Halal or Not

One hears the Danish are being accused of anti-semitism regarding their ban on the ritual slaughter of meat. Anti-superstitious, more like!

I dare say that, under perfect conditions, ritual slaughter is no less distressing to the animal than a bolt gun; however, slaughter is done on a production line method and throughput is key - that does not lead to perfect conditions.

I have seen videos of halal slaughter on an industrial scale where the animals (in this case sheep and goats) are struggling for the best parts of a minute with their heads half severed from their bodies while hanging from a meat hook by a hind leg. Cows flailing on the floor, again with their heads half severed. The bolt gun, however, is instantaneous and ideally suited to production line methods.

I'm afraid I come down on the side of being anti-superstitious.