The TSE (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2005

Regulation 14

SCHEDULEE+W

Regulation 10A

“SCHEDULE 1AE+WREQUIREMENTS TO BE COVERED BY AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE SLAUGHTER OF BOVINE ANIMALS OVER 30 MONTHS OF AGE

Animal identification and separation

1.  There has to be a reliable system for identifying on arrival at the slaughterhouse—

(a)bovine animals born before 1 August 1996;

(b)bovine animals born on or after 1 August 1996;

(c)bovine animals referred to in (a) or (b) which are subject to slaughter ordered by a veterinary surgeon following an accident or serious physiological or functional problems;

(d)bovine animals referred to in (a) or (b) which are, or are suspected of, suffering from—

(i)a disease which is communicable to humans or animals; or

(ii)a disease or disorder of their general condition which is likely to make their meat unfit for human consumption;

(e)bovine animals referred to in (a) or (b) which have, or are suspected of having—

(i)had administered to them substances with pharmacological effects, or

(ii)consumed substances,

which may make their meat unfit for human consumption.

2.  There has to be a reliable system for ensuring that no bovine animal born or reared in the United Kingdom before 1 August 1996 is slaughtered for human consumption.

3.  Bovine animals which are over 30 months of age but born on or after 1 August 1996 have to be clearly identified.

4.  Bovine animals which are over 30 months of age but born on or after 1 August 1996 and bovine animals which are 30 months of age and under have to be separated into batches for subsequent separate slaughter.

Brain stem sampling

5.  There has to be sufficient slaughterhouse staff trained and competent in the taking, labelling, packaging and despatch of brain stem samples. Health and Safety guidelines to minimise the risk of exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy have to be followed and hygienic facilities have to be provided. Sampling procedures are to be such that they do not jeopardise the hygienic production of meat intended for human consumption.

Correlation of sample to carcase and all other body parts.

6.  There has to be a reliable system for linking the brain stem sample of each bovine animal over 30 months of age to the carcase of that animal and all other parts of the body of that animal including the blood and the hide.

Retention of carcases and all other body parts

7.  Unless there is a system in place at the slaughterhouse in question which prevents contamination between carcases, there has to be a reliable system (including the provision of suitable and sufficient chiller space) for ensuring that the carcase of a bovine animal tested for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“the tested animal”) plus the carcase of—

(a)the bovine animal immediately preceding the tested animal, and

(b)each of the two bovine animals immediately following the tested animal,

on the slaughter line are retained in slaughter order either in a sealed chiller or on a sealed rail in an unsealed chiller, pending the receipt of the results of the rapid test.

8.  Where there is a system in place at the slaughterhouse in question which prevents contamination between carcases, then there has to be a reliable system (including the provision of suitable and sufficient chiller space) for ensuring that the carcase of a bovine animal tested for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“the tested animal”) is retained either in a sealed chiller or on a sealed rail in an unsealed chiller, pending the receipt of the results of the rapid test.

9.  There has also to be a reliable system (including the provision of suitable and sufficient chiller space) for ensuring that—

(a)all parts of the body, including the blood and the hide, but excluding the carcase (“the body parts”) of a tested animal plus the body parts of—

(i)the bovine animal immediately preceding the tested animal, and

(ii)the two bovine animals immediately following the tested animal,

on the slaughter line, and

(b)mixed batches of the body parts of both a tested animal and any other bovine animal,

are disposed of by incineration or, with the exception of the hides, retained at the slaughterhouse until rapid test results are available.

10.  Hides not retained at the slaughterhouse have to be retained at premises under official control until rapid test results are available.

Delivery of sample to testing laboratory

11.  Brain stem samples for testing for bovine spongiform encephalopathy have to be packaged and delivered in a testable condition to a laboratory approved by the National Assembly for Wales for the purposes of point 2 of Chapter C of Annex X to the Community TSE Regulations. The samples have to be packaged and labelled in accordance with packaging instructions P650 of the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (version applicable as from 1 January 2005)(1).

Receipt of rapid test results by the slaughterhouse

12.  There has to be a system for the receipt of the correct test results from the laboratory, either by fax or by other electronic means.

Action following a positive or 'no test' result.

13.  Unless there is a system in place at the slaughterhouse in question which prevents contamination between carcases, then there have to be effective arrangements to ensure that the carcase and all other parts of the body, including the blood and the hide (“the whole body”) of any bovine animal which tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“the BSE positive animal”), plus the whole body of the bovine animal immediately preceding the BSE positive animal and of each of the two bovine animals immediately following the BSE positive animal on the slaughter line (including any batched materials), are identified and disposed of by incineration.

14.  Where there is a system in place at the slaughterhouse in question which prevents contamination between carcases, there have to be effective arrangements to ensure that the whole body of any BSE positive animal is identified and disposed of by incineration.

15.  Unless there is a system in place at the slaughterhouse in question which prevents contamination between carcases, there have to be effective arrangements to ensure that the whole body of any bovine animal samples of which cannot be tested for any reason (“the no test animal”) plus the whole body (but not the hide if it is separately identified) of the bovine animal immediately preceding the no test animal and of each of the two bovine animals immediately following the no test animal on the slaughter line (including any batched materials), are identified and disposed of by incineration.

16.  Where there is a system in place at the slaughterhouse in question which prevents contamination between carcases, there have to be effective arrangements to ensure that the whole body of any bovine animal, samples of which cannot be tested for any reason, is identified and disposed of by incineration.

Removal of vertebral column in cutting premises licensed under regulation 56(1)

17.  There have to be effective arrangements to ensure that the vertebral column is not removed from the carcase of a bovine animal over 30 months of age which has tested negative for bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the slaughterhouse but that it is removed from the carcase in cutting premises licensed under regulation 56(1).

Testing of the effectiveness of the controls put in place

18.  Before the first occasion on which the occupier of a slaughterhouse slaughters a bovine animal over 30 months of age any part of which is intended for human consumption, there has to be a test of all the control procedures referred to in the requirements set out in paragraphs 1 to 9 of this Schedule by means of a trial using bovine animals under 30 months old, which demonstrates that all of the control procedures are effective.”.