UK supermarkets droop provides from Lincolnshire pig farm over cruelty claims

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons have suspended provides from a Lincolnshire pig farm connected to unlawful abuse of pigs.

Secretly filmed pictures has proven farm employees at Northmoor Farm showing to clutch piglets via their hind legs and smashing them directly to the laborious flooring – a banned approach of killing referred to as blunt drive trauma or “piglet thumping”.

Other harrowing pictures from the farm owned via probably the most UK’s largest pig meat manufacturers, Cranswick, confirmed a sow being kicked and crushed with steel bars, in addition to a botched killing that left an animal writhing in agony, as first reported via the Mail on Sunday.

One employee who didn’t kill a sow with a number of photographs from a bolt gun, reportedly instructed an undercover investigator: “Don’t let nobody see you doing like what we did [sic].”

The pictures on the farm, which homes about 6,000 pigs in cramped cages, used to be captured over a number of weeks closing yr via an undercover investigator for the animal rights organisation Animal Justice Project (AJP).

AJP has filed a proper criticism to Trading Standards, mentioning more than one breaches of the Welfare of Animals on the Time of Killing laws.

Claire Palmer, the founding father of AJP, mentioned the gang used to be aiming to turn “the violent realities of pig farming in Britain”.

“We are demanding immediate enforcement of the ban on blunt force trauma and the prosecution of Cranswick. There must be an independent public inquiry into pig farming practices and regulatory failures.”

Piglets are ceaselessly killed as a part of the beef manufacturing procedure – if they’re vulnerable, unwell or no longer rising rapid sufficient to be winning. However, there are strict laws concerning the strategies used.

The use of blunt drive trauma to kill piglets underneath 10kg used to be outlawed in 2022 after warnings from the United Kingdom’s Animal Welfare Committee and the EU’s Reference Centre for Animal Welfare. Both mentioned the process used to be unreliable, inhumane, and needless given to be had choices, together with captive bolt weapons.

Cranswick mentioned all the workforce on the farm have been suspended whilst an investigation takes position, as required via regulation.

A Cranswick spokesperson mentioned: “The welfare of the animals we rear is of the utmost importance and we are extremely disappointed to see the unacceptable lapse of welfare standards captured at Northmoor Farm.

“As soon as we saw the footage, we immediately suspended the team working at the farm and we are conducting an urgent and thorough investigation. We have also suspended the farm from supplying any pigs until the investigation is completed.”

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda all showed that they had suspended provides from the farm whilst an investigation used to be performed.

A Tesco spokesperson mentioned: “We take all reports of poor animal welfare extremely seriously and expect all our suppliers to adhere to our high welfare standards.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson mentioned, “These allegations involve unacceptable treatment of animals, which has no place in our supply chain.”

Morrisons mentioned: “We care deeply about animal welfare and these are shocking and concerning allegations. We understand that Cranswick are investigating urgently.”

An Asda spokesperson: “We have clear animal welfare policies that all our
suppliers must uphold and we welcome the swift response and action taken
by Cranswick at this farm.”