ESCAS Animal Welfare Audit

Supply chain element /

  Exporter name:  
facility name:
Facility Type (e.g. abattoir or Number of animals observed in - lairage
  Auditor Name:  
feedlot): (abattoirs) / facility (feedlots/depots):
Average daily slaughter
performed (abattoirs only) Number of animals observed slaughtered
Auditor signature:
i.e. number of head: (abattoirs only):

Maximum daily slaughter

capacity (e.g. festival Audit Company:
periods) (abattoirs only):
 
Facility Address:
 
Email
Name of Primary Contact:     Date of This Audit:  
Address:
Primary Contact Phone No:    Date of Last Audit:  

Requirement Observation Summary

1 Handling and movement of livestock 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   Target 
must be carried out calmly and 1 Animals that slipped
11     13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   %   <1% 
effectively, avoiding harm, distress or 2
2
injury 21  
2
  23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30  

31   3   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40 Animals that fell   %   <3% 

2
Animal did not 4
/ = 41     43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50  
  slip/fall/vocalise/baulk 2
51   5   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60 Animals that vocalised   %   <3% 
2
6 (cattle only)
61     63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70
  F = Animal fell  2  
  71   7   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80 Animals that baulked   %   <3% 
2
  S = Animal slipped  81   8   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90  
2
  91   9   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100
2  
  V = Animal vocalised (cattle only)  
  Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter Handling/movement Yes     No    
  B = Animal baulked  (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) meets standard  

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 Comments:
 

 
2 Livestock must not be subjected to    

procedures that cause pain and Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter Procedures used meet Yes     No    

suffering (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) standard  

Comments:

 
3 Livestock must not be isolated unless    

necessary Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter Isolation meets standard Yes     No    
(Stun)/Slaughter (no stun)  

Comments:

 
 

 
4 Sick or injured animals must be    

humanely disposed of or segregated and Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage Sick/injured handled Yes     No    
appropriately - meets
treated appropriately  
standard
 
 

2
 Comments:

5 Livestock must never be forced to walk    

over the top of other animals Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter Handling meets Yes     No    
(Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) standard  

Comments:

 
6 Livestock must not be left individually    

restrained during break times or delays Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Restraint meets Yes     No    
standard  

Comments:

 
7 Ramp sides must be sufficiently high to    

prevent escape Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage Ramp sides meet Yes     No    
                 
3
 standard

Comments:

 
8 Facilities and equipment must be free    

from any protrusions, sharp edges or Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter Facilities/equipment Yes     No    

other faults/flaws that could cause (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) meet standard
 
injury to the animals.

Comments:

   
9 Holding pens must provide enough    

space for the animals to stand up, lie Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage Holding pens meet Yes     No    
standard
down and turn around  

Comments:

 
4
10 Lighting must be conducive to animal    

movement and sufficient to perform Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter Lighting meets standard Yes     No    
(Stun)/Slaughter (no stun)
inspection, when necessary  

Comments:

 
11 Clean water must be available and    

accessible to all animals Indicate where checked: Feedlot/Lairage Clean water available Yes     No    
and accessible to all -
 
meets standard

Comments:

 
12 Feed of sufficient quantity and quality    

must be provided to all animals held Indicate where checked: Feedlot/Lairage Feed provided to Yes     No    
animals >12hrs - meets
over 12 hours  
standard
   

Comments:

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13 Animals must be protected from    

exposure to adverse weather conditions Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage Shelter or arrangements Yes     No    
in place to alleviate
or alternative arrangements must be
heat/cold stress - meets  
made to alleviate heat/cold stress standard
Comments:

 
14 Animals must be inspected and drafted    

on arrival at the facility and daily Indicate where checked: Feedlot/Lairage Inspection meets Yes     No    
standard
thereafter (inspected twice daily in  

lairage if held longer than 12 hours).

Records of inspection are maintained
Comments:

 
 

 
15 The method of restraint employed must 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   Target 
1 Animals that
be designed and operated effectively for 11  
2
  13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   %   <5% 
the size and class of livestock processed vocalised during
2
21  
2
  23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30 restraint  
 
3  (cattle only)
31     33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40  
  2
Animal did not vocalise during 4
/ = 41     43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50  
  restraint 2
5  
51     53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60    
  2
  V = Animal vocalised during restraint 61   6   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70    
6
 2
7  
71     73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80    
2
8
81     83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90    
2
9
91     93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100      
2
 

Indicate where checked: Cattle only – Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Method of restraint Yes     No    
meets standard  

Comments:

   

 
16 Equipment used to restrain animals    

must be maintained in good repair and Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Restraint equipment Yes     No    

effective working order. Records of meets standard  

(including maintenance
maintenance are maintained records)
Comments:

 
 

 
17 There must be a back-up procedure to    

stunning. If an initial stun is ineffective, Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun) Back-up procedure to Yes     No    
stunning available
a re-stun must be applied immediately  

7
 Comments:

 
 

 
18 Stunning equipment must be correctly    

applied, with the appropriate method, Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) (if post-cut stun Settings and application Yes     No    

charge / pressure/ electrical setting used) of stunning equipment

meets standard  
used for each animal
   
  Note: If ineffective stunning is identified under Comments:
  Standard 20 and is due to the above - also
raise under this clause  
 

 
19 Where pre-slaughter stunning is used,    

the stunning procedure must occur Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) - if post-cut stun Pre-slaughter stunning Yes     No    
used occurs without delay -
without delay once the animal has been  
meets standard
restrained. However, in the case of post-  

cut stunning, stunning must occur Comments:

immediately after the throat has been
 
cut
 

 
20 The stun must be effective and result in 1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10       Target 
11   1   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20     No. of E    
immediate unconsciousness of the 2

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 2
21     23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30      
2
animal
3 No. of A
  31  
2
  33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40        
4
41     43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50      
  / = Animal effectively stunned 2
5 Animals stunned
  51  
2
  53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60       %   >95% 
effectively with first
Stun ineffective - equipment 6 application
E = 61     63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70      
  failure 2
  71   7   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80  
2    
Stun ineffective - poor positioning 81  
8
  83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90  
  A = 2
  91   9   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100      
2  
 

Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun) Stunning meets Yes     No    

standard  

Comments:

 
21 Slaughter must be performed using a    

sharp knife and result in massive Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Slaughter procedure Yes     No    
cuts both carotid
bleeding from both carotid arteries (or
arteries or vessels from
the vessels from which they arise, in the which they arise - meets
 
case of thoracic sticking) standard
Comments:
 
 

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22 The throat must be cut using a single    

(blade does not leave the wound until Indicate where checked: Slaughter (no stun) Method of slaughter Yes     No    
meets standard
act of slaughter completed), deep,  
uninterrupted fast stroke of the knife
Comments:

 
 

 
23 For reversible stunning, the time    

between stunning and slaughter must Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun) Stun to stick interval Yes     No    
meets standard
not exceed 20 seconds
 

Comments: Stun to stick interval = ___________ seconds

 
24 The head must be restrained in a    

manner which facilitates slaughter and Indicate where checked: Slaughter (No stun) Time head restrained Yes     No    

for as short a time as possible meets standard

 

Comments: Head restrained for slaughter = ___________ seconds

 
 

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25 The head of the animal must be kept in  

 
extension to prevent the edges of the Indicate where checked: Slaughter (no stun) Head kept in extension Yes     No    
wounds touching until the animal is until animal unconscious
unconscious - meets standard
 

Comments:

 
 

 
26 Animals must not be hoisted, have    

water thrown on them or be otherwise Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Animal confirmed Yes     No    

disturbed prior to confirmed unconscious prior to

other procedures -
unconsciousness meets standard  

Comments:

 
 

 
27 Death must be assured before    

performing carcase dressing or cutting Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Method of slaughter Yes     No    
meets standard
procedures  

11
 Comments:

 
 
 
28 Where allowed, pregnant females must    

be handled separately to other stock Indicate where checked: Slaughter (Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) Handling of Yes     No    
females/foetuses meets
and if slaughtered, foetuses must not be standard
rescued  

Comments:

 
 

 
29 Each facility in the ESCAS supply chain    
Indicate where checked: Land transport/Feedlot/Lairage/Slaughter SOPs used meet Ye     No    
must have Standard Operating
(Stun)/Slaughter (no stun) standarstandard
standard s
Procedures (SOP) to ensure that facility
staff work in accordance with the ESCAS
animal welfare standards
Comments:

Additional Comments:
 

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