Meat inpection I: Transport, Antemortem Inspection & Slaughter

Question 1

When does Ante mortem inspection take place?

Answer 1

lairage

Question 2

Federal meat inspection act (FMIA) requires

Answer 2

• inspection of all meat sold from livestock

- food must be sanitary, free of pathogens, not adulterated, properly labeled

Question 3

Who does FMIA cover?

Answer 3

-renderers, transporters, warehouses, & animal food manufacturers.

Question 4

FMIA exeptions

Answer 4

• slaughter of own animals for personal consumption
• retail dealers that don’t slaughter, and sell >75%
• imports up to 50lbs (other agency may prohibit)

Question 5

Other species not covered by FMIA

Answer 5

• Poultry! (covered by PPIA)

- farmed deep, elf, rabbits, alligators, etc.

Question 6

Stress associated with transport

Answer 6

• weight loss
• suffocation
• bruising
• immune stress/ microbial shedding

Question 7

Two stress effects on meat

Answer 7

• Dark firm dry (DFD): pre-mortem. More commen in cattle

- Pale soft exudative (PSE): postmortem. More commen in swine

Question 8

What happens in normal muscle post slaughter?

Answer 8

Glycogen is converted to lactic acid which lowers the pH of muscle and tenderizes the meat

Question 9

Dark firm dry meat

Answer 9

• Chronic stress

- reduction in lactic acid causes high pH

Question 10

Pale soft exudative pork

Answer 10

• high stress pre-slaughter
• postmortem intracellular glycolysis causes accumulation of lactic acid
• Condem at postmortem inspection

Question 11

Porcine stress syndrome

Answer 11

• heritable susceptibility to PSE

- recessive gene related to malignant hyperthermia

Question 12

When is antemortem inspection done?

Answer 12

On the day of and the day before slaughter

Question 13

Purpose of antemortem inspection

Answer 13

• helps keep ill animals out of food chain

- helps reduce contamination of abattoir

Question 14

Inspection procedure

Answer 14

• Observe animal at rest
• Observe animals in motion
• Determine if animal is normal or abnormal
• Tag suspected animals

Question 15

Subject to inspection

Answer 15

Seller is only paid for those parts passing inspectoin

Question 16

Passed for slaughter

Answer 16

fit for human food

Question 17

Suspect animal

Answer 17

detailed postmortem inspection to determine if part or all of carcass is unfit for food

Question 18

Condemned animal

Answer 18

clearly exhibits disease or condition that makes them unfit for food

Question 19

Conditions that result in condemnation

Answer 19

• 4 “D”s: dead, dying, diseased, disabled
• systemic infections
• systemic metabolic conditions
• when you can hold animal for possible recovery

Question 20

Why are downer cattle condemned?

Answer 20

have a higher probability of BSE

Question 21

“T” on hip

Answer 21

• suspected M. bovis

- TB infected tissue removed and remainder of meat passed for cooking only

Question 22

“B” on hip

Answer 22

• suspected Brucella
• safe if from cattle or pigs
• goats are destroyed, not slaughtered

Question 23

Two steps of slaughter

Answer 23

• Stunning

- Exsanguination

Question 24

Two exceptions for humane handling & slaughter of livestock directive

Answer 24

• Kosher & halal ritual slaughter

- animals are killed by exsanguination

Question 25

4 approved methods of stunning

Answer 25

• CO2 (can be used to kill too)
• Electricity (calves, sheep, goats, swine)
• Captive bolt (cattle, sheep, goats, swine)
• Firearm (cattle, calves, sheep, goats, swine)

Question 26

“Dressing” entails

Answer 26

• skinned/dehaired
• head removed
• eviscerated
• shrouded
• chilled

Is a common source of meat contamination