Two abattoirs in China found pumping water into cattle

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Owners of two slaughterhouses in east China's Anhui Province have been accused of animal cruelty after an investigation revealed dirty water was being forcefully pumped into cattle.

An estimated 120 kilograms of water were pumped into the cattle's body 12 hours before they were slaughtered. The method is believed to increase the weight of the cattle, increasing the amount its meat can be sold for later.

In a video taken by Hongxiong News, a cow can be seen kneeling to the ground after being pumped with water. Water is seen spurting from the cattle's nose after the tubes are removed.

A cow can be seen kneeling to the ground after being pumped with water at a slaughterhouse in east China's Anhui Province. /Photo via Lizhi News

Cattle at the two slaughterhouses were pumped with dirty water through hoses inserted into their nostrils, according to Hongxiong News.

Cattle were captured being pumped with dirty water through tubes inserted into their nostrils, in east China's Anhui Province. /Picture via Lizhi News.

"These cattle will be killed in the end anyhow, the result waiting for them is all the same. Besides, only about five to ten kilos are added to their weight at most," said the owner of the slaughterhouse to Jiangsu Television, in a denial of the allegations. "These animals cannot feel any pain."

Angry netizens took to Chinese social media to denounce the cruel behavior.

"The scene is so horrible. I cannot stand to watch it," said @LinXiaoming.

"Can people respect cattle? Why cannot these people just kill them straightforwardly?" said @Siyecao.

"We never appreciate these animals give us their energy. Instead, many of us abuse them all the time," said @Shenyanyun.

Within 12 hours, around 120 kilograms of water can be pumped into the body of cattle. /Photo via Lizhi News.

The pumping method can damage the quality of the beef and increase the risk of food contamination said Du Bing, an associate professor at the Food School of the South China Agricultural University.

Twenty-nine people at the two sites were detained by local police on the suspicion of violating food safety and consumer protection laws on November 16, reported Jiangsu Television.

In 2016, two individuals were sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined 1.5 million yuan (around 216,000 U.S. dollars) by a local court in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, for injecting 460 pigs with drugs and water.