USDA to Prohibit Slaughter of All Downer Cattle

May 21, 2008 — 

The US Department of Agriculture is preparing a proposed rule to prohibit the slaughter of all disabled non-ambulatory cattle. This rule would eliminate the exception allowed in the current regulation for the re-inspection of "downer" cattle which went down following the initial pre-slaughter inspection.

According to USDA figures, fewer than 1000 cattle that were re-inspected were approved by the veterinarian for slaughter last year. That equates to less than 0.003 percent of the nearly 34 million cattle slaughtered.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced the plan saying it was necessary to "maintain consumer confidence in the food supply, eliminate further misunderstanding of the rule and, ultimately, to make a positive impact on the humane handling of cattle." He added, "The decision to ban all non-ambulatory cattle from slaughter will positively impact the humane handling of cattle by reducing the incentive to send marginally weakened cattle to market. There will no longer be any market for cattle that are too weak to rise or walk on their own."

Source:
USDA News Release, May 20, 2008