IPB University Expert Warns of the Dangers of Overfeeding Cattle Ahead of Eid al-Adha

The health of sacrificial animals is a major concern ahead of Eid al-Adha, particularly regarding the practice of overfeeding cattle, that is, intentionally giving cows excessive amounts of water to increase their body weight before they are sold.

Dr drh Denny Widaya Lukman, a lecturer at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SKHB) at IPB University, urges the public to be more vigilant when selecting sacrificial animals.

According to him, this practice is not only detrimental to buyers but also violates animal welfare principles. It contradicts the principle of ihsan toward animals as well as Islamic slaughter guidelines.

“This method causes severe suffering to the cattle before slaughter. It does not reflect the principle of kindness toward animals and fails to meet animal welfare standards,” he said.

He explained that this practice has been observed since the early 2000s. Cattle are typically forced to drink water through a tube inserted into their mouths about one to two hours before slaughter to artificially increase their body weight.

According to him, water injected beef has certain physical characteristics, such as a distended abdomen, a weak body, and even difficulty standing. The weight of the meat can also increase by 20–40 percent due to excessive water content.

“For every kilogram of water injected beef, once the water drains out, the net weight is only about 600–800 grams,” he explained.

In the market, water-injected meat generally appears wetter on the surface and may drip water when hung. However, this condition is difficult to detect with the naked eye, especially if the meat has been frozen. 

“Frozen water injected meat cannot be distinguished from normal meat. Therefore, it is best to choose frozen meat that is pre-packaged and labeled,” he concluded. (dr) (IAAS/HNY)