Ante-Mortem Inspection Flashcards
What are the main legislations involved with antemortem inspection?
Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006
EC 853/2004 Duties of Food Business Operator
EU 2019/627 Duties of Competent Authority
EU 2019/624 Qualification of Official Veterinarian
EC 1099/2009 Duties of Animal Welfare Officer
How does the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006 affect the slaughter process?
Animals must be fit for the intended journey
Able to move independently without pain, not pregnant (last 10% of gestation), neonates, no protruding viscera
Vehicle must be fit to transport the animals
Ramp angles, construction & maintenance (pig <20, cattle & sheep <26.5)
How does The Disease Control (Transport) Order 2003 affect the slaughter process?
Animals can only remain in lairage for a maximum of 48hrs
Pigs cannot be move from slaughterhouses
What is the purpose of the antemortem inspection?
Identify fitness for slaughter
Identify notifiable disease
Identify welfare issues
Identify animals requiring specific tests
Ascertain cleanliness of animals
Confirm identity of animals
What happens if an animal is slaughtered without an antemortem inspection?
It’s automatically deemed unfit for human consumption
& be rejected
How do you identify animals fit for slaughter?
Not a clinical exam (but can be isolated but further examination)
Be aware that the animals are stressed (transport stress, unfamiliar environment, isolation, mixing)
Observe each animal moving & at rest (not poultry)
Identify neurological, respiratory, alimentary tract, locomotor & external abnormalities
What laws are involved in identifying notifiable diseases?
The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (England) Order 2006
The Swine Vesicular Disease Regulations 2009
The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (England) Regulations 2010
What laws are involved in identifying welfare issues?
Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006 (‘WATO’)
EC 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing
Welfare of Animals (at the time of killing) Regulations 2015 (‘WATOK’)
What are some examples of welfare issues seen in the abattoir process?
Thermal stress (poultry)
Prolapse (cattle & pigs)
If an animal scores 2 for cleanliness (1-4 scale), What do they look like?
Dry/damp
Light contamination with dirt/dung
Small amounts of loosely adherent straw/bedding
If an animal scores 3 for cleanliness (1-4 scale), What do they look like?
Dry/damp
Significant contamination with dirt/dung
Significant amounts of adherent straw/bedding
If an animal scores 4 for cleanliness (1-4 scale), What do they look like?
Very wet
Very heavily contaminated with dirt/dung
Very heavily clagged (clegged)
A lot of bedding adherent to the coat
If an animal scores 1 or 2 for cleanliness (1-4 scale), what happens to them?
Considered safe for slaughter with no further precautions
If an animal scores 3 for cleanliness (1-4 scale), what happens to them?
Retained in lairage on clean bedding to clean/dry
Clipped to remove contaminated areas of wool/hair
Killed in the lairage & carcass disposed
Slaughtered with a reduction in line speed to allow special care to be taken
If an animal scores 4 for cleanliness (1-4 scale), what happens to them?
Not slaughtered
Killed & disposed
What happens if an animal’s identity is not ascertainable?
They are killed separately + Declared unfit for human consumption
How are cattle identified?
Ear tags
Passports
In England & Wales, sheep moving to slaughter require an Animal Movement Licence. What details are included in this?
Addresses of holdings from, and to which the sheep are moving
Date of movement
Number of sheep that document covers
Retained for at least 3 years
Copy sent to Local Authority within 3 days
How are pigs identified?
Eartags - stamped or printed (not handwritten), metal or plastic (must be heat resistant)
Tattoo - on the ear, must carry herdmark
Double slapmark - permanent ink mark of herdmark on each front shoulder
How is movement of pigs recorded?
Requires Animal Movement Licence (AML2)
Electronic notification only
Keeper to notify move online using eAML system, or in advance of move through a BPEX bureau service
Who is in charge of identifying animals fit for slaughter?
Official Veterinarian (OV)
Who is in charge of identifying notifiable diseases?
Official Veterinarian (OV)
Who is in charge of identifying welfare issues?
Official Veterinarian (OV)
Animal Welfare Officer (AWO)
Who is in charge of identifying animal that require specific tests?
Official Veterinarian (OV)
