for dairy cows worldwide. Cows may go lame due to contracting bacterial infections ( such as hoof lesions, sole ulcers, laminitis and digital dermatitis) due to poor quality floors, ineffective foot trimming, poor nutrition and prolonged standing on concrete floors.

**Mastitis, inflammation of the udder due to a bacterial infection (The same as in breastfeeding women). A cow’s udder can become infected with mastitis-causing bacteria due to contamination of milking equipment or bedding. Cows that are housed / crated for long periods of time are more likely to develop mastitis than those kept at pasture (Brinkmann et al 2017).

**Cow infertility is a major productivity problem for farmers with high-yielding dairy cows. It can be caused by nutritional deficiencies, stress and poor body condition; therefore it is often a sign of poor welfare.

References

Shayk Adam. M.I (2017) The Fiqh of Halal and Haram Animals [online]

https://central-mosque.com/index.php/General-Fiqh/the-fiqh-of-halal-and-haram-animals.html

Brinkmann. J, Hinterstoisser. P, March. S, Marten. H.P, Schiler.M, Wagner. K and Warnecke. S (2007) Impact of Daily Grazing Time on Dairy Cow Welfare—Results of the Welfare Quality^® Protocol

Animals (Basel). 2018 Jan; 8(1): 1.

Compassion in World Farming. No Date. Farm Animal; About Dairy Cows. [online] https://www.ciwf.org.uk/farm-animals/cows/dairy-cows/

European Food Safety Authority (2009) Scientific report on the effects of farming systems on dairy cow welfare and disease [ online]

https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1143r

Islamic Council of Victoria (2019)What is Halal – A guide for non-Muslims [online] https://www.icv.org.au/about/about-islam-overview/what-is-halal-a-guide-for-non-muslims/

RSPCA. No Date. Animal Welfare [online]

https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/endcruelty/changingthelaw/whatwechanged/animalwelfareact

UK GOV (2007) The Welfare of Farmed Animal (England) Regulations [online]

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2007/2078/contents/made

UK GOV (2019) Live Animal Exports. House of commons library. [online] https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8031

Precision Livestock farming and Tayyib bounderies

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:30:00 +0000

The ever-increasing world population combined with developing countries undergoing a lifestyle change and becoming financially able to purchase animal products there is an increasing pressure on the livestock industry to maintain supply and demand, and yet the career or desire to farm is dwindling. Overtime this will inevitably mean bigger herd sizes to a smaller amount of famer or farm workers which creates a problem only modern technology may be able to solve.

Alhumdulilah scientists, technology experts, veterinary professionals, animal behaviourists and the like have spent many years creating on farm technology in an attempt so solve modern farming and animal welfare issues.

Precision livestock farming technology enables farmers to monitor the behaviour and environment conditions of the animals real- time which can indicate health and welfare issues from a distance without the need for huge staffing numbers. Previously (and still in some cases) health and welfare was monitored and assessed by human experts using score-based chart systems.

Although the use of technology and monitoring does not magically improve the life and welfare of the animal if the environment, husbandry and management by the human is all wrong, it is very beneficial to enable farmers to detect behavioural and environmental problems resulting in health and welfare issues while the animal is being reared and to take immediate management action.

For example, the below shows the behaviour of broiler chickens, red line is the feeder line, real time cameras show the chickens have changed feeding behaviours.

Also cattle monitoring using CowAlert, sensors are placed on the legs which allows activity measurement and detection of conditions such as lameness and oestrus.

Alongside PLF other technology is making fundamental changes to modern farming and animal management.

- The development of Cyber- Grazing. Instead of using electric or constantly maintaining fencing around large areas of farmland, free grazing can be achieved with the use of GPS and a mounted device which causes a shock or a noise to alert the cattle to keep away from a certain area.

- Drones. Although expensive, Drones can be used for Hill farming to identify animals, movements, and grass use.

Research is also being conducted to detect urine distribution by cattle. Farmers add nutrients to grass for pasture growth, Urine can add up to 10 times the amount of these nutrients. Research by Professor Bob Rees SRUC tackles the agricultural environmental problems, his research shows applying additional nutrients to the urine patches you can enhance ammonia emissions, nitrous oxide, and leaching. This technology development would help farmers identify urine patches and adjust their fertiliser applications.

- AI for pain detection. Visual AI has been developed to determine if sheep (or potentially other livestock) are in pain by their facial expression – their ear and nose position. A lot of animals will look healthy from a quick glance and be carrying on normal activities such as feeding when actually something else may be wrong causing them pain.

All of these modern technologies are fantastic and have enable a vast amount of research into understanding animal behaviour and welfare, especially where animals under our guardianship are concerned in an ever-changing world.

However we must think about these technological advances from a Tayyib perspective for livestock which supply the Halal industry.

Are these technological advances giving us the means to intensively farm on an even bigger scale by taking away our conscious regarding Tayyib and Animal welfare and allowing us as humans to abuse our power over livestock because “the technology says all is fine”?.

“Fear God in these mute animals…..”- Hadith Abu Dawud, gives us a clear warning here not to abuse our power over the animals we rear.

Yes of course these technologies are helping to improve Tayyib but on the other hand allowing (as stated above) huge herds of animals to be housed with less human management to batch produce for an increasing population, in effect the factory farm is now becoming a AI controlled factory industry and as humans we are slowly loosing the animal to human compassionate relationship which Allah has blessed us with.

With fast changing modern farming, agricultural technology plus pressure for a sustainable future looming, Tayyib and Animal welfare is not the simple subject it once was in prophetic times.

Qurbani: Rulings and Animal Welfare

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:13:00 +0000

** In February 2023 United Kingdom, Fatwa was issued that ALL Qurbani slaughter must be carried out un-stunned due to the religious sacrifice requirement** (This is not currently the case)

Qurbani/Udhyiah means sacrifice and is generally used to refer to the slaughter of an animal for Allah during the Eid al Adha period ideally as soon after the Eid prayer as possible. The ruling is within 3 days of Eid al Adha. If the sacrifice is done before it must be repeated and if it is carried out after it is not accepted. The 3-day ruling only applies to the slaughter of the animal, the meat may be stored and distributed at a later date to save from being wasted. (1)

The reason for the slaughter of an animal is in the remembrance of the prophet Ibrahim pbuh (Abraham) and his test from Allah to sacrifice his own son Ismail. As an act of faith Ibrahim pbuh agreed but Allah intervened at the last minute and sent a ram in his son’s place. The actions of Ibrahim pbuh show the lengths he would go to in his submission to the will of Allah which is what Muslims wish to replicate. In history the replacement of a ram instead of a human signifies Allah condemning human sacrifice which was common practice during the time and throughout history. (2)

“ You have indeed fulfilled the vision [by showing your willingness to sacrifice your son]. Thus do we reward the righteous. This was obviously a great trail- and we ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice, and left him, thus, for posterity to say in laudation; ‘peace be upon him’”. Quran 37:105-109

Udhyiah/ Qurbani Is carried out to signify this as a Muslim and to distribute the meat amongst those in need, the community and family. Some schools of thought say this is compulsory however others say it is a sunnah ( an encouraged act). (3)

“This is a commemorative tradition (sunnah) of your patriarch Abraham” (4)

Eid al Adha is the festival at the end of the yearly Hajj pilgrimage carried out by millions of Muslims each year in Mecca.

The most common animals which are slaughtered are Cows, Goats, Sheep and Camels. Although you could also choose bull and buffalo.

It is best to feed the poor with these sacrificed animals, however the ruling in Islam is that at least one third of the meat should go to the needy.

It is a great sin to waste the meat of a sacrificed animal or to not distribute any to the poor and a criminal act under Shariah/ Islamic law. (2) (3) Quran 22:36, 37.

Qurbani has a set criterion relating to the Muslim believer. They must be of sound mind and Muslim and they must have the wealth to afford qurbani. There are also alternative depending on circumstances. If you are ill in hospital, away from home or have a small amount of wealth you can offer to give to charity, feed the poor or hold fast. (2) If you are not of privilege you are excused from giving Qurbani and Zakat (Charity). People can also share Qurbani, a small animal such as Goat is equal to one Qurbani, but a large animal such as a camel is equal to 7, so it is permissible for people to share a large animal. (1)

“ Islam sanctioned sacrifice and expounded its wisdom and purpose; the wisdom being to introduce the rich to spend, the purpose being to feed the poor unfortunate – for thus said the Lord ‘Eat of it and feed the poor unfortunate.” (5)

Animal Criteria

Animals which are being sent for Qurbani must meet a certain criterion.

The animals must be in good health and condition. Animals who are sick, weak, blind, have a disability, broken horns, no teeth or young are not allowed.

The age of the animal is also a consideration. A sheep should be one year or older, cattle 2 years or older and a camel 5 years or older. Unless there is an exceptional circumstance.

All other animal welfare advice from the Quran and hadith still apply from rearing the animal to slaughter.

- The Animal must be in good condition and treated well.

- The Animal must be well looked after while waiting for slaughter.

- The Animals must not see the knife being sharpened or another animal being slaughtered.

- The slaughter man must be of sound mind and a Muslim.

- Slaughter must take place facing mecca/ the Kaaba.

- The Takbeer must be said at the point of slaughter.

- The slaughter must be carried out in one stroke to prevent suffering.

“ God has honoured man with authority over his countless creatures. Everything has been harnessed for him. He has been endowed with the power to subdued them and make them serve his objective. This superior position gives man an authority over them and he enjoys the right to use them as he likes. But that does not mean that God has given him unbridled liberty. Islam says that all the creation has certain rights upon man.

He should not waste them on fruitless ventures nor should he unnecessarily hurt or harm them. When he uses them for his service he should cause them the least possible harm and should employ the best and the least injurious methods of using them.” (6)

1) Important rules and guidelines regarding Qurbani. Muslim Aid. https://www.muslimaid.org/media-centre/news/important-rules-and-guidelines-regarding-qurbani/

2) Animal Welfare in Islam; Al-Hafiz Basheer Ahmad Masri; The Islamic Foundation; Leicestershire, UK; 2007

3) What is Qurbani. Islamic relief. https://www.islamic-relief.org/what-is-qurbani/

4) Cf. Ibn Kathir, Vol 3; p. 221.

5) Wajdi’s Encyclopaedia. Sacrifice. Shaykh Farid Wajdi.

6) Towards Understanding Islam; Sayyid Abul A la Mawdudi; English translation by Dr. Khurshid Ahmad, a Muslim of renown in the literary and religious circles; Islamic Publications Ltd., 13-E Shah Alam market, Lahore, Pakistan.

Hajj Slaughter for Eid al- Adha: Tayyib concerns.

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:12:00 +0000

Hajj Slaughter for Eid al- Adha: Tayyib concerns.

To mark the end of the Hajj pilgrimage, Muslims around the world give offerings of an animal to be slaughtered for the feast on Eid al- Adha. Those who are in Saudi Arabia completing the Hajj pilgrimage will have the option to part take in the act itself or pay butchers to complete the act and give the offerings to the poor.

The act of sacrifice is known as Qurbani or Udhyiah completed over the Eid al-Adha period of 3 days. Qurbani/ Udhyiah is for the remembrance of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) pbuh and his test from Allah to sacrifice his own son Ismail. As an act of faith Ibrahim pbuh agreed but Allah intervened at the last minute and send a ram in his sons place.

In 2018 Around 2.5 million animals were sold during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia. Due to Saudi Arabia being rough desert terrain it is hard for farmers to produce large amounts of high production livestock compared to other countries such as Australia, New Zealand, USA and the UK who have vast greenery and more suitable environments. This means during Hajj season especially to accommodate the large volume of the Hajj sacrifice practice animals are imported from overseas with a percentage coming from the reserve farms in Makkah/ Mecca (Amtul. S, Saudi Gazette 2014).

How is Tayyib compromised?

The animals which are imported into Saudi Arabia (usually sheep), are imported alive on ships which causes vast Tayyib and welfare concerns.

The journey can be roughly 50 hours from the farm to the export port which would be completed on lorries in cramped conditions, followed by a 3-week crossing by ship during which time the animals are kept confined and are not mucked out so spend the time standing and sleeping in their waste products. Then even more hours from Jeddah port to the site of slaughter. When travelling on lorries it will depend on that particular countries Animal Welfare laws how long the sheep will go without a break from their confined space and food/ water refills. In the UK our law states sheep can travel by lorry up to 8 hours or with a special licence up to 14 hours (Red Tractor Assurance 2016)

Every year between 2-3 million sheep are exported from Australia in these conditions 97% of those are headed for the Middle East. Even though mortality rates may still be considered as “low” there was a high-profile case in 2003 where 57,000 sheep were imported by ship from Australia to Saudi Arabia by CormoExpress. On arrival the shipment was rejected at the port and the animals were at sea for 3 months as a result 5,000 animals died (Al Jazeera 2003). Another more recent case revealed 3,027 sheep were killed due to heat stress during an export in 2016 ( Wahlquist.C 2018)

Animals transported in this way experience Hunger and thirst, Pain and Injury while being cramped together. Disease and Discomfort due to being kept for long periods time in un-mucked out spaces. They struggle to express normal behaviour and no doubt feel fear and distress.

As Muslims this kind of confinement and treatment of Animals to for fill our own desires or what we think is a necessity does not fall into the remit of Tayyib. Yes we need to complete our sacrifices for Allah and pay our charity, but by harming Allah’s other creations in the process defeats the object, as the Hadith says

“ The worst of Shepard’s are the ungentle, who causes the beasts to crush or bruise one another”- Muslim.

The Tayyib and Welfare concerns include:

- Heat stress, Rapid change from cool to hot, Lack of cooling overnight.

Heat street affect the Renal and Hepatic functions resulting in multiple organ failure which contributes to the majority of the mortalities experienced.

- Lack ventilation while experiencing heat from engines and deck.

- Overcrowding which then causes them to perform behaviour coping strategies or stereo typical behaviours.

Neurological issues during heat stress in animals are reported to be similar to a human.

- Delayed access to feed and water

- Bad Air quality due to high Ammonia because they are not mucked out until they reach their destination.

- Disease risk from the poor ventilation and being kept in un-clean pens throughout their journey. The Ammonia levels have been found to be detrimental to human and animal respiration onboard the ships.

These Tayyib and Welfare concerns are during the transport time, however once they arrive in the masses for sacrifices such as Qurbani Unloading and Pre-slaughter handling can cause distress in the animals, insufficient rest or use of force after unloading increases adrenaline in the blood and an increase of glycogenolysis resulting in poor meat quality (D’Souza et al 1998).

What can be done/ is being done about this?

Currently there is a Lack of physical monitoring/ research from a scientific perspective although some research has been carried out to determine the below and I am sure research will continue.

- Technologies needed for environmental control and monitoring

- Better automated monitoring systems needed for sea livestock transport

- Monitoring systems linked to ship ventilation systems, will need to be out of reach for safety, but low enough to detect ammonia

- Must be robust

There are many protests in the UK to call for a stop to Live Exports of Animals from UK to Europe for slaughter. Due to the religious requirement of Qurbani the Muslim community may consider improvements to these shipping processes so as to not compromise Animal Welfare/ Tayyib advice from our Prophet pbuh. Insha’Allah Allah will grant us the knowledge and ways to improve this process and conditions for these animals to for fill our sacrifice duties as Muslims.

References:

Al Jazeera (2003) Ship of Death sails into final voyage [online]

https://www.aljazeera.com/archive/2003/10/20084916501532888.html

Amtul, Sayeda (2014) 2.5 million animals sold in Saudi Arabia during Hajj. [online] http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/10/12/2-5m-animals-sold-in-Saudi-Arabia-during-hajj.html#.

D’Souza.D.N, Dunshea. F.R, Leury B.J and Warner. R.D (1998) Comparison of different dietary magnesium supplements on meat quality. Meat science. Vol 51 221-225.

Red Tractor Assurance (2016) Livestock Transport Standards [online]

https://assurance.redtractor.org.uk/contentfiles/Farmers-6716.pdf

Wahlquist, Calla (2018) Death of 2,400 Australian sheep on ship to Middle East sparks investigation. The Guaridan [online]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/05/disgusting-death-of-2900-australian-sheep-on-ship-to-middle-east-sparks-investigation.

Animal Health and Human Health

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:11:00 +0000

How healthy, well looked after animals provide better meat for us.

Animals which are kept in bad, unhygienic and overcrowded conditions will begin to show signs of ill health. Of course just like humans’ animals can be affected by illness and disease in any condition at any time, but stress, ill treatment and unsuitable housing will cause the animal to suffer. As a result of ill health the animals can spread this easily amongst themselves (also to humans known as zoonotic diseases) and need to be given medicines such as antibiotics. Disease and Medicines administered to animals can pass on and have an effect on meat quality and human health.

In cases such as intensively farmed animals, conditions are generally cramped, animals do not go outside at all in most cases. This standard of living will cause the animals mental and emotional stress leading to stereotypical behaviours and self-harm because they cannot meet their basic needs.

They are part of a huge production process being fed certain feed, given antibiotics and growth hormones to make them grow quicker than the natural rate that Allah would intend.(1) They are also living in conditions which have photoperiod (light manipulation) and undergo artificial insemination to control reproduction. (2)

When the animals fall ill to disease there is little restriction on what can be given even though the animals will go for human consumption. This is the same with Free range farming. There are withdrawal periods set my law which have to be waited out before the animals go for slaughter, however it has been proven that some residue may still reside in the meat which is now causing Antibiotic resistance in Humans (see more details below).

When it comes down to the slaughter process, DEFRA and FSA have laws in place for inspection of meat for human consumption. Although sometimes down the line signs of disease are missed meaning animals are then wasted and cast aside. In some cases the animal is even passed through to the production line. There has been a report of more and more cases of gastroenteritis in humans being caused by the meat we consume. This can be caused by the carcass, storage of meat, incorrect processing to kill bacteria or incorrect cooking.

How does Natural /Organic farming improve this?

Animals have natural surroundings and fresh pasture which is supplemented with organic feed, there is less human intervention which would mean less stress for the animals. Restrictions are in place for types of feed and medicines which can be given and only if necessary. Withdrawal periods before animals are allowed to be sent for human consumption are longer to prevent residue being left. Antibiotics, steroids or growth hormones are not allowed to be used to speed up and force unnatural growth. (Please see previous article discussing farming practices)

What affect does excessive meat consumption have on Human health?

Recent studies have shown that excessive consumption of meat, especially processed and red meat can cause cancers of the colon, oesophagus, liver , lung and pancreas. Fatty meats can cause diseases such as coronary heart disease and colorectal cancer.

Without going into too much scientific detail, this is down to excessive Fat, Heme/ Iron and Nitrates which react with DNA and Non-human Salic acid which could promote tumour progression and Infectious agents from bacteria, smoking, grilling etc. (3)

We also have to consider here the health of the animal at the time of slaughter. It is a legal requirement for animals to be checked by a vet before slaughter and also the carcass to be checked for signs of disease which could be spread between animals, workers and then the consumer.

You may have heard of “mad cow disease” or BSE, this is a disease which was spread through cows and can be passed to humans through consuming contaminated meat. (4)

How do residues of medicines and Antibiotics affect our meat and human health?

When medicines are administered to an animal, just like humans they enter the blood stream. Once in the blood stream they target the foreign bodies causing the disease/ infection. The circulation system in an animal in effect is the same as human, the blood reaches all areas of the body at some point with residues of the medicine inside. The meat we eat from an animal is usually the muscles. Even after the bleed out from slaughter residues of medicines, antibiotics, feed additives, and growth promoters may be left within the muscle we consume at microbiological level.

A review of scientific studies show that over use of Antibiotics is causing Antibiotics resistance in humans, most commonly by residues left in meat before human consumption. This is because our bodies consume these substances and build up a resistant pathogen, by having a reduction or control over what animals are fed and withdrawal periods between administration and slaughter we can reduce resistance in our food supply. In the case of manipulated feed and growth promoters our food would become better for us. (5)

1) S.H.Jeong, D.Kang, M.W. Lim, C.S Kang,and H.J SungDec 2010, 26 (4): 301-313. Risk Assessment of Growth Hormones and Antimicrobial Residues in Meat https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3834504/

2) I. Gordon. 2017.Reproductive Technologies in Farm Animals, 2nd Edition CBAI 2017

3) E. K. Silbergeld, J. Graham, and L. B. Price. 2008. Industrial Food Animal Production, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Human Health Annual Review of Public Health Vol. 29:151-169 Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205;

4) M.C.Stoppler. Mad Cow Disease and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease https://www.emedicinehealth.com/mad_cow_disease_and_variant_creutzfeldt-jakob/article_em.htm

5) H. C. Wegener. 2012.ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE—LINKING HUMAN AND ANIMAL HEALTH Institute of Medicine (US). Washington (DC): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK114485/

Animal Behaviour and Meat quality

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:09:00 +0000

How different farming practises affects Animal behaviour and meat quality (The basics)

An Animal who is living in modified, unnatural conditions will suffer considerably and not just from a health perspective.

In an unsuitable environment an Animals behaviour will change and they will show clear signs to the human eye that the way they are being treated isn’t correct, which is against the principals of Islam.

The most common situation this will arise is in intensive farming. Free range is a slight improvement depending on the space given as the animal has a little more room to move.

Organic rearing and the animal being left to live a natural life with as little interference by man is best in line with Islamic principles. They are raised in a more natural environment, without GMO’s in their food or interference with growth hormones or light manipulation. ( Please see previous articles about farming practices).

The behaviours they will begin to show can be a range of the below. Just like humans, prolong periods of stress and anxiety causes disease and illness to be caught more easily and more often.

- Aggression to each other and farm workers handling them.

- Self-harm; such as feather plucking, chewing on themselves or even an action which over time will cause an injury.

- Lameness; spending most of the time laying down or reluctant to move.

- Vocalisation.

- Bar biting; The animal may start to chew on bars within their enclosure or chew of strips of enclosure materials.

- Feather plucking.

- Rocking.

- Repetitive movements; such as head bobbing, spinning etc.

- Pawing the ground.

- Refusing to eat and drink.

Intensive farmers will often carry out mutilation procedures on animals to prevent injury from behaviours caused by stress and fear. (1) Such as dehorning cattle, beak trimming chickens and tail docking. Although scientifically this may prove to help injury reduction in these situations, in Islam we are advised not to modify animals for the sake of man as said in the below hadith. This is where and come into play if the need is necessary. (2)

“ The Prophet pbuh said: “ Do not clip the forelock of a horse, for a decency is attached to its forelock; nor its mane, for it protects it; nor its tail, for it is a fly flap.” (3)

How can the Animals behaviour affect our meat?

Without going to much into complicated meat science… (Scientific areas can be touched on in future articles for those interested insha’allah). The actions of a stressed and frightening animal can affect meat quality.

To begin with, if animals are in cramped conditions with each other and they become aggressive or kick out they may cause harm to themselves or each other. This can cause bruising, haemorrhaging, skin blemishes and even broken bones.

Bruised tissue looks unsightly to the consumer, so the damaged tissue will be cut away from the carcass. This is an issue to the farmer because they will have a decreased yield on the meat they are selling. If we think about the modern meat industry, there is the question of just how much eat is cut away because it is spoiled. (4)

Stress and fear in Animals will affect meat quality. In a state of stress or fear chemical reactions happen within the muscles. After slaughter once the muscle/ meat is in the rigor mortis stage depending on the relaxed state of the muscle water loss ( lowering yield) or colouring of the meat will be affected. For example the meat may appear pale to the consumer so no good to be sold on the supermarket shelves. (5)

Meat quality can be affected by human hand when it is cooked, but generally with consumer opinion in mind tender meat of a certain colour is what the consumer wants to eat and wants to see on the shop shelves. Meat which is of a certain colour or texture due to either natural skin pigment or caused by stress and injury will be discarded.

1. Mutilating Procedures, Management Practices, and Housing Conditions That May Affect the Welfare of Farm Animals: Implications for Welfare Research; Rebecca E. Nordquist , Franz Josef van der Staay, Frank J. C. M. van Eerdenburg, Francisca C. Velkers, Lisa Fijn Saskia S. Arndt. Animals 2017, 7(2), 12.

2. Animal Welfare in Islam; Al-Hafiz Basheer Ahmad Masri; The Islamic Foundation; Leicestershire, UK; 2007

3. Narrated by Yahya ibn Said. Malik ibn Anas al-Asbahi. Also al- Muwatta; Divan press, Norwich, England; 1982; p.205

4. Beyond beef, The rise and fall of the cattle culture; Rifkin. J; Plume, USA; 1992

5. Meat science; Warriss P.D; CABI International, Cambridge, UK; 2000