The slaughter of livestock in Australia is subject to strict regulations which require animals to be killed as humanely as possible, and it's in the industry's best interest to do so, said the Australian Meat Industry Employees' Union (AMIEU).
The killing of animals for food, fibre and other animal products is underpinned by the , which includes an animal welfare component and require animals to be slaughtered in a way that prevents unnecessary pain, injury and suffering.
"[The Australian regulations are] extremely strict, for any one of a number of reasons, not the least of which because people in Australia have a high expectation that the animals are going to be looked after," the National Secretary of the AMIEU, Graham Smith, told SBS.
"Australians don't like to see animals mistreated, so it's not just government regulation, but people are genuinely interested too. If Australians see animals being mistreated, all hell breaks loose."
Smith said just as importantly for the industry, the meat is of better quality if the animal is treated well.
"Firstly we've got to kill the animal very quickly, very efficiently for animal welfare and quality of meat - they go hand in hand," Smith said.
"If you've got a stressed animal, you've got bad meat, so it's in their best interest to make sure the animals are treated properly."
The Australian Standards also provide guidance on requirements for ritual slaughter for the Halal market, which means that the slaughterman has got to draw first blood, Smith said.
According to the , the process slaughtering cattle in Australia is that the animals are first checked over by a meat safety inspector to ensure they are healthy, and therefore likely to be suitable for human consumption, and sick or injured animals are segregated and given appropriate treatment or humanely euthanized.
Just prior to slaughter, the cattle are walked, one by one, into a stunning box.
Smith said electric hand prodders or 12 or 20 volts may be used to move along cattle if necessary, but this is governed by regulation too.
"There are regulations to stop you hurting the animals with prodders," he said. "If people were seen deliberately hurting animals they would be moved out of that section or sacked."
Once the cattle are in the knocking box they are stunned via a bolt to the brain to ensure the cow is unconscious and unable to feel pain.
The cow is then shackled by a hind leg and the large blood vessels are severed to induce bleeding. The animal does not regain consciousness before dying due to blood loss.
"They cut the throat and all the major vessels so it bleeds very quickly and dies very quickly," Smith said.
