For larger animals, such as calves, however, an exception applied for the time being, because the anesthetic technique was not yet fully developed. As long as that was not the case, the technique of 'post-cut stunning' had to be applied. The animal is anesthetized immediately after the neck cut. The Flemish Government had received the mandate to also make electron arcosis mandatory for calves and cattle, as soon as the technology was finalized.

According to Flemish Minister of Animal Welfare Ben Weyts (N-VA), this is now the case and the technique of electron arcosis is now also on the point for larger animals. "Flanders is once again an international pioneer in the field of anesthetic slaughtering," Weyts said in a press release. "Slaughter without stunning is outdated."

Weyts: "In a civilized society, we have a duty to really avoid avoidable animal suffering," says Weyts. 'Now that the technique of electron arcosis has been finalized, we are resolutely opting to make it even more mandatory. We are also preparing the last step: compulsory slaughter of large cattle with an anesthetic. '

Almost all calves slaughtered in Belgium are slaughtered in Flanders. This concerns about 350,000 animals annually. All slaughterhouses involved will have until early next year to prepare for anesthetic slaughter of calves.