Fahd Al-Manaee Saudi Gazette MAKKAH – For the first time, German technology will be used in Haj to slaughter and skin sacrificial sheep, camels and cows. An animal will be restrained by mechanical means inside a cage before being slaughtered and skinned by the butcher, said Dr. Habib Zainul Abideen, head of the center for development projects at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. He said the SR56 million project was developed by two German experts who recently embraced Islam. He added: “Around 10,000 camels and cows will be slaughtered this way over three days.” Only two production lines have been completed and work is being done to introduce this technology to all production lines. After being slaughtered by a butcher, the animal will be taken mechanically to the skinning section then to the packing section. Veterinary clinics, lodgings for butchers, a labor office, a mosque, Civil Defense center and rest rooms will be built for the project. Meanwhile, municipal slaughterhouses in Makkah have completed all preparations to meet the huge demand during the Eid Al-Adha holidays, said Abdulsalam Mashat, deputy mayor for services. All slaughterhouses situated in Makkah and its surroundings such as Al-Jamoom, Bahra, and Al-Shumaisi have been inspected for safety ahead of the Haj season, Mashat said. He added all slaughterhouses have veterinarians, butchers and enough workers who can deal with the huge holiday demand. “These days, we're paying surprise visits to butcher shops and sheep markets to make sure that everyone is complying with the health requirements.” Dr. Saud Al-Hotairshi, responsible for slaughterhouses in the mayoralty, said 41,488 heads of sheep, 2,326 camels and 1,452 cows have already been slaughtered at mayoralty-run slaughterhouses in Makkah since the start of the holidays. “We're working hard to ensure that all slaughterhouses provide proper services to every customer.”
