Ante Mortem and Post Mortem

Question 1

In what situations will an OV not be required to carry out an ante mortem?

Answer 1

*Exceptions:
• emergency slaughter (Private veterinarian).
• On-farm slaughter (AV).
• wild game (Hunter’s declaration).

Question 2

Give five factors that an animal must have when it arrives at the slaughterhouse

Answer 2

– Be properly identified;
– Be accompanied by the relevant information from the holding of provenance;
– Not come from areas under disease control with movement restrictions unless the Competent Authority so permits
– Be clean and healthy, as far as the FBO can judge;
– Be in a satisfactory state as regards to welfare.

Question 3

If the FBO identifies animals which do not comply with the abattoir standards then they must …

Answer 3

Notify the OV

Isolate any suspect animals

Question 4

Name three notifiable diseases in cattle and state the animals they infect

Answer 4

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) - cattle
Foot and Mouth Disease - cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven hoofed animals
Tuberculosis - Cattle and deer

Question 5

Name three notifiable diseases in sheep and state the animals they infect

Answer 5

Bluetongue - all ruminants and camelids
Scrapie - Sheep and goats
Anthrax - Cattle and other mammals

Question 6

Name three notifiable diseases in pigs and state the animals they infect

Answer 6

Anthrax - cattle and other mammals
Classical swine fever - pigs
Foot and mouth - cattle, sheep, pigs and other cloven hooved animals

Question 7

Describe a category 1 cow

Answer 7

Cattle in this category will be accepted for slaughter without any special treatment
• Dry.
• Clean with regard to dung/dirt.
• Very minor amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding.

Question 8

Describe a category 1 sheep

Answer 8

Sheep in this category will be accepted for slaughter without any special treatment.
• Clean with regard to dirt/dung.
• Very minor amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding.

Question 9

Describe a category 2 cow

Answer 9

Cattle in this category will be accepted for slaughter without any special treatment
• Dry/damp.
• Light contamination with dirt/dung.
• Small amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding.

Question 10

Describe a cat 2 sheep

Answer 10

Sheep in this category will be accepted for slaughter without any special treatment
• Light contamination with dirt/dung.
• Small amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding.
• Dry/damp.

Question 11

Describe a category 3 cow

Answer 11

Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional, e.g. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons.
• Dry/damp.
• Significant contamination with dirt/dung.
• Significant amounts of adherent straw/bedding

Question 12

Describe a category 3 sheep

Answer 12

Rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional, e.g. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons.
• Dry/damp.
• Heavily contaminated with dirt/dung.
• Significant amounts of adherent bedding.

Question 13

Describe a category 4 cow

Answer 13

Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional, e.g. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons.
• Dry/damp.
• Significant contamination with dirt/dung.
• Significant amounts of adherent straw/bedding
Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional, eg. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons.
• Dry/damp.
• Heavily contaminated with dirt/dung.
• Significant amounts of adherent bedding.

Question 14

Describe a category 4 sheep

Answer 14

Rejected for slaughter except in circumstances which are exceptional, e.g. animal welfare grounds, disease control reasons.
• Dry/damp.
• Heavily contaminated with dirt/dung.
• Significant amounts of adherent bedding.

Question 15

Describe a category 5 cow

Answer 15

Cattle in this category will be rejected for slaughter
• Very wet.
• Very heavily contaminated with dirt/dung.
• A lot of bedding adherent to the coat.

Question 16

Describe a category 5 sheep

Answer 16

Sheep in this category will be rejected for slaughter.
• Very wet.
• Very heavily contaminated with dirt/dung.
• A lot of bedding adherent to the coat.

Question 17

Describe ringworm at slaughter

Answer 17

Highly zoonotic fungal infection

Question 18

Describe Orf at slaughter

Answer 18

Highly zoonotic infection that compromises the immune system

Question 19

Describe anthrax at slaughter

Answer 19

Gram positive so use methyl blue (can be seen as long red oblong chains)

Question 20

Describe foot and mouth at slaughter

Answer 20

Blisters on feet and in mouth

Not currently a threat but in countries that border europe

Question 21

Describe listeria at slaughter

Answer 21

• Also neurological clinical signs visible (heavy paralysis and salivation)
• Not to go for slaughter

Question 22

Describe actinomycosis at slaughter

Answer 22

Aka lumpy jaw/woody tongue
Swelling of the mandible/maxilla
• Concerns for animal welfare, something like this does not appear overnight
• Bone deformity makes antibiotics pointless
• Ok for slaughter just reject the head

Question 23

Describe poor body condition at slaughter

Answer 23

• Animal welfare concern

* Will be put down and disposed of

Question 24

Descrive mastitis at slaughter

Answer 24

welfare issue

Question 25

Give 6 factors of a goiod PM inspection

Answer 25

• Take into account ante-mortem inspection results;
• View all external surfaces;
• Pay particular attention to the detection of zoonotic and notifiable diseases;
• Take into account FCI;
• Take place without delay after slaughter;
• Include carcases and accompanying offal.

Question 26

What are the three potential outcomes of a PM inspection?

Answer 26

– pass the meat as fit for human consumption;
– declare the meat unfit for human consumption;
– detain the meat for further examination following rectification.