Cows forced to drink water to increase weight before sale

The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) has recorded cases of abuse against cows in which meat traders supposedly "force" the animal to drink water to gain additional weight before they its sale. 

In a 24 Oras report by Sandra Aguinaldo, the process known "flooding" involves cows being forced to drink more than 16 liters of water. 

One video showed how water continuously flowed from the mouth of the cow as well as from its eyes.

"Ang ginagawa ng mga biyahero ay para mabawi 'yung timbang, maibalik, ay pwersang pinapainom 'yung hayop kaya ang nangyayari sa ating karne ay basa-basa," said Fernando Lontoc, regional technical director of NMIS CALABARZON.

"Dinadaya natin 'yung ating consuming public halimbawa bumili ka ng P330 or sample kilo ng baka o kalabaw, parang binayad mo dito eh P300 kasi 'yung iba tubig na," he said.

Lontoc noted that the practice was a violation of the Animal Welfare Act and that it may also cause harm to those who will consume the meat.

In May, a total of eight carabaos died in a certain slaughterhouse in Bulacan after they were forced to drink lots of water.

In the same month, authorities also recovered almost 800 kilograms of "wet beef." —Anna Felicia Bajo/JST, GMA News