17.—(1) The official veterinary surgeon shall record the results of the pre-slaughter health inspections and post-mortem health inspections carried out by him or under his supervision and where any such inspection reveals the presence of any transmissible disease in any birds or rabbits, he shall immediately notify the food authority, the Minister, the occupier of the slaughterhouse and the producer of the birds or rabbits in question of such presence.
(2) Every food authority shall keep in respect of each licensed premises, where appropriate, a record of the results of post-mortem health inspections and the food authority shall supply to the Minister copies of any such records kept by that authority as the Minister may from time to time require, and shall retain any such record for a period of one year from the date of the inspection to which it relates.