Tasmanian Quality Meats Abattoir
On the outskirts of the town of Cressy, 30 minutes from Launceston, a series of corrugated iron buildings sits alongside a fast-flowing creek. This is Tasmanian Quality Meats, a multi-species slaughterhouse which specialises in the killing of tiny, days old bobby calves who have been discarded as waste from any of the 412 dairy farms in Tasmania.
At TQM, terrified calves are hit across the face and body to force them into a narrow walkway and, finally, into a restraint where an electric prodder is pushed into their skulls and an electrical current passed through their brain before their throats are slit. We saw many calves who weren’t stunned at all, meaning that they were killed while fully conscious, likely experiencing excruciating pain and terror as they slowly bled out. They then have their bodies taken apart and their blood collected. The bodies of these calves are often sold as veal, while their skins are used to create leather products, sought after for their softness.
The slaughter of sheep is no less violent. Our cameras filmed the use of dogs to herd and harass terrified sheep, who were then shoved, thrown and hit with paddles and pipes to force them towards the electric stunner. These dogs were then returned to metal and concrete cages, where they were left overnight, barking and running at the bars in boredom and frustration.
At TQM, we captured horrific scenes of tiny male calves being kicked, thrown, hit with paddles across the face and body and killed while fully conscious. We watched as one calf fell off the killing table into a pool of blood so deep that they were almost submerged. We saw them continue to blink up at us from the bottom of this horrific pit, a clear sign that they remained awake and aware as the blood drained from their body.
What we saw was horrifying, yet, we know that this violence is standard across Australia.
Take action now to demand that the Tasmanian government urgently address the systemic failures we have uncovered in their animal slaughter facilities.
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Award-winning export abattoir. Kills sheep and bobby calves.
A hidden camera investigation in late 2016 revealed systemic cruelty. The footage was provided to the relevant authority, the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries (DPIPWE); as of July 2017 there appears to have been no action taken by the department in response to the footage.
First exposed in May 2017 by Animal Liberation and Animal Liberation Tasmania with release of bobby calf slaughter footage ("wastage" from the dairy industry - see www.dropdairy.com.au for more information). Footage of sheep/lamb slaughter released by Animal Liberation in July 2017.
The footage shows workers repeatedly beating, kicking, and throwing the animals; and regular ineffective use of the electric stunner on sheep, with at least one slaughtered while fully conscious.
Virtual tours & Campaigns (4)
Photos (265)
Videos (44)
Documents (0)
Campaign materials (0)
News (21)
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Government accepts taskforce recommendations for abattoirs and will increase monitoring
Monday 11 Nov 2024 by
The government has released the recommendations of a taskforce it set up in the wake of distressing footage of alleged animal cruelty at abattoirs. Read the latest. Read more >
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Tasmanian reforms promise better animal welfare by 2025
Sunday 10 Nov 2024 by
Tasmania adopts 11 of 12 taskforce reforms for better animal welfare in abattoirs by 2025, enhancing humane practices and boosting surveillance. Read more >
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Greens claim the government is "dragging its feet" on a report
Wednesday 17 Apr 2024 by
The state government has held firm against claims that it's "dragging its feet" on a taskforce report into Tasmanian slaughterhouses. Read more >
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Tasmanian Dairy - History repeats
Tuesday 16 Apr 2024 by
The Tasmanian dairy industry is in absolute shambles. On the one hand, there are dairy farmers such as Carpenter lamenting the need to kill on farm the very calves they breed in order to exploit the mothers for milk. On the other hand, those same farmers are looking forward to a return to the calf killing business by a slaughterhouse that has a long and well-documented history of egregious animal cruelty. And in the midst of all this there is the head of the TasFarmers industry lobby group, Ia Read more >
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Action not happening fast enough six months on from ‘shocking’ slaughterhouse videos: Greens
Tuesday 16 Apr 2024 by
Six months ago, animal activists released ‘disturbing’ videos shot in Tasmanian slaughterhouses — Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff says more action is needed immediately. Read more >
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Farm Transparency Project's virtual tours campaign in Tasmania
Wednesday 20 Mar 2024 by
Take a digital tour inside Tasmanian meat processing facilities with FTP's latest campaign advocating for animal welfare. Read more >
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Liberals sitting on abattoir cruelty taskforce, Greens claim
Saturday 16 Mar 2024 by
Latest on Tasmanian abattoir animal cruelty taskforce findings amid election season. Greens, Liberals clash over reforms. Read more >
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Farm Transparency Project launch attack on dairying
Wednesday 28 Feb 2024 by
Farm Transparency Project activists have launched an End Dairy Slaughter campaign, using distressing video footage. Read more >
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Did Farm Transparency Project Just Help Topple a Government?
Thursday 15 Feb 2024 by
When activists with Farm Transparency Project first walked into the Tasmanian Quality Meats slaughterhouse in the dead of night, they had no idea that the project they were embarking on would be a significant contributing factor in toppling the Tasmanian Liberal government... Read more >
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Tasmania to mandate CCTV in abattoirs to stop animal cruelty
Wednesday 31 Jan 2024 by
Investigation into Tasmania's abattoirs exposed animal abuse allegations. Government creates livestock taskforce and considers new regulations to improve animal welfare. Read more >
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‘Not good enough’: Animal rights activists stage protest at Tasmanian Quality Meats
Wednesday 17 Jan 2024 by
Animal rights activists have converged on an abattoir in Northern Tasmania with the aim of 'disrupting operations' at the Cressy business. The "vigil" at Tasmanian Quality Meats, orchestrated by Anima Read more >
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Offending Tasmanian abattoirs must face consequences, bodies say
Tuesday 16 Jan 2024 by
Activists staged a nine-hour vigil outside Cressy's Tasmanian Quality Meats on Tuesday. Meanwhile, TasFarmers says enough is enough. Read more >
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Animal activists continue campaign demanding animal welfare reform
Tuesday 16 Jan 2024 by
Animal activists plan to disrupt animal transport trucks at Tasmanian Quality Meats abattoir. Protest aims to shed light on animal cruelty issues in Tasmania. Read more >
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Felix's Story
Sunday 14 Jan 2024 by
This is Felix. A beautiful baby boy I was privileged to meet and spend time with. Felix was healthy. Apart from being malnourished and weak from starvation - he was healthy. And he was young. He was only 7 days old. I want to tell you about him. Read more >
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Tasmanian minister puts abattoir industry on notice after 'distressing' video released by activists
Sunday 10 Dec 2023 by
Tasmania's primary industries minister says "nothing is off the table" as the government acts to ensure what she has called distressing images of animal cruelty in a leaked animal rights video does not happen again. Read more >
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Alleged animal cruelty could prompt abattoir suspension
Saturday 9 Dec 2023 by
A major Tasmanian abattoir could have its export licence suspended after being accused of animal cruelty and killing... Read more >
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Tasmanian Quality Meats abattoir facing suspension after activists film slaughter practices
Saturday 9 Dec 2023 by
The federal government issues a Tasmanian abattoir with a draft notice to suspend its export licence for a year after confronting footage obtained by animal rights activists raises questions about slaughter practices. WARNING: This story contains depictions of animals in distress. Read more >
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Delay in abattoir animal cruelty investigation angers welfare groups
Wednesday 5 Jul 2017 by
Animal rights groups are furious a cruelty investigation into two Tasmanian abattoirs is still ongoing, eight months after it was launched. Read more >
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Animal cruelty claims at Tasmanian abattoir probed after video leaked
Thursday 4 May 2017 by
Disturbing footage of calves being tossed and struck at a Tasmanian abattoir has been released by animal rights activists, who say authorities have failed to act on the evidence for six months. Animal Liberation released the footage this morning, alleging Read more >
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Abattoir boss admits calves ill-treated after Animal Liberation releases video
Thursday 4 May 2017 by
The boss of an award-winning Tasmanian abattoir has admitted calves were ill-treated at his Cressy site. Read more >
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Beaten with poles, thrown on conveyor belts and grabbed by the tail as they try to escape: Shocking footage shows calves' distressing final moments before they are slaughtered
Wednesday 3 May 2017 by
Abattoir workers could be charged with animal cruelty after disturbing footage emerged of calves being beaten before they were slaughtered. Video shot at Tasmanian Quality Meats in Cressy, Tasmania, allegedly showed calves being beaten until they collapsed Read more >
Media releases by FTP (8)
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Open letter to Prime Minister, signed by senator and state MPs, calls for independent regulation of animal slaughter
Thursday 24 Oct 2024
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Cassy O’Connor and Abigail Boyd join state MPs to call for independent oversight of Australian slaughterhouses Farm Transparency Project, who wrote the letter, says that the government has failed to appropriately investigate hundreds of cases of alleged animal cruelty. The organisation is accusing the government department of corruption, claiming that their actions have raised doubts about their integrity and suitability to monitor and regulate animal welfare. Read the open letter View photos and footage An open letter, signed by a senator, several state MPs and animal protection organisations, is calling on the Prime Minister's office... Read more >
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Open letter regarding inadequacy and corruption of abattoir regulator
Thursday 24 Oct 2024
Dear Mr Albanese, I am writing on behalf of Farm Transparency Project, a non-profit animal protection organisation focused on raising public awareness about commercial animal farming and slaughter practices through comprehensive investigations into Australian animal use facilities. Over the past decade, our organisation has investigated a number of facilities and practices, catalysing significant animal welfare reforms. In recent years, this has included: Publishing footage of the foothold trapping and killing of native dingoes in Victoria by government contractors, stimulating debate and likely contributing to the Victorian government ending the practice in parts of the state. Investigating the failed phase-out of... Read more >
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Activists publish interactive virtual tours of Tasmanian slaughterhouses
Tuesday 19 Mar 2024
Animal protection organisation Farm Transparency Project (FTP) has published interactive virtual tours of two Tasmanian slaughterhouses recently exposed for cruelty The tours were filmed with 360-degree cameras inside Tasmanian Quality Meats at Cressy, and Scottsdale Pork, during FTP's covert investigation last year With the state election just days away, FTP has published the tours - which incorporate footage from hidden cameras - to draw attention to months of inaction by the Rockliff government Farm Transparency Project (FTP) has published on its website two interactive virtual slaughterhouse tours, filmed last year with 360° cameras inside the Tasmanian Quality Meats and Scottsdale Pork... Read more >
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New anti-dairy campaign takes aim at Dairy Australia’s flagship education program
Tuesday 27 Feb 2024
Farm Transparency Project has released a new campaign calling for a ban of Dairy Australia’s Discover Dairy program, which provides lesson plans and activities to schools. The campaign, titled End Dairy Slaughter, features footage of the slaughter of week-old bobby calves and 4-6 year old dairy cows being violently slaughtered, which has been captured in Australian slaughterhouses in the past year. Farm Transparency Project is calling out Dairy Australia for manipulative and deceptive targeting of children through their program which the group claims is biased and inaccurate. A mother cow chases after a trailer taking away her newborn calf. ... Read more >
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Protesters plan disruption at Cressy slaughterhouse after release of “shocking” hidden camera footage
Monday 15 Jan 2024
Campaigners from Animal Liberation Tasmania and Farm Transparency Project are planning on disrupting animal transport trucks at Tasmanian Quality Meats slaughterhouse, in a protest against “systemic animal cruelty in Tasmanian slaughterhouses.” Read more >
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Federal government fails to act on horrific animal cruelty at major Tasmanian slaughterhouse
Friday 22 Dec 2023
Tasmanian Quality Meats has been given the all-clear from the federal government to return to business as usual, despite evidence of systemic animal abuse exposed by us earlier this month. The slaughterhouse was originally threatened with losing its export license after our footage showed dozens of calves being violently killed while fully conscious, as well as workers kicking, hitting and throwing calves and sheep. But, after pressure from the slaughterhouse and the state government, the federal government has backed down, opting to allow the slaughterhouse to keep its licence to export sheep, and requiring that they replace their restrainer before... Read more >
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Statement in Response to Tasmanian Slaughterhouse Announcement
Thursday 14 Dec 2023
All talk, little action The Tasmanian government has just released their response to our shocking exposé of Tasmanian slaughterhouses, and its far from the decisive action they pledged to take just four days ago. Rather than responding to evidence of systemic animal abuse immediately, the government has announced that the most they can manage is to re-investigate the facilities and form a task force to consider developing new animal welfare guidelines. Given that all five slaughterhouses we investigated were already in breach of existing state and national welfare legislation, we fail to see what developing new ones will manage, except... Read more >
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Major Tasmanian abattoir suspended and four more under investigation after animal advocacy group reveals “systemic animal abuse and regulatory breaches”
Friday 8 Dec 2023
View photos and footage: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14oe6RnPEip5M0CMPALvQECagjPiP1tzQ?usp=drive_link Animal advocacy group Farm Transparency Project has released hidden camera footage from five Tasmanian slaughterhouses, in what they’re calling a comprehensive and damning indictment of the state’s animal welfare regulators. The footage shows the slaughter of sheep, cows, deer, pigs and week-old ‘bobby calves’ from the dairy industry. Many animals are revealed to be killed while fully conscious, including dozens of bobby calves who are captured dying slowly over minutes as they bleed out. Farm Transparency Project is working with... Read more >
