Meat inspection
Meat inspection : a tool to sanitary control of food animals
and meat
Aims to provide safe and wholesome meat to consumers
Has two major two major components.
1. Ante-mortem inspection or pre-slaughter examination:
Professional examination of the live animal before slaughter
by a qualified veterinarian is known as ante-mortem
inspection.
2. Post-mortem inspection or post slaughter examination.
Professional examination of the carcass and offal's with the
help of laboratory tests, if necessary is called post-mortem
inspection.
Ante-mortem Inspection
Ante-mortem means “before death”
Inspection of live animals and birds prior to
slaughter
Alllivestock presented for slaughter must receive
ante-mortem inspection
This inspection isperformed by a veterinarian or by
a meat Inspector under veterinary supervision
Ante-mortem inspection has to be conducted on
the day of arrival of animals at abattoir.
Should be done within 24 hrs of slaughter and
repeated if slaughter has been delayed by over a
day.
All animals meant for slaughter should be rested
atleast for 24 hours.
Such animals should not be fed for atleast 12 hrs
before slaughter. Abundant water should,
however, be provided
should be carried out in properly lighted pens to allow free
movement so that inspector can observe the animals collectively,
individually and judiciously while at rest and in motion.
Identification of the live animal is a legal requirement during
slaughter
Facilities for adequate lighting and satisfactory restraint of meat
animals are an important component of MI
properly designed and well lit lairage pens which must possess an
isolation pen.
A crust (squeeze) for the examination of individual animals is a
pre-requisite. Restraining materials like ropes, travis and other
materials are other necessary requirements during an efficient
ante-mortem inspection.
Major objectives
To screen all animals destined to slaughter
To separate diseased and suspected animals
for further detailed examination
To ensure that animals are properly rested and that
proper clinical disease diagnosis and judgement, is
obtained
To reduce contamination on the killing floor by separating
the dirty animals and condemning the diseased animals if
required by regulation
Contd…
To identify reportable animal diseases and to identify sick
animals and those treated with antibiotics,
chemotherapeutic agents, insecticides and pesticides
To make P.M.E. more efficient, accurate, less laborious
To detect diseases, whose identification is difficult during
P.M.E.
To ensure that injured animals or those with pain and
suffering receive emergency slaughter and that animals are
treated humanely
To ensure protection of consumers from the zoonotic and
other diseases which are transmitted through consumption of
infected meat.
Separation of animals with diseases like rabies, tetanus, septic
mastitis and metritis, which are undetectable on routine post-
mortem inspection, but which may have direct public health
significance.
Prevention of food-poisoning outbreaks, many of which can be
traced to the consumption of meat from animals slaughtered
while sick.
To ensure the selection of normal, rested animals and poultry
which will produce high quality meat for human consumption.
Procedure for AMI
AMI has three main areas of concern:
[Link] health [Link] health [Link] welfare
For public health purpose veterinarian should separate
normal animals from those suffering from zoonotic
diseases or present a hygienic risk to the slaughter hall
environment due to their filthy state.
Animals containing drug residues must be detained
Animal health aspect requires to identify notifiable
diseases
Welfare implifications in the form of structures and
procedures in the lairage
1. Identification of animal & collection of
details regarding place of purchase and
origin
2. Animal to be inspected both in rest & in
motion on both the sides
3. Examined preferably in daylight
A/M inspection card
Owner's name
The number of animals in the lot and arrival time
Species and sex of the animal
The time and date of ante mortem inspection
Clinical signs and body temperature if relevant
Reason why the animal was held
Signature of inspector
Facilities required
lairage
identification of live animals
Isolation pen and a crush
Assistant staff
Abnormalities
Respiration
Behavior
Gait
Posture
Structure and conformation
Discharges or protrusions from body openings
Color
Odour
Temperature
Abnormalities in respiration
Commonly refer to frequency of respiration
If the breathing pattern is different from
normal the animal should be segregated as a
Suspect
C/B/S/G; predominantly abdominal
rarely costo-abdominal
eg; roaring, snoring,
Abnormal gait
Animal isassociated with pain in the legs,
chest or abdomen or is an indication of
nervous disease
slow wobble gait: septicemic diseases
Walking in circles: coenurosis, listeriosis ,
Stiff gait : traumatic pericarditis
Abnormal posture
Tucked up abdomen or the animal may stand with an
extended head and stretched out feet
The animal may also be laying and have its head turned
along its side. When it is unable to rise, it is often called a
“downer”
Cow sits on the flank and head rests on the flank: milk fever
Frog like posture :obturator paralysis and bilateral dysplasia
Kicking at the belly: acute pain
Abnormalities in behavior
Walking in circles or show an abnormal gait
or posture
Pushing its head against the wall
Charging at various objects and acting
aggressively
Showing a dull and anxious expression in the
eyes
Abnormal Appearance
Healthy animals: glossy with smooth hair
coat
good indicator : level of hydration
◦ skin lesions, bruising and tear
◦ emaciation and cachexia
◦ rough and starring hairs
Abnormalities in structure
(conformation)
Swellings (abscesses) seen commonly in
swine
Enlarged joints
Umbilical swelling (hernia or omphalo phlebitis)
Enlarged sensitive udder indicative of mastitis
Enlarged jaw (“lumpy jaw”)
Bloated abdomen
Abnormal discharges or protrusions
Discharges from the nose, excessive salivation:
FMD, RP,
Ocular discharge : blue tongue, BVD ,MD,
Protruding from the rectum (prolapsed rectum)
or uterus
Protruding from the vagina (prolapsed uterus)
Growths on the eye and bloody diarrhea
Temperature
Abnormalities in temperature
Rise in temp – first indicator of
communicable disease
Moribund animals – subnormal temp
Sheep – greatest daily fluctuation of temp
Pigs - >41°C
Cattle, sheep - > 40.5°C to be isolated until
temp falls or disease
diagnosis is estab.
Abnormal colour
Black areas on horses and swine
red areas on light colored skin
(inflammation)
dark blue areas on the skin or udder
(gangrene)
Abnormal odour
odour of an abscess: medicinal odour
Ketosis: stinkweed odour or acetone
odour
putrid bronchitis: putrefactive odour
Ante-mortem dispositions
Following AMI the veterinarian may make
five decisions
FIT for slaughter- normal
Suspect/detained
Delayed/postponed
UNFIT for slaughter (Condemned)
Fit for slaughter
Free from the diseases and conditions, fit for human food, to be
released for slaughter
Suspect/detained
Question whether the animal is affected by a disease or condition
described in the regulations.
To segregate those animals with abnormal signs into the suspect
pen for further observation
Animals showing evidence of localised conditions such as injuries,
fractures, abscesses, benign tumours or conditions which will show
up lesions on post-mortem inspection need to be segregated and
given a detailed examination
Animals marked "suspect" that are sent for slaughter must be
accompanied by a full veterinary report. Ante-mortem signs, post-
mortem findings and the results of any laboratory tests are all
considered in making final judgement on the carcass and offal.
Delayed slaughter
Exhaustion
Trasit fever
transport
Unfit for slaughter
Immature animals
Advanced pregnancy
Recent parturition
infectious and contagious diseases
anthrax, rabies, BQ, FMD, Swine fever, tetanus, CLA, white scours, calf
diphtheria
EMERGENCY SLAUGHTER
Acute pain or suffering from a condition where delay in
slaughter contrary to animal welfare
Animals affected with extensive bruising or fractures, Bloat,
uterine prolapse require emergency slaughter
severe lacerations and bruisings particularly on the head
and hind limbs, damage to pelvis, an animal struck but not
killed by lightening and animals suffocated, acute
respiratory condition with danger of asphyxia, penetrating
wounds of thorax or abdomen and lactation tetany
pregnancy toxaemia and enterotoxaemia necessitate the
emergency slaughter- sheep
CASUALITY SLAUGHTER
Not in acute pain or immediate danger of
death
Affected with more chronic condition
◦ Obturator paralysis,
◦ Post partum paraplegia
◦ Benign superficial tumors
Diseases and abnormalities
commonly observed during AMI
Cattle
◦ SUSPECT – Actinobacillosis, [Link],
Mastitis, Ringworm and mange
◦ UNFIT - Rabies, FMD,RP, TB, Anthrax, BQ,
Tetanus, Acute Listeriosis, Fluorine & Selenium
Poisoning,
contd…
Calves
◦ Immaturity – UNFIT
◦ Calf diphtheria - UNFIT
◦ Ringworm - SUSPECT
◦ White scours - UNFIT
contd…
Sheep
◦ sheep scab – UNFIT
◦ Caseous lymphadenitis
Generalized – UNFIT
Localized - SUSPECT
◦ Gid - UNFIT
◦ Enterotoxaemia - UNFIT
Swine
◦ Swine erysipelas -SUSPECT
◦ Acute cases of swine erysipelas are unfit for food, because of
septicaemic nature of the disease. In case of chronic swine erysipelas
or diamond skin disease (DSD) animals have to be treated as 'suspect'
and slaughtered separately. In case of DSD, it is sufficient to have the
carcass skinned and the affected organs rejected. The judgement of
chronic swine erysipelas depends on the state of the carcass and joints.
If the animal has wasted badly or if arthritis is present in almost all
joints, the animal is not fit for slaughter.
◦ Atrophic rhinitis - SUSPECT
◦ Gut edema – SUSPECT
◦ Hog cholera - UNFIT
◦ Rabies - UNFIT
◦ Actinomycosis of the udder - SUSPECT
◦ Salmonellosis - UNFIT
Poultry
◦ Ornithosis – UNFIT
◦ Ranikhet disease - UNFIT
◦ CRD - SUSPECT
◦ IB – UNFIT (advanced stages)
◦ ILT - UNFIT (advanced stages)
◦ Infectious coryza - UNFIT (acute stages)
◦ Coccidiosis - UNFIT
Sheep pox and goat pox.
If sheep and goats manifest pox lesions and fever, they are not
suitable for slaughter. If the pocks are healing and the body
temperature has returned to normal, the animals are treated as
“suspects”.
Rabies.
unfit for slaughter. no evidence that the disease is acquired by eating
the meat of affected animals, aesthetic sense demands that the meat
be declared unfit for human consumption. A meat animal bitten by
rabid animal could be used for food provided if animal is slaughtered
immediately and the flesh around the bitten area is removed. Once
clinical symptoms appear in animals, it will not respond to treatment,
hence better destroy the animal.
Tetanus
Not proven yet that man can become infected with tetanus by
consuming affected meat, unfit for slaughter. Unfavorable treatment
responses hence better course is to destroy the animal.
Johne’s disease
unfit for slaughter. If the condition of the animals is
good, it should be treated as a “suspect”.
Anthrax.
Animals showing signs of anthrax are unfit for slaughter.
When anthrax is suspected, dressing is not allowed. The
local authority should be notified immediately.
POST-MORTEM INSPECTION
Post-mortem inspection refers to the systematic
examination of dressed carcasses and their organs
including blood in a hygienic manner immediately after
slaughter in the presence of adequate amount of light by a
meat inspector with the object of providing wholesome
meat to consumers.
carried out as soon as possible after carcass dressing is
completed
Important aspects of post-mortem inspection are:
Checking the efficacy of slaughter and carcass dressing
techniques.
Diagnosis of disease conditions for disease control
purposes.
Principles of post-mortem inspection
Slaughtering is limited to certain specified hours which will be
convenient to the inspector, butcher and purchasing public.
There should be sufficient ‘time and light’ for inspection after
slaughter.
Slaughtering should be done in presence of the Meat Inspector by any
of the popular methods.
The animal (cattle and sheep) is bled and skinned. The feet are
removed and the carcass hoisted up off the ground and further
(skinning) flaying completed.
The abdomen is incised, and the abdominal organs allowed to fall in
front of the inspector for inspection. (the organs may be kept in the
hanging position on the carcass).The organs are then received into a
hand cart and wheeled to a yard or to a side for carrying-out unclean
operations.
The thoracic cavity is opened to permit inspection of thoracic
organs.
A systematic procedure of inspection must be followed in case of all
the carcasses.
While inspecting an organ, always look for the associated lymph
nodes and look for abnormalities if any.
Record the age, sex and give a number to the carcass.
It is essential that live animal identification be retained on the carcass
until it passes over the weigh-bridge.
A slaughter programme must be compiled giving details of (day’s kill)
stock, their class, and identification (name and address) of owner.
Information should also be collected regarding lot pen and slaughter
sequence (numbers).
If live animal tags are not actually retained on the carcass because of
hygiene, it is important to have a reliable system of substituting dead
for live identifications so that accurate details of producer, ownership,
carcass weight, carcass grade, classification and disease information
are maintained
Identification of carcass meat may be made using Clip or tie-on
labels (paper or plastic), Stick-on tickets, Plastic studs, Marking inks
and Knife marks in superficial muscles.
Metal and hard rubber stamps with marking inks are in common use
for carcass identification and roller strips for indicating grades.
PMI Procedure
Inspector’s sense of smell and laboratory tests (if indicated)
are important in judging the carcass at post-mortem.
Incisions should be clean and accurate
A knife contaminated in any way must be discarded for sterilization
Prior to the completion of post-mortem inspection, no serous
membrane, evidence of disease, mark of identification or any other
part shall be modified or removed from the carcass.
The inspector must ensure that the premises, equipment and
facilities are hygienic and in good working order before the day’s
slaughter commences.
A systematic Inspection of carcasses and their organs should
proceed in the following order: Head, lungs, heart, liver, oesophagus,
stomach and intestines, kidney, spleen, uterus, udders, testes and
carcass.
The carcasses and organs of each animal passed for slaughter are
examined to eliminate the whole or any part of it, if found
diseased or unfit
If a disease or abnormal condition is noticed by the inspector, he
affixes ‘Retained’ tags to various parts of the carcass and its viscera.
If a condition is found which requires condemnation of carcass or a
part thereof, the word ‘Condemned’ is prominently displayed
Final inspection
Carcasses and (their) viscera which are found diseased/abnormal
on routine post-mortem inspection are subjected to final
inspection.
This inspection is conducted in a space especially set apart for the
purpose.
The space in which final inspection is conducted is equipped with
head loops and viscera-pans for holding organs/parts for
inspection alongwith the final examination of the carcass.
Reinspection.
aims to ensure that
(1) the product is being handled in a clean environment
with clean equipment,
(2) no unfit or harmful ingredients are being added to the
product,
(3) it has been properly prepared and
(4) it is not mislabeled
