Slaughter of pigs to be investigated

The Department of Agriculture is investigating circumstances surrounding the slaughter of thousands of pigs in Co Waterford.

A spokesman last night, however, defended the department's role in the killings of more than 4,000 pigs, which were carried out in 2002 by a local farmer under official supervision.

A video given to two Sunday newspapers appears to show up to 50 of the animals being sledgehammered to death. Other breaches of normal procedures include the use of a bolt gun, normally used only to stun animals, to kill the rest of the herd, a failure to restrain the animals and a failure to kill them in isolation.

The department spokesman acknowledged that one of its staff, not a vet, was present when the sledgehammer was used, but said the official intervened to stop this method of killing.

Animal rights campaigners called on Minister for Agriculture Mary Coughlan to carry out a full investigation of the killings and to make the findings public.

"It's an absolute disgrace," said Mary-Anne Bartlett of Compassion in World Farming. "Slaughtering should only be carried out by specifically trained personnel in appropriate places."

This case is complicated by the fact that the farmer and the department are taking legal action against each other. The farmer is facing prosecution for administering an illegal growth promoter to his animals. His farm was restricted after department investigators found the substance when they raided it in April 2002.

Disease spread through the herd, which then had to be put down. The farmer maintains that he was not allowed to move his animals to a slaughterhouse for killing; however, the department says it has no record of any application for a movement permit.

The farmer then undertook to kill the animals himself, even though he had no training. Sledgehammers were used when the stun guns overheated and ceased to work. The slaughter, carried out by the farmer, his son and a farm-hand, lasted six days.

Last night, the Department spokesman defended its role in the affair. There was no obligation on officials to be present full-time for a slaughter, he said. The animals had to be killed to protect the welfare of the consumer.