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VION Food Group VION Fresh Meat NL VION Fresh Meat DE VION Convenience VION UK Rendac Sonac Rousselot

Slaughter process

VION is Europe's largest beef producer. Each year, 220,000 tons of beef is processed. VION's meat production and processing takes place in a modern, hygienic and industrial environment. Thanks to continuous innovation in, amongst other things, processing techniques and refrigeration technology, consumers have a wide choice of fresh beef the whole year round.

• The location
• Data on beef cattle
• Slaughter process
• Slaughter data
• Environment and safety
• Staff
• Classification and payment


The location
VION's abattoir for beef cattle in the Netherlands is located in the city of Tilburg. VION Tilburg processes over 3,500 beef cattle a week. And rosé calves are also slaughtered there.
The abattoir processes the meat into products suitable for sale to clients in the Netherlands and abroad. VION Tilburg also produces meat for VION Retail Netherlands, which further processes it into pre-packaged, ready-to-eat products.


Data on beef cattle
VION Tilburg works with strict rules at its abattoir. Nothing is left to chance in relation to slaughtering, route, classifications, hygiene, environment and safety, working conditions and the welfare of employees.

All information is recorded: an animal's state of health, quality aspects of the meat, quality control information etc. All of this information is fed back to the beef farmer.

Beef cattle have an Identification & Registration number (I&R number) in both ears throughout their life. Each animal has a unique number. Any animal movement from and to another business is reported and recorded. This creates a closed system in which an animal can, at any time, be traced back to the haulier and beef farmer. All slaughter information is also linked to this number.

Slaughter process
The animals' welfare and any abnormalities are checked on arrival at VION Tilburg.
Some time after arrival the animals are taken to the stunning station. Stock handlers are specially trained, so know how to handle the animals well. The beef cattle are quickly stunned. When an animal has lost consciousness, an incision is made into its artery. The worker performing this task is a trained specialist. Blood is collected in special drainage troughs and storage tanks. Special hygiene requirements apply for collection of the blood, as it is among other things a raw material for the pharmaceutical industry from which medicines are made. The blood is collected and processed by a specialist company.

All animals aged 30 months or more are tested for BSE. To do this a brain tissue sample is taken. This sample goes to a specialised laboratory. The meat from the tested animals is processed only once it is evident from the test that the animal is BSE-free.

Slaughter data
All animals aged 30 months or older are tested for BSE. This happens using a brain tissue sample. This sample is sent to a specialised laboratory. Meat from tested animals is only processed when the test shows that the animal is BSE-free.
Inspection assistants and veterinary surgeons of the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (VWA) check all carcasses, organs and the meat at the abattoir. Random samples are taken, which are checked for antibiotics and other undesirable or banned substances. All gathered data is subsequently stored in a database. If any problems are found, we immediately send the meat off for further inspection, and destroy it if necessary. The abattoir sends slaughter data to beef farmers and intermediaries, such as hauliers, for their information.

Environment and safety
Environmental considerations are an important focus point within the VION Food Group. Recycling water, reducing waste and the use of strict operating regulations are measures we take to avoid environmental pollution as much as possible. Each year, VION Food Group sets environmental targets that must be achieved.
Product safety is another spearhead. In order to safeguard product safety, VION Tilburg operates in accordance with the Hygiene Code and the HACCP system.

Staff
Each and every one of the employees at our abattoirs in the Netherlands is a well-trained specialist. They have usually completed a specialist training course at the training institute for the meat sector, SVO. Examples of the specialist courses for production workers in abattoirs are: specialist training for the slaughterman, master butcher training and management training for the meat industry.

Classification and payment
VION guarantees due care in the calculation of payments issued to pig farmers. A special method for weighing and classifying beef cattle is used for this purpose. Employees of the independent Product Board for Livestock and Meat (CBS) check the weighing at our abattoirs. They are also responsible for the classification of the cattle. The classification system is based on the sex, the type of animal, its conformation and the presence of fat.

Beef cattle are classified by category and age according to conformation and fatness quality criteria.
Conformation (proportion of meat) is defined using the letters S, E, U, R, O, P.

S	superior
E	excellent
U	very good
R	good
O	moderate
P	low

In the Netherlands the classifications for conformation and fatness are divided into subcategories (except for class S). The symbols +, o and - (plus, circle and minus respectively) indicate the more specific classification.

1	low
2	light
3	moderate
4	well fattened
5	very well fattened

The SEUROP class designated to an animal is applied to the carcass with a stamp or label. The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Food Quality sees to it that classification is performed properly. Payment to the beef farmer is based on the SEUROP quality class and weight.