Legislation to control slaughter of livestock

“Vanuatu has very tender beef but we all know that in Samoa, regardless of whether the cattle is a baby, the meat is still tough. Why is this? Are we feeding them the correct grass? Is it because of the way they are being looked after by the farmers?” – Parliament told

The Head of the Livestock division within the Ministry of Agriculture says a new legislation before Parliament will introduce controls around the slaughter of animals.

The legislation is the Slaughter and Meat Supply Bill 2014, which proposes to set up a Slaughter House to certify meats for commercial use.

Leota Laumata told Radio New Zealand International that Samoa’s self-reliance on breeding its own cattle from imported livestock is currently threatened by the uncontrolled slaughter of animals to be sold or used for occasions such as funerals and traditional events.

Leota says the proposed legislation -- awaiting its third reading -- will also control meat processing to ensure food safety standards in Samoa.

Meanwhile, a second shipment of more than one hundred tropical sheep is due to arrive from Fiji next month, which is hoped to increase the number of locally-bred animals that can be sold to farmers.

When the legislation was discussed in Parliament earlier this year, Members of the House agreed that local steaks are tough. At the time, the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Le Mamea Ropati Mualia, proposed a very simple solution if local cattle farmers want their steaks to be tender.

“The two most important things to do are to keep your cattle peaceful and select the appropriate grass to feed it with,” he said.

“Let’s remember that steaks are muscles. Now, think of the cattle as an athlete.

When an athlete trains too much, the muscles bulge out.

“The cattle is like that. If you keep the cattle peaceful and feed it with good grass, when it comes the time to slaughter it, the steak will be tender.”

The Minister was speaking during the second reading of the Bill.

The Bill also proposes to introduce two Mobile Units to help farmers around the country slaughter their animals.

During the debate, Falealili M.P., Tusa Misi Tupuola, raised a couple of questions.

“Our constituency has a lot of cattle farms but when I look at the bill and its implementation, there is only one Slaughter House and two mobile units,” he said.

“Please consider a plan appropriate for cattle farmers at Falealili and other constituencies in rural areas, so that their animals are slaughtered and the meat is preserved for its intended purposes.”

Tusa then drew attention to the Slaughter House’s opening hours.

“On Sunday and national holidays, I notice that the office to certify meat will not be opened,” he said.

“Let’s consider that there are many different events held on Sundays in Samoa.

“There are also many special occasions during national holidays. It could create tension between villages and the Ministry. I’m talking about funerals and weddings...”

Tusa also raised the issue about the quality of beef in Samoa.

“Vanuatu has very tender beef but we all know that in Samoa, regardless of whether the cattle is a baby, the meat is still tough,” he said.

“Why is this? Are we feeding them the correct grass? Is it because of the way they are being looked after by the farmers?”

Tusa told Parliament that many M.P.’s like their steaks “juicy and medium rare.”

“When we go to restaurants, most of us like our juicy and medium rare types but often when it is served, it is quite tough. Is the Ministry looking at ways to improve this?”

Salega M.P., Afualo Dr. Wood Salele said the Bill is long overdue. If it becomes law, it would assure consumers that the meat is safe.

“The reality now is that a lot of hotels are using imported meat from New Zealand,” he said. “Is this not the opportunity to use our own meat?

Tourists should be able to sample our beef in Samoa.”

Le Mamea admitted that “a lot of our meat is tough.”

But we are not the only country. The Minister said he has just returned from Mongolia where the beef was equally tough because the cattle there “are wild.” In contrast, beef in Israel is excellent and yet they are not grazed with grass.

“In fact there’s no grass but the meat is tender and the milk is wonderful.” The Minister said the difference is that “they are very well taught” as “oppose to ours where you spend all day chasing them down with a horse.”

As for Vanuatu beef, the Minister said: “Vanuatu has very good programmes for feeding and looking after their cattle farms.”

Speaker of the House, La’auli Leuatea Polata’ivao, said it is the chef’s job to ensure the steak is tender.

“Any meat that’s tough, it means the chef is not qualified to cook it,” he said. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Tuisugaletaua Sofara Aveau also joined the debate.

“That’s one of the roles of the slaughterhouse,” he said about making the beef tender.

“The house is where the animal will settle before it is slaughtered. The usual practice is that the cattle is rested for a day to allow it to settle.”

He added: “With most meats, the best time to consume it is between one year and a half and three years. In Samoa, he said “we care for them for so many years before they are used so by the time we get to them, we find that the meat is inappropriate because they were not meant to be for the market.”

Earlier, Faleata West M.P., Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, questioned the inclusion of the word “humane” in the bill.

“Humane, is not human,” Minister Le Mamea responded. “They’re different things. “You remember when some people slaughter an animal; you can hear it screaming as a result of the pain. That’s what you call inhumane.

“When it’s humane, it’s a quick ending without the agonising pain.”