New regulations have been approved by the Welsh parliament for the mandatory use of CCTV in all abattoirs in Wales.
It means CCTV cameras must be installed in all slaughterhouses in areas where live animals are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned, and killed.
The move is included in the Welsh government's Animal Welfare Plan for Wales, which seeks to maintain and improve standards of livestock welfare.
Most abattoirs in Wales already have CCTV, but the requirement ensures all sites are covered, with an aim to support consumer confidence that welfare standards are being delivered.
Requirements to install and operate a CCTV system and keep footage and information will come into force on 1 June.
This gives a six-month period where the Food Standards Agency will work with operators to ensure they are compliant with the requirements, ahead of the regulations being enforced on 1 December.
CCTV does not replace direct oversight by slaughterhouse management or Official Veterinarians, the Welsh government said.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “Animal welfare is a key priority for this government, we want our farmed animals to have a good quality of life and we take welfare at slaughterhouses very seriously.
“The network of slaughterhouses in Wales provide essential services to farmers, butchers, and consumers. They also provide skilled jobs and support local supply chains.
"Mandatory CCTV for all our slaughterhouses further supports consumer confidence that welfare standards are being delivered.”
A twelve-week public consultation was published in November 2022 and closed for responses in February 2023.
There were 16,000 responses to the consultation and the overwhelming majority agreed CCTV cameras should be installed in all slaughterhouses.
