SCHEDULE 9POST-MORTEM HEALTH INSPECTION

PART IGENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.  The birds and rabbits shall be inspected immediately after slaughter under suitable lighting and as part of such inspection—

(a)in the case of birds, the following parts:

(i)the surface of the bird’s body, excluding head and feet save where these are intended for human consumption;

(ii)the viscera; and

(iii)the body cavities,

shall be subjected to visual inspection and, where necessary, palpation and incision;

(b)in the case of rabbits, the following shall be carried out:

(i)visual inspection of the slaughtered animal;

(ii)where necessary, palpation and incision of the lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys and parts of the carcase which have undergone any change;

(iii)investigations of anomalies of consistency, colour, smell and, where appropriate, taste;

(iv)where necessary, laboratory tests.

(c)attention shall also be paid to:

(i)anomalies of consistency, colour and smell in the carcases;

(ii)major anomalies resulting from slaughtering operations;

(iii)proper functioning of the slaughter equipment.

2.  In the case of birds, the official veterinary surgeon shall in any event:

(a)subject to detailed inspection a random sample of the birds rejected in the post-mortem health inspection, the meat of which was declared unfit for human consumption in accordance with paragraph 1 of Part II of this Schedule;

(b)examine a random sample of the birds taken from the specified group which has undergone the post-mortem inspection, for an inspection of the viscera and the body cavities;

(c)carry out a detailed post-mortem inspection of the birds if there are other indications that the meat from those birds could be unfit for human consumption.

3.  In the case of partly eviscerated birds (“effilé”) whose intestines have been removed immediately, the viscera and the body cavities of at least 5% of the slaughtered poultry from each specified group shall be inspected after evisceration.If during such inspection anomalies are discovered in a number of birds, then all the birds in the specified group shall be inspected in accordance with paragraph 1 above.

4.  In the case of birds subjected to delayed evisceration:

(a)the post-mortem health inspection in accordance with paragraph 1 above shall take place at the latest 15 days after slaughter, during which period they must be kept at a temperature not exceeding +4°C;

(b)at the end of that period at the latest, they shall be eviscerated in the slaughterhouse where the slaughtering was performed or in an approved cutting plant fulfilling the additional requirements in paragraph 1(b) of Schedule 3 and in the latter case, be accompanied by the health certificate shown in Schedule 20;

(c)the poultry meat or farmed game meat shall not not bear the health mark referred to in Schedule 11 before the evisceration referred to in sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph has been performed.

5.  The taking of samples to examine for residues shall be carried out by spot checks and in any case in the event of any justified suspicion.In the case of examination for residues by sampling, examination shall be carried out for the residues referred to in Group A III and Group B I(a) and (c) and II(a) of Annex 1 to Directive 86/469/EEC(1), as amended by Decision 89/187/EEC(2).

6.  The obligation to examine for residues of substances with pharmacological action referred to in the second sub-paragraph of Article 4(1) of Directive 71/118/EEC shall not apply to poultry from holdings under official veterinary control where examination for those residues is carried out on the holdings of origin.

7.  Where a disease is suspected on the basis of the pre-slaughter health inspection or post-mortem health inspection, the official veterinary surgeon may ask for the requisite laboratory tests to be carried out if he considers them necessary to substantiate his diagnosis or to detect substances with pharmacological action likely to be present, given the pathological condition observed.In case of any doubt, the official veterinary surgeon may perform any further cuts and inspections of the relevant parts of the birds or rabbits necessary in order to reach a definitive diagnosis.