Abu Dhabi announces slaughterhouse timings for Ramadan

All slaughterhouses under the Abu Dhabi municipality will offer services from 6am to 6pm throughout the week during the holy month of Ramadan, the civic body has announced.

Preparations are in full swing at all slaughterhouses and the new timing is intended to cope with the rush and increased demand for carcasses during the holy month.

The municipality has added a third night shift -- from 10pm to 1.30am - at the Abu Dhabi Dhabi Public Slaughterhouse, Bani Yas Slaughterhouse and Shahama Slaughterhouse, with an aim to avoid crowd and serve all community segments.

The authorities said they have also doubled the number of butchers in all slaughterhouses at Abu Dhabi Public Slaughterhouse. Additional nightshift butchers, cleaners and supervisors have also been deployed.

The applicable slaughtering charges will remain the same: Dh15 per goat/sheep, Dh40 per calf/young camel and Dh60 per older cow/camel. These fees include chopping the slaughtered sheep or goat into four pieces, and camels and cows into six to eight pieces, depending on the request of the customer. An additional Dh10 is added for special request like cutting of a sheep/goat amounting to Dh60 per calf/young camel, and Dh100 per cow/camel.

New services on offer by the municipal slaughterhouses include home delivery for interested parties and chilled carcasses to prevent damage when travelling to remote areas.

All municipal slaughterhouses adopt stringent health and safety measures including a thorough inspection of livestock in the markets in addition to the pre and post slaughtering veterinary inspection, which is carried out by specialised and well-experienced vets.

The total number of carcasses processed by the municipal slaughterhouses last Ramadan (2016/1437) amounted had exceeded 70,000 goats and sheep and 2,000 camels and cows.

The municipality has called upon the public to adhere to the health guidelines regulating carcasses during Ramadan and not to slaughter animals in residential areas or any places other than the licensed abattoirs. The municipality reminded the public of the importance of veterinary inspection to avoid diseases and highlighted the importance of seeking the advice of the onsite veterinarian in all issues relating to their health.