Producers slaughtering poultry on farm for commercial sale are required by law to hold a certificate of competence for the slaughtering activity undertaken even if only a very small number of birds are being slaughtered.
A certificate of competence is required for any ‘relevant operations’ under The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (WATOK) Regulations. Those who do not hold a full certificate will not be able to slaughter poultry unless they do so under the supervision of someone who holds a full certificate.
NFU action:
Earlier this year the NFU invited poultry producers who slaughter poultry including turkeys, ducks and geese to telephone NFU Call First and express an interest in being assessed in order to obtain a certificate of competence. Details were recorded including preferred method of slaughter, species of bird and location.
Following the registration of interest period the NFU identified a real need to help producers to obtain their certificate of competence and have therefore been working with a number of venues to offer assessment courses. NFU members were offered a reduced price and courses were hosted in the following locations:
- Friday 18th November in Essex
- Friday 25th November in Cheshire
- Friday 2nd December in Kent
- Friday 9th December in Devon
The NFU are very grateful to all of the businesses that hosted a course.
Do you still need a slaughter license?
If you still need a slaughter licence you can apply through the APHA for a WATOK license. This can be done by applying to the Worcester APHA office and then they will send your request through to the appropriate region of the APHA. The address for the Worcester APHA office together with the pricing structure and the application form can be found here: Application for a WATOK license