South Korea bans slaughter of downer cattle

 

 

South Korea has banned the slaughter of downer cattle - animals which are too sick to walk - for the meat supply in order to boost public confidence in food safety. 

 

The new regulation will now ban most downer cattle from entering slaughterhouses as of Monday (Nov 9), according to the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

 

Animals to be exempted from the ban would be those that could not walk because of injuries or diseases related to giving birth.

 

The ministry said the downer cattle should be inspected for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease, before being legally buried or sent for incineration.