Rural butchers say forcing them to stun animals before they ‘re slaughtered is unnecessary and costly.

Pre-slaughter stunning is now mandatory for all commercial slaughter operations in New Zealand under a new welfare code for the commercial slaughter of animals.

Federated Farmers says it called for rural butchers - about 500 across New Zealand - to be covered under a separate code.

Rural butchers chair Mike Hansen says they’re  trained to very high standards and no one has ever faced an animal cruelty charge.

Mr. Hansen says having to kill stock with a bolt-gun or a rifle instead of a knife on farm will increase costs and also pose a safety risk.