Sheep & calf slaughter at Tasmanian Quality Meats slaughterhouse

TQM is Tasmania's largest sheep and calf slaughterhouse. In 2023 investigators installed hidden cameras to capture the handling and killing of thousands of calves and sheep. Over the course of a month, we installed cameras at TQM slaughterhouse, capturing the brutal treatment and slaughter of thousands of sheep and week-old calves, many who were pushed, thrown, beaten and even killed while fully conscious. 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.

We witnessed the brutal slaughter of week-old bobby calves, who we met and spent time with in the holding pens the night before they were killed. Many of these calves were so young and weak that they were unable to stand or walk properly, meaning that they were pushed, shoved, carried and dragged to their deaths. Dozens of these calves were stunned ineffectively, or not stunned at all because they were pushed upside down into the restraint or were so small that they fell through the bottom. These calves were tipped into the kill room and had their throats slit while fully conscious, struggling and trying to escape the hands and knife that ended their life. 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.