The Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

Regulations 4(2)(a), 8(1)(a), 12(1)(a), 14(1)(b), 21

SCHEDULE 7PRE-SLAUGHTER HEALTH INSPECTION

1.  Subject to paragraph 2 below, the official veterinary surgeon shall authorise the slaughter of a specified group from a holding where—

(a) the birds or rabbits intended for slaughter are accompanied by a health attestation in the form specified in Schedule 17; or

(b) not less than 72 hours before the arrival of such birds or rabbits at the slaughterhouse, the official veterinary surgeon was in possession of—

(i)a declaration from a veterinary surgeon that the holding is under his supervision, and

(ii)the information specified in Part I of Schedule 22 relating to the birds or rabbits in question, ascertained from the records kept by the producer of those birds or rabbits, as the case may be, and set out in a report signed or otherwise authenticated by that producer;

(iii)such additional information, as the official veterinary surgeon may request, relating to such birds or rabbits which may include the details specified in Part II of Schedule 22.

2.  The official veterinary surgeon shall assess the information referred to in paragraph 1(b) above, supplied by the producer, in determining the steps to be taken with regard to the birds or rabbits coming from the holding of that producer, in particular the type of any pre-slaughter health inspection to be carried out on such birds or rabbits.

3.  Where the conditions specified in paragraph 1 above are not satisfied, the official veterinary surgeon of the slaughterhouse may—

(a) postpone the slaughter, or

(b) where he feels it necessary to do so for reasons of animal welfare—

(i)authorise the slaughter after an inspection of the birds or rabbits in accordance with paragraph 7(b) below, and

(ii)arrange for an inspection by an official veterinary surgeon or the veterinary surgeon referred to in paragraph 1(b)(i) above, of the holding of origin of the birds or rabbits in question to ascertain the information referred to in paragraph 1(b) above.

4.  In the case of producers who annually fatten or rear not more than 20,000 domestic fowl, 15,000 ducks, 10,000 turkeys, 10,000 geese, 20,000 rabbits, or an equivalent quantity of other species of bird, the pre-slaughter inspection may be carried out at the slaughterhouse. In such case the producer shall provide a declaration to the effect that his annual production does not exceed the said figures.

5.  The producer shall retain the records referred to in paragraph 7(a) below for a period of two years from the date to which such records relate and upon demand by the Minister submit them to the Minister.

6.  The pre-slaughter health inspection shall be carried out in adequate lighting.

7.  The pre-slaughter health inspection of birds and rabbits on their farm of origin shall comprise—

(a) checking of the producers' records which, depending on the type of birds or rabbits, shall include the following, save that the details specified at items (iv), (viii) and (xii) shall not be required unless specified in writing by the Minister in relation to any particular birds or rabbits:

(i)day of arrival of the birds or rabbits,

(ii)source of the birds or rabbits,

(iii)number of birds or rabbits,

(iv)actual performance of the particular breeds (e.g. weight gain),

(v)mortality,

(vi)suppliers of feedingstuffs,

(vii)type, period of use and withdrawal periods of feed additives,

(viii)consumption of feedingstuffs and water,

(ix)examination and diagnosis of the attending veterinary surgeon engaged by that producer, together with any laboratory results,

(x)type of any medicinal product, with dates of administration and withdrawal, given to the birds or rabbits,

(xi)date and type of any vaccines given,

(xii)weight gain during the fattening period,

(xiii)results of any previous official pre-slaughter health inspections of birds from the same specified group,

(xiv)number of birds or rabbits sent for slaughter,

(xv)expected date of slaughter;

(b) any additional examinations needed to establish whether the birds or rabbits—

(i)are suffering from a disease which can be transmitted to humans or to animals or are behaving, on an individual or collective basis, in such a way as to indicate that such a disease may occur,

(ii)show disturbance of general behaviour or signs of sickness which may make the meat unfit for human consumption;

(c) regular sampling of water and feed with a view to checking compliance with withdrawal periods;

(d) the results of tests for zoonotic agents carried out in accordance with Directive 92/117/EEC(1).

8.  At the slaughterhouse, the official veterinary surgeon shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the birds or rabbits are identified, that the requirements of Chapter II of Directive (2) have been complied with and that the birds or rabbits are checked for injury during transport.

9.  In the case of there being any doubt concerning the identity of a consignment of birds or rabbits or where the birds or rabbits are required to undergo a pre-slaughter health inspection at the slaughterhouse in accordance with paragraph 4 above, the official veterinary surgeon shall examine each crate of the birds or rabbits if the birds or rabbits, as the case may be, show the signs referred to in paragraph 7(b) above.

10.  Where any birds or rabbits have not been slaughtered within three days of their examination and the issue of the health attestation provided for in paragraph 1(a) above—

(a) where the birds or rabbits have not left the holding of origin, a new health attestation (in the form specified in Schedule 17) shall be required, or

(b) the official veterinary surgeon of the slaughterhouse may, after considering the reasons for the delay in slaughtering and on being satisfied, following such further examination he may consider to be necessary of the birds or rabbits, as the case may be, that there is no health risk, authorise the slaughter of those birds or rabbits.

11.  Without prejudice to the requirements of Directive 91/494/EEC, no bird shall be slaughtered for the purpose of human consumption if the clinical signs of the following diseases have been established:

(a) ornithosis,

(b) salmonellosis.

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.

13.  The official veterinary surgeon shall—

(a) prohibit slaughter where he has evidence that the meat from the birds concerned would be unfit for human consumption;

(b) postpone slaughter where the withdrawal period for residues has not been respected;

(c) ensure, with regard to clinically healthy poultry from a specified group the slaughter of which is obligatory under a programme for the control of infectious disease, that those birds are slaughtered at the end of the current slaughtering period or under conditions such that any contamination of other birds is avoided.

14.  The official veterinary surgeon shall immediately notify the Minister of any prohibition of slaughter, giving reasons, and provisionally place the birds affected by such slaughter prohibition in safekeeping.

15.  Sick or suspect birds or rabbits shall not be slaughtered in the premises except in accordance with an authorisation granted by the official veterinary surgeon. Where such an authorisation is granted, slaughter shall be performed under the supervision of the official veterinary surgeon and steps taken to prevent contamination; the premises shall be specially cleaned and disinfected under such supervision before being used again.

16.  No rabbit shall be slaughtered for human consumption if it has been established that—

(a) the rabbit is suffering from a disease which can be transmitted to humans or animals, or shows clinical signs of such a disease, or the general condition of the rabbit is such as to indicate that such a disease may occur; or

(b) the rabbit shows clinical signs of a disease or disorder affecting its general condition which may make the meat unfit for human consumption.

17.  Any rabbit referred to in paragraph 16 above shall be slaughtered either separately or after the slaughter of all other rabbits, with the meat of that slaughtered rabbit being hygienically disposed of.