BY

Dr Narendra Nayak
Department of LPT
College of Veterinary Science and A.H., Mhow,
Indore M.P.
Mob. No. 9669419819
Post-mortem examination refers to inspection of carcass and
organs by veterinary doctors after slaughtering and dressing.
It should be carried out as soon as possible after dressing.
The carcass is examined for evidence of bruises, injuries, or
discoloration and diseased conditions. The veterinary doctor
examines carcass and organs to ensure that carcass and
organs are fit for human consumption. During inspection,
care should to be taken not to contaminate the carcass and
organs from diseased animals.
 some of the diseases are not apparent and can be
detected easily in ante-mortem examination. Thus one
basis reason to conduct postmortem examination is
detection and diagnosis of disease not only to ensure
safe meat for consumer but also to adopt preventive
measures to control disease right at farm level itself.
 The area where the examination is being conducted
should have sufficient and well distributed light. The
natural light is considered better than artificial light.
The intensity of light must be 540 lux or 50 ft candles.
Besides this the person carrying inspection need clean,
sharp, stainless knives. There must be provision for hot
and cold water.
 There should be a sterilizer (operate of 820c) sterilize
the knives, saws and cleavers
 Sterilization of knives used for post-mortem
inspection:
 In boiling water for 30 minutes
 Heating the knife for 10-15 minutes in oil, liquid
petroleum jelly or glycerin at a temperature of 248oF
to 266oF.
 (The sterilization of anthrax contaminated knives
requires special consideration).
 To put a mark as carcass and its viscera making
dyes should also be provided which should be cheap,
non-corrosive in nature.
 Following points should be considered during post-
mortem inspection:
 Carry out the examinations as soon as possible (Carcasses
of beef and pork set rapidly and if the inspection is
delayed especially in cold weather the examination of
lymph nodes becomes difficult)
 Avoid as far as possible artificial light and carryout the
inspection in day light.
 Carryout the examination methodically following a
definite sequence
 Great care must be taken at the time of inspection
particularly in cases suspected for zoonotic diseases
 The identity of carcass and its viscera should be
maintained.
 Visual perception: - First the carcass and visceral organs
should be examined visually for any visible abnormalities.
Examination is done for any colour change, atrophy,
hypertrophy, neoplastic condition etc.
 Palpation: -The organs being examined are palpated for
any change in consistency, sliminess or gelation, cyst etc.
 Incisions: - The organs are incised if needed. This is done
to examine any parasites inside organ, structural deformity
etc.
 Laboratory tests: - These are done for confirmation and
support the observation made by macroscopic
examination. While examining the organs of carcass
lymph node of adjoining area must be examined.
 . Cattle: In case of cattle, sequence followed is :
 1. Head:
◦ Verify the number, age and sex of the animal.
◦ Inspect gums, lips and tongue for FMD, necrotic and other
forms of stomatitis, Actinomycosis and Actinobacillosis
(Palpate the tongue for the latter).
◦ Incise the internal and external masticatory mussels and tongue
for cysticercus bovis.
◦ Incise the following lymph nodes for T.B. lesions:
Retropharyngeal, Sumaixallry and Parotid.
 2. Viseral organs
 1. Lungs:
 Visual examination followed by palpation for the detection
of pleurisy, Pneumonia, Tuberculosis, Fascioliasis and
Hydatid cysts.
 Incise the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes and
expose the lung by giving deep incision form the base to
apex (for checking T.B. lesions)
 Check the tumors, abscesses etc by palpation
 2. Heart:
 Examine the pericardium for traumatic or tubercular
pericarditis
 Incise the ventricles of the heart and pay attention to
look for petechial hemorrhages on the epi-cardium and
endo-cardium and cuts in the myocardium.
 Flavy condition of the myocardium is indicative of
septic conditions.
 3. Liver:
 A visual examination should be made for fatty changes,
abscesses,
 Hydrated cysts, Actinobacillosis etc
 For examination of Fascioliasis, incise/thin portion of
left lobe of liver and examine the contents.
 4. Stomach and Intestines
 Check for the serous surface of the intestine for T.B.
lesions.
 Palpate the mesenteric lymph node and if necessary incise
and examine.
 5. Spleen:
 Examine for T. B. lesions, Anthrax, haematoma and
presence of infarcts.
 6. Uterus:
 Check Septic conditions.
 7. Udder:
 Check the supramammary lymph nodes by incising for the
evidence of T. B. lesions.
 Check for abscesses if any.
 ◦ Look for the injuries and bruises.
 Bruises: 24 hrs - dark colour
 Duration 24-38 hrs - Watery condition
 3 day + - Rusty orange colour and soapy to
touch
◦ Look for inflammation, abscesses and T.B. lesions in the
thoracic and abdominal cavities
◦ Examine the kidneys
◦ Incise and examine renal lymph nodes
 Similar to ante mortem examination a competent veterinarian has to
submit its judgment report regarding the fate of carcass & its offal.
The decision is based on visual observation, palpation, smell, ante
mortem signs the results of laboratory test if any. The statement of
judgment may be either of the following
 fit for human consumption
 unfit for human consumption or total condemnation
 The effected organs must condemned while rest can be passed for
human consumption (partially condemned)
 Approved for human consumption with conditions, distribution
restricted to limited or small amount to a consumer with instruction.
(free bank system)
 The carcass / organs condemned should be disposed off following
scientific procedure
 The entire carcass, organs, viscera should be rejected as
unfit for human consumption if evidence of following
disease conditions are seen:
 Actinobacillosis (generalised) , Actinomycosis
(generalized) Anemia (advanced) Anthrax,
Anaplasmosis Algal disease African swine fever Black
leg, Bruising (extensive and severe) B.S.E., BVD
Braxy, black leg Cysticercus bovis (Generalized) ,
Cysticercus cellulosae, cysticercus ovis, Emaciation
(pathological)
 Fever (High – Salmonellosis) FMD, Glanders,
Hemorrhagic septicemia, Immaturity (still born,
edematous), Jaundice, Malignant Tumours, Fever,
Listeriosis Acute septic mastitis, Melanosis
(Generalized) , Acute septic metritis, Abnormal odour
associated with disease or other conditions prejudice to
health. Edema (generalized), Pericarditis (acute and
septic) Peritonitis (Acute, diffuse, septic) Pleurisy
 (Acute, diffuse, septic) Decomposition, Pneumonia
(Acute septic) Pyaemia including Joint ill, Septicemia
or pyaemia, Swine erysipelas (acute ) Swine fever,
scrapie Tetanus, Trichinosis, Tumours (Malignant &
multiple) Uremia, Sarcocysts (Generalized)
 Besides these Jhone’s Disease with emaciation,
generalized tuberculosis, pig with brucellosis sheep
with acute blue tongue, heavy infestation of taeniasis
and poisoning cases must be totally condemned.
 Cattle Pigs Sheep/ Horses Deer Poultry
goats

External V V Va V V --
surfaces/oral
cavity

Submaxillary V, Ib V, I -- V, P V, I --
lymph nodes

Parotid lymph V, I -- -- V, P V, I --
nodes

Retrophrarynge V, I -- -- V, P V, I --
al lymph
nodes

Tongue V, Pc V -- V, P V,P --

Muscle of V, P, Id V,P,I -- -- -- --
mastication

Other -- -- -- --e
 V is visual examination, P is examination by palpation, I is
examination by incision.
 a Notwithstanding post-mortem examination for animal
health purposes, the head may be discarded if brains and
tongues are not collected for human consumption
 b Incision of lymph nodes of the head is not necessary in
calves
 c Palpation of the tongue is not necessary in calves

 d The muscles of mastication should be incised according

to the potential for infestation with cysts of Taenia
pp.
 e The nasal septum should be removed and examined if
glanders is present in the slaughter population
 Post-mortem examination procedures and tests should
be established by the competent authority according to
a science- and risk-based system, procedures will
have to be based on current scientific knowledge and
practice.
 Post-mortem examination procedures based on current
knowledge and practice vary considerably in different
countries.
 In particular:
 Routine procedures may be supplemented by additional
procedures to assist judgment.
 Young animals are likely to need less intensive
examination than older animals, although some diseases
are confined to young animals. In the case of farmed game
and farmed game birds, post-mortem examination
procedures should reflect the particular circumstances of
harvesting and transport to the establishment.
 In the case of killed wild game and wild game birds, post-
mortem examination procedures should reflect the
particular circumstances of harvesting and transport to the
establishment.
 Special post-mortem examination procedures may
need to be applied to animals that have reacted to
screening test, e.g., animals which have reacted
positively to tuberculin test should be slaughtered
under special hygiene conditions and be subject to
more intensive examination procedures than non-
reactor animals.
 Special post-mortem judgments may need to be
applied to animals that have reacted to screening
tests, e.g., irrespective of detection of lesions
suggestive of infection, the udder, genital tract and
blood of animals which have reacted positively to a
brucellosis test should be judged as unfit for
human consumption.
THANKS