Feeding during lairage

One method of follow-up is to conduct spot checks of delivered products. In that case, one of the following could be checked:

• Information on the origin of the raw material or origin marking on the product if the requirement is covered by national legislation, such as "Ursprung Sverige", "Kött från Sverige" or "Från Sverige". 
• A valid licence/certificate of labelling/certification that covers the requirement, such as the section on slaughterhouses in IP Livsmedel Grundcertifiering or the equivalent.
• Other means of proof guaranteeing that the requirement is met.

You are encouraged to enlist the help of specialised expertise in your organisation for checking the submitted verification of compliance with the requirement. This could, for example, consist of an environmental or sustainability strategist with extensive knowledge in sustainability issues.

In the EU, there is a basic legal framework that regulates conditions during slaughter. Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that animals shall have access to feed within twelve hours of their arrival at the slaughterhouse. 

Member States are able to apply stricter requirements. For example, by means of Chapter 6, Section 6 of the Swedish Board of Agriculture Regulations (SJVFS) 2019:8 item No. L22, Sweden has chosen to include transportation in that time frame and thereby requires that animals be fed within twelve hours of being loaded on the transport.

It can take time for producers and suppliers to demonstrate that they comply with new and revised criteria. The National Agency for Public Procurement therefore recommends that new and revised criteria be used in procurement no sooner than three months following publication. 
Further information about when it is appropriate to use new and revised sustainability criteria.

Loading, transportation and unloading can be physically and mentally stressful for animals, so it is important that they receive feed within a reasonable amount of time following transport. During lairage or when spending the night at a slaughterhouse, access to sufficient quantities of appropriate feed is essential for the animals' welfare and freedom to perform their needs. In the case of pigs, for example, foraging behaviour is a basic need, while chewing time and rumination are important for cattle, sheep and goats.

The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.