Farm minister Femke Wiersma has backed down over her decision not to ban the use of electric cattle prods by Dutch farmers and slaughterhouse workers, following an outcry in the lower house of parliament.

Wiersma said earlier in the week she first wanted to talk to the sector before bringing in a ban, despite parliament’s overwhelming backing for the measure.

Her predecessor Piet Adema said he would bring in a ban this summer after undercover footage showed pigs being blasted with 5,000 volts of electricity via a cattle prod as they are transported. Several companies have also been fined for causing animals unnecessary suffering by using the prods.

During Wednesday’s debate three of the four coalition parties also called on the minister to ban the practice and only her own party, the pro-countryside BBB, supported the continued use of the electric shock devices.

NOS correspondent Xander van der Wulp said the bad-tempered debate “highlighted the divisions between the four parties in the right-wing coalition”.