White meat slaughter and processing Flashcards
Which factors cause fluctuations in poultry production?
- Energy prices
- CO2
- Staff shortages
- Fluctuations in demand
Compare free range vs in house birds and how each are susceptible to infection
- Free range tend to be slower growing breeds that are associated with more resistance to Campylobacter
- High numbers of birds in both processes but transmission of infection will be much bigger in house
What is the major risk of failing to remove litter?
Will cause increased ammonia, causing dermatitis
Which acute, infectious diseases are linked to fast growth rates of the birds
- Respiratory, intestinal and nervous signs
- Growth disturbances
- Parasitism
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Changes due to behaviour e.g. cannibalism
Which factors are important in the duty of care of owners and keepers of birds
- Strict hygiene and biosecurity measures,
- Vaccination or medication strategies to prevent and/or control certain endemic diseases
Which diseases are of most important in Poultry spp?
- Newcastle disease
- Avian Influenza
- Salmonella
- Campylobacter
- Parasites (Hexamitiasis, Trichomoniasis, Coccidiosis, red mite)
- Lameness (litter maintenance)
When does the poultry health scheme apply?
- Export > 20 birds or hatching eggs to another EU member state or countries that require compliance with EU legislation
- Sell birds or eggs to other PHS members
- Export to countries that require compliance with EU legislation
Which testing requirements come under the poultry health scheme?
- Salmonella: each flock at least once a year
- Mycoplasma: 4 weeks before point of lay and then every 12 weeks thereafter during lay.
- Tested in a laboratory officially approved by Defra
What is the most commonly reported human GI pathogen?
Campylobacter
How is Campylobacter transmitted to humans?
Faecal-oral route, usually by the consumption of contaminated foods or water
Apramycin sulphate has a withdrawal period in chickens (meat) of how long?
7 days
Do not use in laying chickens when eggs are intended for human consumption.
The Salmonella National Control Programmes dont apply to?
- Farms with < 2000 chickens
- for private use rather than for sale or sell meat direct to consumers or to local retailers
Who enforces poultry standards on site?
- Official veterinarian
- Meat hygiene inspectors
- PIA (poultry inspection assistant)
What are the key points to note of transporting poultry?
- Cant be on the trailer for longer than 12 hours – cannot be fed or watered during this period
- Need high levels of ventilation
There is a statutory requirement for on-farm testing of?
Salmonella - each broiler flock within the period of three weeks before slaughter
The FCI must state whether the result was positive or negative.
Is salmonella results are positive what action must take place?
FCI, the FBO must take the following action:
- Retain the affected batch(es) and slaughter them at the end of the production day
- After slaughter, undertake a full cleansing and disinfection of all equipment and machinery, including changing the water in the scalding tanks, and renewing the water in the spin
What are the alternatives to the official veterinarian ante-mortem inspection?
Health Certificate (3 days) signed on farm by an approved vet including all this information.
Which factors need to be considered at the lairage?
- Light
- Smell
- Stress
- Temperature
- Ventilation
Which gas is used to stun poultry?
CO2 - not ducks
What are the 3 concerns with stunning poultry?
- Pre-stun shocks
- Suspension time
- Conscious state
Describe the tonic phase in poultry
- Loss of posture followed by a short initial phase of kicking
- After this the bird will become rigid with its legs flexed beneath it and the neck may arch over the body before falling forward
Describe the clonic phase in poultry
- Follows the tonic phase
- Kicking of varied intensity
- No voluntary movements inc rhythmic breathing
What are the rules surrounding manual dislocation for slaughter
- Only permitted up to 3 kg live weight
- A person cannot do more than 70 birds per day.
What are the requirements for a soft and hard scald
~50–51 °C for 3.5 min - ‘soft’ scald
~56–58 °C for 2–2.5 min - ‘hard’ scald
How are ducks processed differently?
- Dry plucking machine: The birds are stripped of feathers by machine, finishing being carried out by hand.
Wax finishing: - Hot paraffin wax is held in tanks at a temperature of 60oC.
- The carcases are removed and either sprayed with cold water or immersed in a cold water tank.
- The hardened wax, is stripped off by hand or by using a rubber-fingered drum plucking machine.
- Bleeding, defeathering scaling
Where does inspection of carcasses occur in poultry?
- Following evisceration
- Prior to washing
Refrigeration of poultry carcasses should occur until they are what temperature?
core temperature of 4 degrees
In which situations would a healthmark for poultry be withheld?
- Not undergone ante-mortem inspection
- Derives from animals which are dead before slaughter, stillborn, unborn or slaughtered under the age of seven days
- Animals affected by a generalised disease, such as generalised septicaemia, pyaemia, toxaemia or viraemia
- Results from the trimming of sticking points
- Water supply is found to have been contaminated and a risk to public health exists
- No adequate inspection facilities rendering contamination or gross pathology inconspicuous
