The newly appointed Local Government Secretary of Peshawar has directed the Tehsil Municipal Administration to ensure quality supply of meat and sought a report on the condition of slaughterhouses. Given the recent outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Sindh and Punjab, measures to ensure the clean and hygienic conditions of cattle farms and slaughterhouses are crucial.
Regular maintenance and trained personnel can help avoid many of the problems. Otherwise, slaughterhouses can become a breeding ground for disease outbreaks. In the past, research has traced a link between food poisoning and overcrowded lairages where animals have been housed for prolonged periods. Animals such as cows, goats, sheep, etc must be housed separately and treated sensitively at the lairage. To ensure safe and hygienic conditions at slaughterhouses, one of the foremost things to do is take different precautions based on the climate conditions of different areas. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the climate is likely to be temperate, which may allow relative ease in slaughtering the animals. However, Sindh is a subtropical region because of which slaughtering should be undertaken during the night and the meat should be distributed in the morning hours. This can allow slaughterhouses to dry completely and prevent microorganisms from multiplying.
Even though LSD affected cattle animals primarily, pest and insect control at slaughterhouses is equally important. By ensuring good sanitation and water management, the environment becomes unfavourable for pests and insects. Chemical control only should be used as a last resort. Also, personal hygiene and handwashing amongst workers should be emphasised to prevent bacterial transmission and contamination. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent LSD outbreak, the LG Secretary’s orders will set a good precedent for other districts and provinces as well. The Ministry of National Food Security and Research must also take measures to raise awareness and work together with municipal administrations to monitor slaughterhouses across the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2022.
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