12. The official veterinary surgeon may, at the request of the producer of the birds referred to in paragraph 11 above, authorise the slaughter of such birds at the end of the current slaughtering period at the slaughterhouse provided that precautions are taken to keep to a minimum the risk of spreading pathogenic micro-organisms and to clean and disinfect the facilities after the slaughter, with the meat of the slaughtered birds being handled as if it were meat declared unfit for human consumption.