LIVESTOCK AND MEAT INDUSTRIES: SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION

INDEX TO SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION

Grading of Carcasses Regulations

Livestock and Meat Industries (Meat Inspection and Control of Red Meat Abattoir) Regulations

Livestock and Meat Industries (Poultry Abattoir) Regulations

Livestock and Meat Industries (Producers’ Agents) Regulations

Livestock Bones (Export Levy) Regulations

LIVESTOCK BONES (EXPORT LEVY) REGULATIONS

(section 7)

(20th April, 1956)

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

REGULATION

1. Citation

2. Imposition of tax

3. Payment of tax

G.N. 15, 1956.

1. Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Livestock Bones (Export Levy) Regulations.

2. Imposition of tax

There is imposed a tax at the rate of P10 per ton on all livestock bones exported from Botswana other than bones emanating from sources in the Ghanzi District and that part of the Kgaladi District which is bounded on the west by the border of Namibia, in the north by the border of the Ghanzi District, in the east by the border of the Bakwena Tribal Territory and in the south by 24?30″ parallel to latitude south, and which are exported from or through the Ghanzi District.

3. Payment of tax

The tax imposed shall be paid at the office of any District Commissioner for the benefit of the general revenue.

LIVESTOCK AND MEAT INDUSTRIES (MEAT INSPECTION AND CONTROL OF RED MEAT ABATTOIR) REGULATIONS

(section 7)

(11th September, 2007)

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

REGULATION

PART I
Preliminary

1. Citation

2. Interpretation

3. Application

4. Exemptions

PART II
Licensing of abattoirs, cutting premises, cold stores, farmed game handling facilities and farmed game meat plants

5. Issue of licences

6. Revocation of licences

7. Appeals

8. Slaughter of animals not intended for human consumption

PART III
Supervision and control of premises

9. Supervision of premises

10. Revocation and suspension of designation of OVSs

11. Powers of veterinary officers, OVSs and meat inspectors

12. Inspection and health marking

13. Notice of operation of registered or licensed premises

PART IV
Conditions for the marketing of fresh meat

14. General conditions

15. Transport documentation

PART V
Admission to, and detention in, abattoirs and farmed game meat plants of animals and carcasses

16. Alternative accommodation for certain animals

17. Period of time for keeping an animal in a lairage and removal of an animal from an abattoir

18. Conditions on the admission of diseased or injured animals

19. Conditions on the admission of dead or slaughtered animals

20. Animals slaughtered outside a public abattoir

21. Authority to enter abattoir

22. Provision of protective clothing

23. Wearing of protective clothing

24. Export

PART VI
Administration, penalties and enforcement

25. Record of inspections

26. Duties of occupier

27. Penalties

Schedules

S.I. 56, 2007.

PART I
Preliminary (regs 1-4)

1. Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Livestock and Meat Industries (Meat Inspection and Control of Red Meat Abattoir) Regulations.

2. Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“animal” means—

(a) any domestic animal of the following species—

(i) bovine animals,

(ii) swine,

(iii) sheep,

(iv) goats, and

(v) equines; and

(b) farmed game;

“butchery” means the premises of a person who is the holder of a fresh produce licence under the Trade Act (Cap. 43:02);

“caprine” means a goat of any age;

“condemned” means unfit for human consumption;

“controlling authority” means the Director of Animal Health and Production;

“cutting up” means—

(a) cutting fresh meat into retail cuts; or

(b) removing bones from fresh meat;

“detained” means held pending a final decision on fitness for human consumption;

“disinfect” means to apply an approved chemical or physical agents or processes with the intention of eliminating micro-organisms;

“examine in detail” means to examine by making multiple deep incisions into lymph nodes, carcass or organs;

“farmed game handling facility” means any building, premises or place, other than an abattoir, used for the purpose of slaughtering farmed game the flesh of which is intended for sale for human consumption;

“farmed game meat plant” means premises, other than an abattoir, specifically used for the purpose of dressing farmed game the flesh of which is intended for sale for human consumption;

“final consumer” means a person who buys fresh meat—

(a) otherwise than for the purpose of resale;

(b) for transport to, and consumption on, premises which or she owns or are under his or her personal supervision or are in the ownership or under the personal supervision of a person employed by him or her; or

(c) for direct transport to, and sale as take away food for consumption from, premises which he or she owns or are under his or her personal supervision, or are in the ownership or under the personal supervision of a person employed by him or her;

“fresh”, in relation to meat, means meat, including chilled or frozen meat, which has not undergone any preserving process and includes meat which is vacuum wrapped or wrapped in a controlled atmosphere;

“health mark” means a mark of a kind approved by the Director and applied in accordance with his or her directions;

“high throughput” means an abattoir, farmed game meat plant or cutting premises with a throughput in excess of what is stated in the definition of medium throughput and in paragraph (c) of the definition of low throughput;

“lairage” means any part of an abattoir used for the confinement of animals awaiting slaughter in the abattoir;

“licensed”, in relation to any abattoir, cutting premises, cold store, farmed game handling facility or farmed game meat plant, means licensed by the Director;

“livestock unit” means one bovine, one equine, three swine, seven sheep or goats or seven ostriches;

“low throughput”—

(a) in relation to farmed game meat plant, means a throughput of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption of not more than 500 livestock units each year at a rate not exceeding 10 each week;

(b) in relation to an abattoir, means a throughput of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption of not more than 500 livestock units each year at a rate not exceeding 15 each week; and

(c) in relation to cutting premises, means a production of not more than 5 tonnes of fresh meat intended for human consumption each week;

“mechanically recovered meat” means comminuted meat obtained by mechanical means from flesh-bearing bones apart from—

(a) the bones of the head; and

(b) the extremities of the limbs below the carpal and tarsal joints and, in the case of swine, the coccygeal vertebrae;

“medium throughput”—

(a) in relation to farmed game meat plant, means a throughput of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption of not more than 3,000 livestock units each year at a rate not exceeding 60 each week; and

(b) in relation to an abattoir, means a throughput of animals whose meat is intended for human consumption of not more than 20,000 livestock units each year at a rate not exceeding 500 each week;

“occupier” means a person carrying on the business of an abattoir, cutting premises or a cold store (either together or separately) or a farmed game meat plant or farmed game handling facility, or the duly authorised representative of that person;

“offal” means fresh meat other than that of the carcass, whether or not naturally connected to the carcass;

“Official Veterinary Surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon designated by the Director under regulation 9;

“ovine” means sheep of any age;

“OVS” means Official Veterinary Surgeon;

“packaging”, in relation to fresh meat, means placing wrapped fresh meat into a receptacle;

“premises” means any abattoir, cutting premises, cold store, farmed game handling facility or farmed game meat plant, and, for the purposes of regulation 5(5), includes a place used for local slaughter;

“seize”, in relation to meat inspected in accordance with these Regulations, means condemned;

“slaughter hall” means that part of an abattoir in which animals are slaughtered or the bodies of slaughtered animals are dressed;

“veterinary officer” means any officer in the permanent service of the government who is a registered veterinary surgeon;

“veterinary surgeon” has the same meaning as in the Veterinary Surgeons Act (Cap. 61:04);

“viscera” means offal from the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities, including the trachea and oesophagus;

“VO” means Veterinary Officer;

“VO room” means a room, suitable, sufficiently large and adequately equipped, capable of being securely locked and under the control of a VO, for the exclusive use of the VO, OVS and meat inspector; and

“wrapping”, in relation to the protection of fresh meat, means placing in material which comes into direct contact with such meat, as well as the material itself.

3. Application

These Regulations apply to the slaughter of animals for human consumption in Botswana, except for animals intended for—

(a) consumption within a single household; and

(b) human consumption at public gatherings including weddings, funerals, and celebrations.

4. Exemptions

(1) These Regulations do not apply—

(a) to premises where fresh meat—

(i) is used exclusively for the production for sale, of meat products, meat preparations, minced meat or mechanically recovered meat; and

(ii) is cut up or stored for sale from those premises to the final consumer;

(b) to a cold store which handles only fresh meat which is packaged;

Provided that such meat shall not be used for human consumption and, unless such meat is used for analysis, it shall be destroyed after such exhibition or special study, as the case may be;

(d) to fresh meat intended for use other than human consumption; and

(e) to any person engaged in any activity described in this regulation, nor to any vehicle used for the purpose of any such activity.

PART II
Licensing of abattoirs, cutting premises, cold stores, farmed game handling facilities and farmed game meat plants (regs 5-8)

5. Issue of licences

(1) No person shall use any premises as an abattoir, cutting premises, a cold store, a farmed game handling facility or a farmed game meat plant unless those premises are licensed.

(2) A person who wishes to use any premises as an abattoir, cutting premises, a cold store, a farmed game handling facility or a farmed game meat plant shall, in writing, apply to the Director for a licence to do so.

(3) Where a person makes an application in terms of subsection (1) or (3), the Director shall, within 60 days of receipt of the application, inform the applicant, in writing, of his or her decision, and—

(a) shall license the premises to which the application relates—

(i) as a high throughput abattoir, if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of the First and Second Schedules, or as a medium throughput abattoir, if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of the Fifth Schedule, or as a low throughput abattoir, if the premises comply with the Sixth Schedule, and, in any of the foregoing cases, if he or she is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of the Eighth to Eleventh Schedules, inclusive, and that the inspection requirements of the Eleventh Schedule will be met;

(ii) as a high throughput cutting premises, if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of the First and Third Schedules, or as a low throughput cutting premises, if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of Part I of the Fifth Schedule, and in each case, if he or she is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Part I of the Eighth and Twelfth Schedules;

(iii) as a cold store, if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of the First and Fourth Schedules and that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of Part I of the Seventh and Fifteenth Schedules or as a cold store storing frozen meat if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the Sixteenth Schedule;

(iv) as a farmed game handling facility, if he or she is satisfied that the premises and the method of operation in those premises comply with the requirements of Part I of Seventh Schedule and paragraphs 3 to 7 of the Ninth Schedule;

(v) as a farmed game meat plant, if he or she is satisfied that the premises and the method of operation in those premises comply with the requirements of Part II of the Seventh Schedule, or as a low throughput farmed game meat plant, if he or she is satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements of Part IV of the Seventh Schedule, and, in either case, if he or she is satisfied that the method of operation in those premises complies with the requirements of the Eighth, Tenth and Eleventh Schedules and that there is no significant risk either that facilities for inspection under the Eleventh Schedule will be denied or that any farmed game meat or blood rejected under that Schedule will be used for human consumption, and

(b) shall refuse to license the premises if he or she is not so satisfied that the premises comply with the requirements under these Regulations.

(5) The Director may, on application by any person, approve and register a place for local slaughtering in rural areas, for a maximum period of one year at a time, if he or she is satisfied that the meat produced is only to be used by the local community:

Provided that—

(a) the basic standards of slaughter and hygiene in these Regulations are met and all carcasses are examined by a meat inspector and passed as fit for human consumption or condemned, as appropriate; and

(b) ante-mortem and postmortem requirements of the Ninth and Eleventh Schedules are used as guidelines by the meat inspector, and the judgement criteria in the Eleventh Schedule shall apply.

(6) Waste material and meat unfit for human consumption shall be burned or buried under the official supervision of the VO, OVS or meat inspector, to prevent access by wild animals or dogs.

(7) An application for a licence under subregulation (3) or registration under subregulation (5) shall be made in the form set out in the Eighteenth Schedule, to the Director, by the owner or occupier of, or a person proposing to occupy or use, the premises or place to which the application relates.

(8) The Director shall notify the applicant in the form set out in the Nineteenth Schedule, of his or her decision on the application.

(9) If the Director refuses to issue a licence or approve registration, he or she shall notify the applicant, in writing, of his or her reasons for the refusal.

(10) A licence in respect of any premises shall be subject to the condition that, except in accordance with regulation 11, no significant alteration shall be made—

(a) to the premises or the equipment in the premises otherwise than by way of repairs and maintenance unless an application has been made in the form set out in the Twenty-First Schedule, to the Director; or

(b) to the method of operation in the premises, without the Director’s prior agreement in writing.

(11) In granting a licence in respect of any premises, the Director may make it subject to the species of animal which may be slaughtered or processed there.

(12) In granting a licence in respect of medium or low throughput premises and in approving a place for the purpose of slaughtering, the Director may make it subject to—

(a) the maximum limits of the throughput; or

(b) the type of animal to be slaughtered.

(13) In granting a licence in respect of a cold store, the Director may make it subject to the condition that fresh meat shall be stored only in one or more specified storage chambers or that the cold store shall store only fresh meat which is packaged.

(14) Where the Director—

(a) has refused to grant a licence; or

(b) has granted a licence subject to a condition,

his or her notification under subregulation (8) shall state the right of appeal under regulation 7 and the time allowed for appealing.

6. Revocation of licences

(1) The Director may revoke a licence or approval granted by him or her in respect of any premises and, where appropriate, require the withdrawal of the equipment for application of the health mark if, after an inspection of, or an inquiry into, the operation or structure of the premises and a report by a veterinary officer or OVS, he or she is satisfied that—

(a) the conditions of hygiene at those premises are inadequate and the occupier has failed to take the necessary measures to make good the shortcomings within such period as the Director may specify;

(b) any requirement of these Regulations as to hygiene has not been complied with and inadequate or no action has been taken to ensure that a similar breach does not occur in future;

(c) any condition attached to the licence in accordance with regulation 5(6), (10), (11), (12) or (13) has not been complied with;

(d) the premises no longer fall within these Regulations—

(i) because the business carried on at the premises has ceased, or

(ii) because they have become exempt under regulation 4.

(2) Any cessation of operation for a period longer than 3 months shall warrant the suspension of a licence unless the occupier has, before such cessation informed the Director of his or her intention to cease the operation.

(3) Where the owner or occupier intends to recommence the operation, he or she shall re-apply for a licence in the form set out in the Twentieth Schedule or give notice to the Director of the date on which he or she intends to recommence the operation.

(4) Where the Director revokes a licence, he or she shall give the occupier of the premises notice in writing—

(a) of his or her decision to revoke the licence;

(b) of the date on which the revocation is to take effect;

(d) of the occupant’s right to appeal under regulation 7; and

(e) of the time allowed for appealing.

(5) In subregulation (4), “occupier”, in relation to a proposed revocation under subregulation (1)(d)(i), where the premises are vacant, means the last person known to the Director to have carried on at the premises business for which the licence was granted or his or her successor in respect of that business.

7. Appeals

(1) Where the Director—

(a) has refused to license any premises;

(b) has granted a licence subject to conditions; or

the owner or occupier of, or the person proposing to occupy the premises may, within 14 days of being notified of the Director’s decision in accordance with regulation 5(4) or 6(4), appeal to the Minister:

Provided that if the appeal concerns previously licensed premises, the appellant concerned may continue to operate those premises pending the outcome of his or her appeal unless the Director has notified the appellant that the continued operation of those premises poses a risk to public health.

(2) Within 60 days after receiving an appeal, the Minister shall notify the appellant of his or her decision.

8. Slaughter of animals not intended for human consumption

(1) A person may use any abattoir or farmed game handling facility, or cause any such premises to be used, for slaughter of an animal the meat of which is not intended for sale for human consumption if that animal has incurred an injury whilst in transit to the abattoir necessitating its immediate slaughter.

(2) No person shall use any abattoir or farmed game handling facility, or cause any such premises to be used, for the slaughter of any animal the meat of which is not intended for sale for human consumption except under the circumstances stated in subregulation (1).

(3) An animal the meat of which is not intended for sale for human consumption may only be slaughtered in an abattoir or farmed game handling facility if it is slaughtered in a different room or at a different time from any animal the meat of which is intended for sale for human consumption.

(4) The slaughter hall in which an animal referred to in subregulation (1) has been slaughtered shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

PART III
Supervision and control of premises (regs 9-13)

9. Supervision of premises

(1) The Director may designate veterinary surgeons as OVSs and shall, in relation to any premises, appoint one or more OVSs or meat inspectors, as authorised officers in relation to the examination and seizure of meat, and the certification of fresh meat as healthy for human consumption.

(2) Any OVS or meat inspector appointed as an authorised officer under subregulation (1) shall be responsible for the following functions in relation to the premises referred to in that subregulation—

(a) the ante-mortem health inspection of animals in accordance with the Ninth Schedule;

(b) the postmortem health inspection of slaughtered animals in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule;

(c) where appropriate, the examination of the fresh meat of swine and equines for trichinellosis in accordance with paragraph 12 of Part IX of the Eleventh Schedule;

(d) the health marking of fresh meat in accordance with the Thirteenth Schedule; and

(e) ensuring the observance of the requirements of all the other Schedules in these Regulations.

(3) A meat inspector shall act under the supervision and responsibility of an OVS who is appointed to supervise and control the premises.

10. Revocation and suspension of designation of OVSs

The Director may, at any time, revoke or suspend the designation of any person as an OVS or a meat inspector if it appears to the Director that the person in question is unfit to perform the functions of an OVS or a meat inspector under these Regulations.

11. Powers of veterinary officers, OVSs and meat inspectors

(1) Where it appears to a VO, an OVS, or, in the absence of a VO or an OVS, a meat inspector, that in respect of any premises—

(a) any of the requirements of these Regulations as to hygiene is being breached; or

(b) adequate health inspection in accordance with these Regulations is being compromised,

he or she may, by notice in writing given to the occupier of the premises—

(i) prohibit the use of any equipment or any part of the premises specified in the notice, or

(ii) require the rate of operation to be reduced to such an extent as is specified in the notice, and the occupier shall comply with the notice.

(2) A notice given under subregulation (1) shall be given as soon as practicable and shall state why it is given.

(3) If the notice given under subregulation (1) is given under paragraph

(a) of that subregulation, it shall specify the breach and the action needed to remedy it.

(4) The notice given under subregulation (1) shall be withdrawn by a further notice in writing given to the occupier of the premises as soon as a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied that such action has been taken.

(5) While the notice given under subregulation (1) is in effect, the licence in respect of the premises concerned shall be treated as being altered by the addition of the requirements specified in the notice and the other provisions of the licence shall be subject to those requirements.

(6) A VO, an OVS or a meat inspector may subject any animal or any carcass or meat in any premises to such examinations (including the taking and analysis of samples) as he or she may reasonably consider to be necessary for the protection of the animal or public health.

(7) The occupier shall, if requested to do so, detain the animal, carcass or meat until such time as he or she is informed, in writing, by the VO, OVS or meat inspector, as the case may be, that the result of the examination has been obtained.

12. Inspection and health marking

(1) The Director shall arrange for—

(a) ante-mortem health inspections, and, where practicable, at places registered under regulation 5(5), both ante-mortem and postmortem health inspections, to be carried out at every abattoir or every place where livestock is slaughtered in accordance with the Ninth Schedule and the Tenth Schedule, respectively; and

(b) postmortem health inspections to be carried out at every farmed game meat plant in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule.

(2) Where fresh meat intended for sale for human consumption—

(a) has been passed fit for human consumption following ante-mortem and postmortem health inspections; and

(b) complies with the requirements of these Regulations,

it shall be marked with a health mark in accordance with the requirements of the Thirteenth Schedule.

(3) No person shall remove, or cause or permit to be removed, from an abattoir or a farmed game meat plant, any blood or any carcass or part of a carcass or any offal intended for human consumption, or any offal from a slaughtered animal intended for sale for human consumption until it has been inspected in accordance with these Regulations.

(4) The health mark referred to in subregulation (2) shall be applied by a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector, and no other person shall apply the health mark or possess or use the equipment for applying the health mark.

(5) The equipment for applying the health mark and any labels on which the health mark is printed shall be kept under the responsibility of the VO, OVS or meat inspector.

(6) No person shall use any mark which resembles a health mark, or mark a product in such a way as to suggest that it has been produced in accordance with these Regulations.

13. Notice of operation of registered or licensed premises

(1) Subject to the provisions of these Regulations, no person shall operate any registered or licensed premises to produce fresh meat for sale for human consumption unless he or she has notified the Director, in accordance with subregulation (2), of the day on which and the time and place at which they are to be operated.

(2) The notification referred to in subregulation (1) shall be given to the Director—

(a) if the operation is to be the slaughter of farmed game, not less than 72 hours before the time of the slaughter;

(b) if the operation is to be any other description of slaughter, not less than 24 hours before the time of the slaughter; and

unless the Director has agreed with the person required to give the notice that he or she will accept a shorter notice, in which case the period of notice shall be the one agreed upon.

(3) Where it is the regular practice, in any registered or licensed premises, to operate at fixed times on fixed days and written notice of this practice has been given to and accepted by the Director, this notice shall, as respects any operation in accordance with such practice, be regarded as adequate compliance with subregulation (1).

PART IV
Conditions for the marketing of fresh meat (regs 14-15)

General

14. General conditions

(1) No person shall sell fresh meat for human consumption, except in conditions respect of animals slaughtered for local consumption as prescribed in regulation 5(5) unless—

(a) it has been obtained from licensed premises;

(b) it comes from an animal which has been subjected to an ante-mortem health inspection in accordance with these Regulations, which, following such inspection, has been passed as fit for slaughter for human consumption;

(d) it comes from the body of an animal which has been subjected to a postmortem health inspection in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule and which has shown no evidence of disease or other abnormal condition, except for traumatic lesions incurred shortly before slaughter or localised malformations or pathological changes, and it is established that these do not render unfit for human consumption those parts of the carcass or offal not affected by such lesions, malformations or changes;

(e) it has been given a health mark in accordance with the requirements of the Thirteenth Schedule;

(f) it is accompanied during transportation by a commercial document and by a health certificate in accordance with regulation 15;

(g) if it has been stored in a cold store, it has been stored in accordance with the Fifteenth Schedule;

(h) if it is wrapped or packaged, it has been wrapped or packaged under hygienic conditions in accordance with the requirements of the Fourteenth Schedule;

(i) if it is frozen, it has been frozen in accordance with the requirements of the Sixteenth Schedule; and

(j) if it has been transported between licensed premises, it has been transported under hygienic conditions in accordance with the requirements of the Seventeenth Schedule.

(2) No person shall sell or distribute for human consumption—

(a) without prejudice to the Thirteenth Schedule, fresh meat which has been treated with natural or artificial colouring matters;

(b) fresh meat which has been treated with ionising or ultraviolet radiation;

(d) fresh meat from animals treated with growth promoting hormones or thyrostatic substances;

(e) fresh meat from animals treated with antimicrobial substances or other therapeutic substances, the withdrawal period for which has not expired; or

(f) fresh meat from animals which may have been exposed to any toxic substances detrimental to animal or human health.

15. Transport documentation

(1) Subject to subregulation (2), the occupier of licensed premises shall ensure that fresh meat is accompanied during transportation from the premises—

(a) by a health certificate; and

(b) by an invoice or delivery note containing the following information:

(i) the name and address of the consignor and the consignee,

(ii) the identification or approval number of the premises from which the meat is to be transported,

(iii) the date of issue of the document and a number enabling it to be identified,

(iv) a description of the product,

(v) the total quantity despatched, and

(vi) the veterinary seal number on the vehicle.

(2) Subregulation (1) shall not apply where the fresh meat is being transported from licensed premises direct to the final consumer or to a retailer in Botswana.

(3) Any person, other than those referred to in subregulation (2), who receives fresh meat direct from any licensed premises shall keep the invoice or delivery note for a period of at least six months from the date of receipt.

PART V
Admission to, and detention in, abattoirs and farmed game meat plant of animals and carcasses (regs 16-24)

16. Alternative accommodation for certain animals

(1) A VO, an OVS or a meat inspector may require the accommodation or alternative methods of operation and facilities referred to in paragraph 1 (d) of Schedule 2 and Part II of the Fifth Schedule to be used for—

(a) the slaughtering and dressing of any animal which is brought into an abattoir and which is known to be, or suspected of being, diseased or injured; and

(b) the dressing of any slaughtered and bled game animal which is brought into a farmed game meat plant in accordance with regulation 18.

(2) If any requirement to use alternative accommodation in the circumstances referred to in subregulation (1), or to prohibit the entry of a dirty animal in the circumstances set out in subregulation (3), is in effect, the licence in respect of the premises shall be treated as being altered by the addition of that requirement, and the other provisions of the licence shall be subject to that requirement.

(3) A VO, an OVS or a meat inspector—

(a) may require the detention in a lairage, or prohibit the slaughter, of any animal which, in his or her opinion, is so dirty as to be likely to prevent hygienic dressing operations if it is taken into the slaughter hall at that abattoir; and

(b) may require the occupier of the abattoir to clean the animal before presenting it for an ante-mortem inspection.

(4) In the case of a slaughtered and bled animal which is brought into a farmed game meat plant in accordance with regulation 18 or paragraph 1(g) of the Seventh Schedule, a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector, may give notice that in his or her opinion any such animal is so dirty as being likely to prevent hygienic dressing operations if it is taken into the dressing room at that farmed game meat plant, and if such notice is given, the occupier of the premises shall not take the animal in.

17. Period of time for keeping an animal in a lairage and removal of an animal from an abattoir

(1) No person shall keep or permit to be kept in any lairage for a period exceeding 72 hours any animal intended for slaughter unless—

(a) the VO, an OVS or a meat inspector gives his or her consent to it being kept in a lairage for a period exceeding 72 hours, which consent shall only be given in exceptional circumstances; and

(b) it is isolated from animals in respect of which the consent under paragraph (a) has not been given.

(2) No person shall, unless directed by a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector, remove from an abattoir an animal intended for slaughter if it is intended that meat from it shall be sold for human consumption.

18. Conditions on the admission of diseased or injured animals

(1) No person shall send an animal which he or she knows or suspects to be diseased or injured to an abattoir unless he or she has given the occupier of the abattoir reasonable notice of his or her intention to send it.

(2) No person shall bring into, or permit to be brought into, an abattoir any animal which he or she knows or suspects to be diseased or injured unless—

(a) he or she has already ensured that it is accompanied by a written declaration signed by a veterinary surgeon containing the information specified in the Twenty-Second Schedule; and

(b) the declaration referred to in paragraph (a) is handed to a VO, and OVS or a meat inspector, as soon as practicable after the animal’s arrival at the abattoir.

(3) The occupier of the abattoir shall ensure that, on arrival at the abattoir, the animal—

(a) is slaughtered without delay following ante-mortem inspection, or

(b) is taken without delay under the direction of a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector, to that part of the lairage provided for the isolation of diseased or injured animals.

19. Conditions on the admission of dead or slaughtered animals

(1) No person shall bring into, or permit to be brought into or to remain in, an abattoir the body of an animal which has died.

(2) Subregulation (1) does not apply to the slaughtered and bled body of farmed game if it comes from a farmed game handling facility and the occupier of the facility has performed, in relation to the body, the duty imposed on him or her by Part I of the Seventh Schedule, and it is accompanied to a meat plant by a veterinary certificate specified in the Twenty-Third Schedule.

20. Animals slaughtered outside a public abattoir

(1) With the exception of the deviation in regulation 5(5), no bovine, caprine, ovine, swine, equine or farmed game intended for sale within a township or municipality shall be slaughtered in any place other than a licensed abattoir, except on account of accident, illness or other emergency of such an exceptional nature as to render that course necessary; and where, in any such emergency, any bovine, caprine, ovine, swine or equine is slaughtered in any such place, the person ordering or authorising the slaughter of that animal shall forthwith give notice to a VO or an OVS stating particulars of—

(a) the time and place at which the slaughter has taken place or is to take place;

(b) the animal slaughtered or to be slaughtered; and

(2) The VO or OVS shall inspect or cause a meat inspector to inspect within the period of four hours after the slaughter of any bovine, caprine, ovine, swine or equine the carcass, organs and viscera thereof and shall deal with them in every respect (including the keeping of records) as if it had been slaughtered in a licensed abattoir, and, for the purpose of such inspection the lungs, liver and heart shall not be severed from the carcass until four hours after the notice referred to in subregulation (1) has been delivered or received, or until four hours after the slaughter, whichever is the later, unless the carcass has, prior to the expiration of that period, been inspected and passed by a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector.

(3) Every carcass dealt with under this regulation shall be quartered before it is released as fit for human consumption.

(4) Any person who receives for purposes of sale for human consumption the carcass or viscera of any animal that, to his or her knowledge, has been slaughtered elsewhere other than at a registered place or in a licensed abattoir shall, unless he or she knows that such carcass or viscera has already been inspected in terms of these Regulations, immediately notify the VO, OVS or meat inspector, or the police who, on being so notified, shall immediately take steps to have the same inspected in accordance with these Regulations.

21. Authority to enter abattoir

No unauthorised person shall enter any abattoir without the permission of the local authority or owner of the abattoir.

22. Provision of protective clothing

(1) An employer shall provide every person working in his or her abattoir, free of charge, with suitable protective clothing and caps of washable material, in a light colour, and see that they are kept clean in a good condition, and he or she shall ensure that they are worn by persons while working or visiting in an abattoir.

(2) No person shall remove any protective clothing worn by employees or visitors in an abattoir from the premises after the usual working hours unless the removal is for the purpose of cleaning the protective clothing by approved methods.

(3) Protective clothing shall not be stored in rooms where meat is prepared or stored, but shall be stored in suitable cupboards.

23. Wearing of protective clothing

A maintenance worker, visitor, member of the abattoir management and any other persons entering an abattoir shall wear protective clothing including protective footwear, and shall avoid causing contamination of fresh meat.

24. Export

In respect of the export of meat or meat products, the requirements imposed by the importing country for production, storage and transport must be met.

PART VI
Administration, penalties and enforcement (regs 25-27)

25. Record of inspections

(1) The Director shall keep, in respect of individual licensed and registered premises, where appropriate, a record of the results of—

(a) ante-mortem health inspections;

(b) postmortem health inspections; and

(2) The Director shall retain the record of any inspection referred to in subregulation (1)(a) and (b) until the end of the period of two years from the date of the inspection to which it relates.

26. Duties of occupier

(1) The occupier of any licensed premises—

(a) shall keep a record adequate to show the number of animals received into, and the amounts of fresh meat despatched from, the premises during each week;

(b) shall take all practicable steps to secure compliance by any person employed by him or her or by any person invited on to the premises in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations;

(c) shall ensure that a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector is provided with adequate facilities so as to enable him or her to carry out his or her duties under these Regulations and that he or she is given such reasonable assistance and access to records as he or she may from time to time require for that purpose;

(d) shall take all necessary measures to ensure that, at all stages of production, the requirements of these Regulations are complied with and carry out checks (including any microbiological checks the Director may require) on the general hygiene of conditions of production in his or her establishment to ensure that equipment and, if necessary, fresh meat, complies with the requirements of these Regulations;

(e) shall keep a record of the results of the checks referred to in paragraph (d) and make it available to a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector, upon request;

(f) shall keep, in permanent form, a record of the results of water testing on the premises and make it available to a VO or an OVS for inspection upon request;

(g) shall ensure that any labels on which the health mark is printed are used under strict veterinary control;

(h) shall ensure that a VO, an OVS or a meat inspector is notified immediately when any information at the occupier’s disposal reveals a serious health risk; and

(i) shall, in the event of a serious health risk, ensure that fresh meat is withdrawn if it has been obtained under or stored in conditions similar to those which produced the risk and is itself likely to present the same risk.

(2) The occupier shall retain records required to be kept under subregulation (1)(e) and (f) until the end of the period of one year from the date of making such record.

(3) The occupier of licensed premises shall arrange or establish, in consultation with a VO, OVS or meat inspector, a staff training programme to train staff to comply with hygiene requirements appropriate to the operations that they perform on those premises.

(4) The occupier of any approved and registered premises shall carry out such duties as are required by the Director.

27. Penalties

(1) A person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and liable—

(a) for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding P1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, and where the offence is a continuing offence, to an additional fine of P500 for each day on which the offence continues; and

(b) for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine of P2,000 or imprisonment for a term of six months and, where the offence is a continuing offence, to an additional fine of P500 for each day on which the offence continues.

(2) On the conviction of any person for any offence under these Regulations, the court may, in addition to any other penalty which it may lawfully impose, cancel or suspend any licence issued to such person which is relevant to the offence committed.

FIRST SCHEDULE
General requirements for construction, layout and equipment of high throughput abattoirs, cutting premises and cold stores

(reg. 5(4)(a)(i), (ii) and (iii))

1. All abattoirs, cutting premises and cold stores shall have—

(a) a clearly defined boundary;

(b) at places readily accessible to the work station and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say—

(i) an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operable by hand) of potable hot and cold running water, or premixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat, and

(ii) an hygienic means of drying hands;

(c) in rooms where work on fresh meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to, or readily accessible to, the work stations, for the sterilisation of knives and other hand tools, such facilities to be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than 82ºC;

(d) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance at any time, of and sanitary inspections required by these Regulations;

(e) equipment and fittings—

(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (which shall not be wood, except in rooms where only packaged fresh meat is stored) not liable to taint fresh meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected,

(ii) if to be used for handling, storing or transporting fresh meat, so constructed that fresh meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into direct contact with the floor and,

(iii) with such surfaces as are likely to come into contact with unpackaged fresh meat kept smooth and clean;

(f) facilities for the hygienic handling and protection of fresh meat during loading and unloading;

(g) suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and fresh meat not intended for human consumption;

(h) suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of fresh meat to be maintained at not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen fresh meat, such equipment having a ducted drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of fresh meat;

(i) water, that is to say—

(i) a sufficient, clean and potable supply of hot and cold water, or water premixed to a suitable temperature, available at an adequate pressure,

(ii) a separate water system that may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers,

(aa) and so that pipes carrying such water shall be arranged so as not to allow any such water to be used for any other purpose, and

(bb) and all such pipes shall be clearly distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and shall present no risk of contamination to fresh meat, and

(iii) if water is stored, fully covered tanks to contain it, which tanks shall be of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(j) satisfactory ducted drainage fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order; except that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;

(k) an arrangement of rooms so that—

(i) they are suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped for persons working in the premises to change their clothes and wash their hands, and sanitary conveniences, separate from any part of the premises which at any time contain fresh meat,

(ii) there are washbasins with soap available with an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operated by hand or arm) of potable hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed water at a suitable temperature,

(iii) clean protective clothing is stored separately from other clothing,

(iv) the surfaces of the walls and floors of such rooms are smooth, washable and impermeable, and

(v) any room in which a sanitary convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which any fresh meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored or any room referred to in paragraph 1(h) of the Second Schedule or paragraph 1(c) of the Third Schedule;

(l) sufficient and adequately equipped showers which are for the use of persons working in the premises and are situated near the rooms where such persons may change their clothes:

Provided that such facilities shall not be required in any cold store in which only packaged fresh meat is handled and stored;

(m) satisfactory and hygienic facilities for the disposal of solid and liquid waste;

(n) suitable facilities for the storage of detergents, disinfectants and similar substances; and

(o) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds.

2. Every room in any abattoir, cutting premises or cold store in which fresh meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored and any area in such premises through which fresh meat is transported shall have—

(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof and non-slip material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected and, subject to paragraph 3 of this Schedule, shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of waste water by directing the water towards the drains;

(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material (which shall be of a light colour) to the following heights—

(i) in any of the rooms referred to in subparagraphs 1(c), (d), (g), (h), (k)(l) and (o) of the Second Schedule, up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room whichever is the lower,

(ii) in any rooms used for the cooling or storage of packaged fresh meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height, and

(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged fresh meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;

Provided that in rooms of any cold stores in which only frozen meat is stored, it shall not be compulsory for such angles to be rounded;

(d) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(e) a ceiling, or where there is no ceiling the interior surface of the roof which is so constructed and finished as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and which shall be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleaned;

(f) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless,

(g) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction; (all ventilation systems to be kept at all times in good working order); and

(h) adequate artificial lighting throughout the slaughter hall and workrooms, which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be of an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux; except that at places where inspection of fresh meat is normally carried out the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.

3. In rooms used for the storage of chilled or frozen fresh meat the directing of water towards drains in accordance with paragraph 2(a) of this Schedule is not required.

4. In rooms used for chilling or refrigerating fresh meat a device with which water may easily be removed is sufficient.

5. In rooms used for freezing fresh meat, waterproof and rot proof flooring is sufficient.

SECOND SCHEDULE
Construction, layout and equipment of abattoirs (except medium and low throughput abattoirs) – additional requirements

(reg. 5(4)(a)(i))

1. In addition to the general requirements contained in the First Schedule, each abattoir shall have—

(a) a means of controlling access to, and exit from, the premises;

(b) a suitable and sufficient lairage with solid partition walls for pigs which—

(i) shall be adequately lit so as to enable the inspection of animals;

(ii) shall be so constructed that its walls and floors are of impermeable, durable and, in the case of floors, non-slip material;

(iii) shall be so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and

(iv) shall include facilities for watering the animals and a lockable pen or pens with separate drainage in which animals which are diseased or injured, or suspected of being diseased or injured, may be isolated from other animals;

(c) a suitable, sufficient and suitably equipped slaughter hall for the slaughter of animals and dressing of slaughtered animals;

(d) a suitable, sufficient and separate slaughter hall for the slaughter and dressing of any animal which is diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured, where such animals are received at the abattoir, which shall be capable of being securely locked:

Provided that such a room shall not be required if—

(i) the animal is slaughtered after completion of the slaughter of animals which are not diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured and steps are taken to prevent contamination of fresh meat,

(ii) the premises are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected under supervision of a meat inspector, VO or OVS before being used again for the slaughtering of animals which are not diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured, and

(iii) suitable and sufficient facilities are provided for the introduction of the body of an animal which is diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured into the slaughterhall in a manner which will not prejudice the hygienic operation of the abattoir;

(e) a suitable system of overhead rails for the hygienic dressing and further handling of carcasses:

Provided that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcasses where such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(f) a clear separation between the soiled and clean working areas of the building so as to protect the clean areas from contamination;

(g) suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of fresh meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector which facilities shall be refrigerated so as to enable the requirements of paragraph 1(q) of the Tenth Schedule to be complied with and to be provided with a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of fresh meat;

(h) a separate room or rooms capable of being securely locked for the retention of fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, unless—

(i) such meat is removed or destroyed as often as may be necessary and, in any case, at least once daily and the quantity of such meat is not sufficient to require the provision of a separate room or rooms,

(ii) suitable, sufficient and lockable receptacles with closely fitting covers are provided which are capable of being securely locked and which shall be used only for holding fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and are clearly marked to that effect, and

(iii) any receptacles or chutes used to transport such meat are so constructed, installed and maintained as to avoid risk of contamination of fresh meat intended for human consumption;

(i) a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of fresh meat, which room or rooms shall be equipped with corrosion-resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming into contact with the floors and walls; and if used to store fresh meat already cooled, shall also have a recording thermometer or recording telethermometer;

(j) subject to paragraph 3 of this Schedule a suitable and sufficient room and facilities for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines:

Provided that such a room and facilities shall not be required if—

(i) stomachs and intestines are removed unopened from the slaughterhall immediately after the postmortem inspection and taken to the room or facilities referred to in subparagraph (h) or,

(ii) the closed circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph 3 is provided;

(k) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the abattoir:

Provided that where a room is provided in accordance with subparagraph (j) for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the dressing of guts and tripe if such dressing can be carried out in a manner avoiding cross-contamination;

(l) a separate, suitable and sufficient room for the preparation and cleaning of red offal which includes a separate area for handling heads at a sufficient distance from other offal, if these operations are carried out in the abattoir other than on the slaughter line;

(m) a suitable and sufficient room or place for the wrapping and packaging of offal if this is done in the abattoir:

Provided that preparation, cleaning, wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room if the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of Fourteenth Schedule are observed;

(n) a suitable room for the storage under hygienic conditions of wrapping and packaging material where offal is wrapped or packaged in the abattoir;

(o) a suitable and sufficient room for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(p) a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material unless these are to be collected and taken away daily:

Provided that where a room is provided in accordance with subparagraph (o) for the storage of hides and skins, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material;

(q) a room, suitably equipped for carrying out an examination for trichinellosis where such examination is carried out in the abattoir;

(r) a room for the VO, OVS and meat inspectors;

(s) a manure bay, except that, where sheep are slaughtered, a manure pit may be used if manure is stored within the boundary of the abattoir and the receptacles referred to in subparagraph 1(g) of the First Schedule are insufficient for holding such material; and such a bay or pit shall have impervious walls and floors and shall be drained into suitable outlets;

(t) a suitable and separate place (which may be situated outside the boundary of the abattoir) but adjacent to the abattoir and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of animals; and

(u) a suitable and separate place, with adequate equipment within the cartilage of the abattoir, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat.

2. In the case of an abattoir where swine and other animals are slaughtered, and a separate room for the slaughter and dressing of swine does not exist—

(a) the abattoir shall, where this takes place, contain suitable and sufficient accommodation for the scalding, depilation, scraping and singeing of swine;

(b) such operations shall be performed at a different time from the slaughter and dressing of other animals or in a place which is separated from the slaughterline for other species either by an open space of at least 5 metres or by a partition at least 3 metres high; and

(c) similar separation shall be required between the sections of any slaughterline for swine in the event of any bends in that line bringing subsequent operations into the vicinity of the section used for scalding, depilation, scraping and singeing.

3. The room and facilities referred to in paragraph 1(j) of the Schedule shall not be required in any abattoir in which the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines is carried out in the abattoir by means of closed circuit mechanical equipment which has a suitable system of ventilation and which satisfies the following requirements, that is to say—

(a) the equipment is installed and arranged in such a manner that operations for separating intestines from the stomach and for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs can be carried out hygienically and the equipment is located in a special place which is clearly separated from any exposed fresh meat by a partition stretching from the floor to a height of at least three metres and surrounding the area where these operations are carried out;

(b) the design and operation of the equipment effectively prevents any contamination of fresh meat;

(d) the equipment contains a device for ensuring the closed-circuit evacuation of the residual water and the content of stomachs to the abattoir drainage system;

(e) the routes followed by stomachs to and from the equipment are clearly separated and at a suitable distance from the routes followed by other fresh meat;

(f) stomachs are removed from such equipment in a hygienic manner immediately they have been emptied and cleaned; and

(g) staff handling stomachs do not handle, or have access to, any other fresh meat.

THIRD SCHEDULE
Construction, layout and equipment of cutting premises (except low throughput cutting premises)- additional requirements

(reg. 5(4)(a)(ii))

1. In addition to the general requirements contained in the First Schedule, all cutting premises shall have—

(a) suitable and sufficient refrigerated rooms, provided with recording thermometers or recording telethermometer(s) for each room used for—

(i) the storage of fresh meat, and

(ii) the separate storage of packaged fresh meat;

(b) a room for cutting up fresh meat and for wrapping fresh meat in accordance with the requirements of Part I of the Fourteenth Schedule, such room to have recording thermometers or recording telethermometers;

(c) a separate room or rooms, capable of being securely locked, for the retention of fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, unless

(i) such meat is removed as often as may be necessary, and in any case, at least once daily, and

(ii) the quantity of such meat is not sufficient to require the provision of a separate room or rooms, in which circumstances suitable, sufficient and lockable receptacles with closely fitting covers shall be provided, which shall be used only for holding fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and clearly marked to that effect; and any chutes used to transport such meat shall be so constructed and installed as to avoid any risk of contamination of fresh meat which has been declared fit;

(d) hanging facilities for deboning carcasses;

(e) a suitable and separate room for the packaging of cut fresh meat, except that cutting, boning, wrapping and packaging of fresh meat may take place in the same room if the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of the Fourteenth Schedule are observed;

(f) a suitable room for the storage, under hygienic conditions, of wrapping and packaging material where such operations are carried out in the cutting plant;

(g) a room for VO and OVS; and

(h) a suitable adjacent place and adequate equipment, for the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat.

FOURTH SCHEDULE
Construction, layout and equipment of cold stores additional requirements

(reg. 5(4)(a)(iii))

1. In addition to the general requirements contained in the First Schedule, every cold store shall have—

(a) a suitable system of overhead rails for the handling of carcasses and wholesale cuts, except in any cold store in which only packaged fresh meat is handled and stored;

(b) sufficiently large chilling and refrigeration rooms, which are easy to clean, with adequate means and procedures to enable the internal temperature of fresh meat to be maintained at not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen fresh meat; and separate room must be provided for the chilling and storage of any green offal.

(d) facilities for the VO, OVS and meat inspectors; and

(e) except in any cold store in which only packaged fresh meat is handled and stored, a suitable adjacent place, and adequate equipment, for the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles used for the transportation of fresh meat.

FIFTH SCHEDULE
Construction, layout and equipment of medium throughput abattoirs and low throughput cutting premises

(regs. 5(4)(a)(i) and (ii), 16(1))

PART I
General requirements

1. All medium throughput abattoirs, and low throughput cutting premises shall have—

(a) a clearly defined boundary;

(b) at places readily accessible to the work stations and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say—

(i) an adequate supply of potable hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat, and

(ii) an hygienic means of drying hands;

(c) in rooms where work on fresh meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to or readily accessible to the work stations, for the disinfection of knives and other hand tools, such facilities to be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than 82ºC;

(d) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(e) equipment and fittings—

(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected, or

(ii) if to be used for handling, storing or transporting fresh meat, to be so constructed that fresh meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into direct contact with the floor;

(f) suitable, sufficient and separate receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and fresh meat not intended for human consumption;

(g) special rooms or receptacles, one to be known as the “detention room” in which all carcasses or portions thereof marked “Detained” shall be placed until finally inspected or dealt with, and the other room or container shall be known as the “condemned room” or container, in which shall be placed all carcasses or portions thereof marked “Condemned”. Both rooms or containers shall be well lit and constructed or situated in such a way that they may be easily cleaned and disinfected, and the door of both rooms shall be fitted in such a way that they may be locked. The official veterinarian or meat inspector shall retain charge of such locks and keys. If, after final inspection in the detention room of any carcass or portion thereof marked “Detained” it is found fit for human consumption, the “Detained” tag shall be removed and the carcass or portion stamped as required. Any carcass or portion thereof marked “Detained” and which, on final inspection is found to be unfit for food for human consumption, shall be marked with the “Condemned” tag and removed at once to the condemned room or container or shall be placed in the condemned tank or digester or smelter or be otherwise destroyed;

(h) subject to paragraph 2 of this Part, suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of fresh meat to be maintained at not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen fresh meat. Such equipment shall have a ducted drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of fresh meat;

(i) subject to paragraph 2 of this Part, a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of fresh meat, equipped with corrosion-resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming into contact with the floors and walls;

(j) water, that is to say—

(i) a sufficient, clean and potable supply of hot and cold water available at an adequate pressure, or

(ii) if water is stored, covered tanks to contain it, of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(k) satisfactory ducted drainage, fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order:

Provided that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;

(l) a sanitary convenience, and the room in which the convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which fresh meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored;

(m) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance, at any time, of inspections required by these Regulations;

(n) access to suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped facilities where persons working in the premises may change their clothes, not being any part of the premises which at any time contain fresh meat; and

(o) facilities for the VOS, OVS and meat inspector;

2. The equipment and rooms referred to in paragraphs 1(h) and (i) of this Part are not required where fresh meat is removed from any medium throughput abattoir within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers shops and can be taken there within one hour.

3. Every room in which any fresh meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored shall have—

(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof, non-slip and durable material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, the floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of water;

(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material, which shall be of a light colour—

(i) in any of the rooms referred to in paragraph 1(g) of this Part, and in paragraphs 1(b), (e), (f), (g) and (i) of Part II of this Schedule, up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room, whichever is the lower,

(ii) in rooms used for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height,

(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged fresh meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;

(c) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(d) a ceiling, or where there is no ceiling, the interior surface of the roof, which is constructed and finished in such a way as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and which shall be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleaned;

(e) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless;

(f) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction. All ventilation systems shall be kept at all times in good working order; and

(g) adequate artificial lighting throughout the slaughterhall and workrooms, which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be of an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux:

Provided that at places where inspection of fresh meat is normally carried out, the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.

PART II
Additional requirements

1. In addition to the general requirements contained in Part I of this Schedule, each medium throughput abattoir shall have—

(a) a suitable and sufficient lairage which—

(i) shall be adequately lit so as to enable the inspection of animals; and shall be so constructed that its walls and floors are of impermeable, durable and, in the case of floors, non-slip material and shall be so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected; and

(ii) shall include a lockable pen or pens, or other suitable means and facilities, to enable animals which are diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured to be isolated from other animals;

(b) a suitable, sufficient and suitably equipped slaughterhall for the slaughter of animals and dressing of slaughtered animals;

Provided that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcasses if such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(d) a clearly separated area in the slaughterhall intended for the stunning and bleeding of animals;

(e) a suitable and sufficient room and facilities for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines where—

(i) stomachs and intestines are removed unopened from the slaughterhall immediately after the post-mortem inspection and taken to that room or put in the receptacles referred to in paragraph 1(g) of Part I:

Provided that where there is a significant delay between slaughter and postmortem inspection, stomachs and intestines shall be placed in suitable and sufficient facilities, and protected from the risk of contamination, whilst awaiting postmortem inspection); or

(ii) the closed circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph 3 of the Second Schedule is provided;

(f) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the abattoir:

Provided that where a room is provided in accordance with subparagraph (e) for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the dressing of guts and tripe if such dressing can be carried out in a manner avoiding cross-contamination;

(g) a suitable and sufficient room or place for the preparation and cleaning of red offal if this is done in the abattoir during slaughtering operations;

(h) suitable facilities for the storage under hygienic conditions of wrapping and packaging material where offal is wrapped or packaged in the abattoir;

(i) a suitable and sufficient leakproof facility for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(j) a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material unless these are to be collected and taken away daily:

Provided that where facilities are provided in accordance with subparagraph (i) of this Part for the storage of hides and skins, those facilities shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material;

(k) a manure bay:

Provided that, where sheep are slaughtered, a manure pit may be used if manure is stored within the boundary of the premises and the receptacles referred to in paragraph 1(f) of Part I of this Schedule are insufficient for holding such material.

Such a bay or pit shall have impervious walls and floors and be drained into suitable outlets; and

(l) a means of introduction of the body of an animal which is diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured into the slaughter-hall in a manner which will not prejudice the hygienic operation of the abattoir:

Provided that such a means of introduction shall not be required if—

(ii) the premises are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected under the supervision of a VO, OVS or meat inspector, before being used again for the slaughtering of animals which are not diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured.

SIXTH SCHEDULE
Low throughput abattoirs

(reg. 5(4)(a)(i))

PART I
General requirements

1. All low throughput abattoirs shall have—

(a) a clearly defined boundary;

(b) at places readily accessible to the work stations and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say—

(i) an adequate supply of hot and cold water and sufficient soap and disinfectant, and

(ii) an hygienic means of drying hands;

(c) in rooms where work on fresh meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to, or readily accessible to the work stations, for the disinfection of knives and other hand tools, and such facilities shall be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than 82ºC and provided with a steriliser;

(d) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(e) equipment and fittings—

(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected,

(ii) which, if to be used for handling, storing or transporting fresh meat, shall be constructed in such a way that fresh meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into direct contact with the floor;

(f) suitable, sufficient and separate receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and fresh meat not intended for human consumption;

(g) subject to paragraph 2 of this Part, a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of fresh meat, equipped with corrosion-resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming into contact with the floors and walls;

(h) water, that is to say—

(i) a sufficient, clean and potable supply of hot and cold water,

(ii) if water is stored, covered tanks, to contain it, of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(i) septic tanks in which used water shall be adequately disposed of;

(j) a sanitary convenience, and the room in which the convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which fresh meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored;

(k) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance, at any time, of inspections required by these Regulations;

(l) access to suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped facilities where persons working in the premises may change their clothes, not being any part of the premises which, at any time, contain fresh meat;

(m) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance, at any time, of inspections required by these Regulations;

(n) access to suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped facilities where persons working in the premises may change their clothes, not being any part of the premises which, at any time, contain fresh meat; and

(o) facilities for the VO, OVS and meat inspector.

2. The equipment and rooms referred to in paragraph 1(g) of this Part are not required where fresh meat is removed from any low throughput abattoir within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers’ shops and can be taken there within one hour.

3. Every room in which any fresh meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored shall have—

(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof, non-slip and durable material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Such floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of water;

(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material (which shall be of a light colour)—

(i) in any of the rooms referred to in subparagraph 1(g), and in subparagraphs 1(c), (e), and (f) of Part II of this Schedule, up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room, whichever is the lower,

(ii) in rooms used for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height, and

(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged fresh meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;

(c) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(d) a ceiling, or where there is no ceiling the interior surface of the roof, which is constructed and finished in such a way as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and which shall be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleaned;

(e) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless;

(g) adequate lighting to enable inspection to be carried out.

PART II
Additional requirements

1. In addition to the general requirements contained in Part I of this Schedule, a low throughput abattoir shall have—

(a) a suitable lairage whose—

(i) floors need not be paved or have concrete walls, but be sufficient for confining animals,

(ii) a separate pen for isolation of diseased, injured or animals suspected of being diseased or injured;

(b) overhead rails or cradles to permit hygienic dressing of carcasses;

(d) a guts cleaning space, table or similar facility;

(e) a suitable and sufficient area or space for hanging red offals;

(f) a suitable and sufficient leakproof facility for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(g) a suitable facility for safe disposal of hoofs, horn fat, etc;

(h) a manure bay or pit provided;

(i) a means of introduction of the body of an animal which is injured or animal suspected to be diseased, into the slaughterhall, in a manner which shall not prejudice the hygienic operation of the abattoir, provided that—

(i) contamination of the carcass is avoided, and

(ii) cleaning of the place is supervised.

2. Meat infested with cysticercus bovis shall be dealt with as in medium and high throughput abattoirs.

SEVENTH SCHEDULE
Operation and construction of farmed game handling facilities and farmed game meat plant

(regs. 5(4)(a)(iii), (iv), (v), 16(4), 19(2))

PART I
General requirements applicable to farmed game handling facilities

1. The occupier of every farmed game handling facility shall ensure that—

(a) farmed game intended for slaughter there undergoes adequate inspection by a VO, OVS or meat inspector;

(b) the Director is informed at least 72 hours in advance of the date and time on which farmed game is to be slaughtered in such premises;

(c) the premises have a suitable place for gathering farmed game where ante-mortem health inspections can be carried out;

(d) the premises have suitable and sufficient accommodation, facilities and equipment for the slaughter of farmed game and for the bleeding and handling of the bodies of such animals;

(e) farmed game animals are subjected to ante-mortem health inspection in accordance with the Ninth Schedule not more than 72 hours prior to slaughter;

(f) after shooting or stunning, the bodies of farmed game animals are bled in an approved manner;

(g) the bodies of slaughtered farmed game are hung as quickly as possible after bleeding and are transported as soon as practicable under satisfactory hygienic conditions to a farmed game meat plant for the purpose of dressing and postmortem inspection; and are accompanied during transport to the facility by the certificate referred to in the Twenty-Third Schedule; and if the bodies of slaughtered farmed game cannot be transported so as to reach the farmed game meat plant within one hour of slaughter, they are transported there in an approved container or vehicle in which the ambient temperature is maintained at between 0ºC and 4ºC;

(h) the equipment used for the slaughter and bleeding of farmed game is of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material not liable to taint the meat;

(i) the equipment referred to in subparagraph (h) of this Part is cleaned and disinfected in accordance with paragraph 3(d) of Part I of the Eighth Schedule; and

(j) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with farmed game are kept in a good state of repair and all fixtures, fittings and equipment are kept clean.

PART II
General requirements applicable to high throughput farmed game meat plant

1. The farmed game meat plant shall have—

(a) a clearly defined boundary with means of controlling access to and from the premises;

(b) a suitable and sufficient lairage, if live farmed game are received which shall—

(i) be adequately lit so as to enable the inspection of animals,

(ii) be so constructed that its walls and floors are of impermeable, durable and, in the case of floors, non-slip material,

(iii) be so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and

(iv) include a lockable pen or pens, or other suitable means and facilities, to enable animals which are diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured to be isolated from other animals;

(i) an adequate supply (provided otherwise than by taps operable by hand or arm) of potable hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat, and

(ii) any hygienic means of drying hands;

(d) in rooms where work on farmed game meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to, or readily accessible to the work stations, for the sterilisation of knives and other hand tools, and such facilities shall be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than 82ºC;

(e) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance, at any time, of inspections required by these Regulations;

(f) equipment and fittings—

(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected,

(ii) if to be used for handling, storing or transporting farmed game meat, to be so constructed that farmed game meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into direct contact with the floor and the surfaces of any equipment and fittings which are likely to come into contact with unpack-aged farmed game meat are kept smooth;

(g) facilities for the hygienic handling and protection of farmed game meat during loading and unloading;

(h) suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and farmed game meat not intended for human consumption;

(i) suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of farmed game meat to be maintained at not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen farmed game meat, and such equipment shall have a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat;

(j) a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of farmed game meat, equipped with corrosion resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming in to contact with the floors and walls; and where a refrigerated room is used to store farmed game meat already cooled, it shall also have a recording thermometer or recording telethermometer;

(k) water, that is to say—

(i) a sufficient, clean and wholesome supply of potable hot and cold water, or water premixed to a suitable temperature available at an adequate pressure,

(ii) the separation of any other water so that it may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, and so that pipes carrying such water are arranged in such a way as not to allow any such water to be used for any other purpose; and that all such pipes are clearly distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and present no risk of contamination to farmed game meat, and

(iii) if water is stored, fully covered tanks to contain it which tanks shall be of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(l) satisfactory drainage, fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order:

Provided that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of farmed game meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;

(m) an arrangement of rooms so that—

(i) there are suitable, sufficient and adequately equipped rooms for persons working in the premises to change their clothes, and sanitary conveniences, separate from any part of the premises which, at any time, contain farmed game meat,

(ii) clean protective clothing is stored separately from other clothing,

(iii) surfaces of the walls and floors of such rooms are smooth, washable and impermeable, and

(iv) any room in which a sanitary convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which any farmed game meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored or in any such room as is referred to in subparagraph

(t) of this paragraph.

(n) sufficient and adequately equipped showers which are for the use of persons working in the premises and are situated near the rooms where such persons may change their clothes;

(o) suitable facilities for the storage of detergents, disinfectants and similar substances;

(p) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(q) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of carcasses of farmed game;

(r) a suitable system of overhead rails for the hygienic dressing and further handling of carcasses:

Provided that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcasses where such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(s) suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of farmed game meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector; and such facilities shall be refrigerated in such a way as to enable the requirements of paragraph 1(q) of the Tenth Schedule to be complied with and to be provided with a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat;

(t) a separate room capable of being securely locked for the retention of farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, unless—

(i) such meat is removed or destroyed as often as may be necessary, and, in any case, at least once daily, and the quantity of such meat is not sufficient to require the provision of a separate room or rooms,

(ii) suitable, sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers shall be provided which are capable of being securely locked and which shall be used only for holding farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and are clearly marked to that effect,

(iii) any chutes or receptacles used to transport such meat are so constructed and installed and maintained as to avoid risk of contamination of farmed game meat intended for human consumption;

(u) a suitable and sufficient room and facilities for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines:

Provided that such a room and facilities shall not be required if—

(i) stomachs and intestines are removed unopened from the dressing room immediately after the postmortem inspection and taken to the room or receptacles referred to in subparagraph (t) of this paragraph; or

(ii) the closed-circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph three of the Second Schedule;

(v) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the premises:

Provided that where a room is provided in accordance with subparagraph (u) of this paragraph for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the dressing of guts and tripe if such dressing can be carried out in a manner avoiding cross-contamination;

(w) a suitable and sufficient room for the preparation and cleaning of offal (other than the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines and the dressing of guts and tripe) and which includes a separate area for handling heads at a sufficient distance from other offal, if these operations are carried out in the premises other than on the dressing line;

(x) a suitable and sufficient room or place for the packaging of offal if this is done in the premises:

Provided that preparation, cleaning, wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room if the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of Fourteenth Schedule are complied with;

(y) a suitable room for the storage, under hygienic conditions, of wrapping and packaging material, where offal is wrapped or packaged in the premises;

(z) a suitable and sufficient room for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(aa) a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material unless these are to be collected and taken away daily; except that where a room is provided in accordance with subparagraph (z) of this paragraph for the storage of hides and skins, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material;

(bb) a room for the VO, OVS and meat inspectors;

(cc) if the bodies of slaughtered farmed game are received from other premises, a suitable and separate adjacent place and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for transporting the bodies of slaughtered farmed game;

(dd) a suitable and separate adjacent place and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of farmed game meat;

(ee) satisfactory and hygienic facilities for the disposal of solid and liquid waste;

(ff) a clear separation between the soiled and clean working areas of the building so as to protect the clean areas from contamination; and

(gg) a room suitably equipped for carrying out an examination for trichinellosis, where such examination is carried out in the premises.

2. Every room in which farmed game meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored area through which farmed game meat is transported shall have—

(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof, non-slip and durable material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected; (such floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of waste water);

(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material (which shall be of a light colour) to the following heights—

(i) in any of the rooms referred to in paragraph 1(q), (s), (t), (u), (v) and (w), up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room whichever is the lower;

(ii) in any rooms used for the cooling or storage of farmed game meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height,

(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged farmed game meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;

Provided that in rooms of any premises in which only frozen farmed game meat is stored, such angles may not be rounded;

(d) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(e) a ceiling, or, where there is no ceiling the interior surfaces of the roof, which is so constructed and finished as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleaned;

(f) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless;

(g) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction; (all ventilation systems shall, at all times, be kept in good working order); and

(h) adequate artificial lighting throughout the workrooms, which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be of an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux:

Provided that at places where inspection of farmed game meat is normally carried out the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.

3. The occupier of every farmed game processing facility shall ensure that the requirements of the Seventh Schedule are observed.

PART III
General requirements applicable to medium throughput farmed game meat plants

1. All medium throughput farmed game meat plants shall have—

(a) a clearly defined boundary;

(b) a suitable and sufficient lairage if live farmed game are received, which—

(i) shall be adequately lit so as to enable the inspection of animals; and shall be so constructed that its walls and floors are of impermeable, durable and, in the case of floors, non-slip material and shall be constructed in such a way and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and

(i) an adequate supply of potable hot and cold running waters or pre-mixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat, and

(ii) any hygienic means of drying hands;

(d) in rooms where work on farmed game meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to or readily accessible to the work stations, for the sterilisation of knives and other hand tools, and such facilities shall be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less than 82ºC;

(e) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance, at any time, of inspections required by these Regulations;

(f) equipment and fittings—

(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected;

(g) suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and farmed game meat not intended for human consumption;

(h) subject to paragraph 2 of this Part, suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of farmed game meat to be maintained at not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen farmed game meat; and such equipment shall have a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat;

(i) a suitable system of overhead rails for the hygienic dressing and further handling of carcasses, except that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcasses where such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(j) suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of farmed game meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector; such facilities shall be refrigerated so as to enable the requirements of paragraph 1(q) of the Ninth Schedule to be complied with and to be provided with a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat, except that refrigeration facilities shall not be required where farmed game meat is removed from any medium throughput farmed game processing facility within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers’ shops and such transportation can be completed within one hour;

(k) subject to paragraph 2 of this Part, a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of farmed game meat, equipped with corrosion resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming into contact with the floor and walls;

(l) water, that is to say—

(i) a sufficient, clean and potable supply of hot and cold water, or water premixed to a suitable temperature, available at an adequate pressure,

(ii) the separation of any other water so that it may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, and so that pipes carrying such water shall be arranged so as not to allow any such water to be used for any other purpose; and that all such pipes shall clearly be distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and shall present no risk of contamination to farmed game meat; and

(iii) if water is stored, in fully covered tanks to contain it, which tanks shall be of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(m) satisfactory drainage, fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order:

Provided that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;

(n) a sanitary convenience, and the room in which the convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which farmed game meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored or in any such room as is referred to in subparagraph (s) of this paragraph;

(o) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(p) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of carcasses of farmed game;

(q) a suitable system of overhead rails for the hygienic dressing and further handling of carcasses:

Provided that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcasses where such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(r) suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of farmed game meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector, and such facilities shall be refrigerated so as to enable the requirements of paragraph 1(q) of the Tenth Schedule to be complied with and to be provided with a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat, except that refrigeration facilities shall not be required where farmed game meat is removed from any medium throughput farmed game processing facility within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers’ shops and such transportation can be completed within one hour;

(s) a suitable and sufficient room or rooms capable of being securely locked for the retention of farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, unless—

(ii) suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers shall be provided which are capable of being securely locked and which shall be used only for holding farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and are clearly marked to that effect,

(iii) any chutes or receptacles used to transport such meat are constructed, installed and maintained in such a way as to avoid risk of contamination of farmed game meat intended for human consumption;

(t) a suitable and sufficient room and facilities for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines:

Provided that such a room and facilities shall not be required if—

(ii) the closed-circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 is provided;

(u) a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the premises:

Provided that where a room is provided in accordance with subparagraph (t) of this paragraph for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, that room shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the dressing of guts and tripe if such dressing can be carried out in a manner that avoids cross-contamination;

(v) a suitable and sufficient room or place for the wrapping and packaging of offal if this is done in the premises during dressing operations:

Provided that preparation, cleaning, wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room provided the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of the Fourteenth Schedule are observed;

(w) a suitable and sufficient room or place for the preparation and cleaning of offal if this is done in the premises during dressing operations;

(x) suitable facilities for the storage under hygienic conditions of wrapping and packaging material where offal is wrapped or packaged in the premises:

Provided that preparation, cleaning, wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room if the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of the Fourteenth Schedule are observed;

(y) a suitable and sufficient leakproof facility for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(z) a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material unless these are to be collected and taken away daily:

Provided that where a facility is provided in accordance with subparagraph for the storage of hides and skins, that facility shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of horns, hooves, fat and other waste material; and

(aa) a room for the VO, OVS and meat inspector.

2. The equipment and rooms referred to in paragraph 1(g) and (h) of this Part shall not be required where fresh meat is removed from any medium throughput farmed game meat plant within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers’ shops and such transportation can be completed within one hour.

3. Every room in which farmed game meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored and any area through which farmed game meat is transported shall have—

(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof, non-slip and durable material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and such floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of water;

(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material which shall be of a light colour to the following heights—

(i) in any of the rooms referred to in paragraph 1(p), (q), (r), (s), (t), (u), (v)and (w) of this part, up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room, whichever, is lower,

(ii) in any rooms used for the cooling or storage of farmed game meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height, and

(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged farmed game meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;

(c) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(d) a ceiling, or where there is no ceiling, the interior surface of the roof, which is so constructed and finished as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and which shall be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleaned;

(e) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless;

(f) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction, and all ventilation systems shall be kept at all times in good working order; and

(g) adequate artificial lighting throughout the workrooms, which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be of an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux:

Provided that at places where inspection of farmed game meat is normally carried out the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.

4. The occupier of every farmed game plant shall ensure that the requirements of the Eighth Schedule are observed.

PART IV
General requirements for low throughput farmed game meat plant

General requirements

1. All low throughput game meat processing facilities shall have—

(a) a clearly defined boundary;

(b) at places readily accessible to the work stations and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say—

(i) an adequate supply of hot and cold water and sufficient soap and disinfectant,

(ii) any hygienic means of drying hands;

(d) adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(e) equipment and fittings—

(i) of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected;

(ii) if to be used for handling, storing or transporting fresh meat to be so constructed that fresh meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into direct contact with the floor;

(f) suitable, sufficient and separate receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and fresh meat not intended for human consumption;

(h) water, that is to say—

(i) a sufficient, clean and potable supply of hot and cold water, and

(ii) if water is stored, covered tanks to contain it, of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(i) used water adequately disposed of in septic tanks;

(k) adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance, at any time, of inspections required by these Regulations;

(m) facilities for the VO, OVS and meat inspector;

3. Every room in which any fresh meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored shall have—

(a) floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof, non-slip and durable material, which shall be constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and such floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of water;

(b) interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material, which shall be of a light colour—

(i) in any of the rooms referred to in paragraph 1(g) of this Part, and in paragraph 1(c), (e), and (f) of Part II of this Schedule, up to a height of not less than three metres or the full height of the room, whichever is the lower;

(ii) in rooms used for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height; and

(iii) in any other room in which unpackaged fresh meat is handled, up to a height of not less than two metres;

(c) doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(e) insulation materials which are rot proof and odourless;

(f) suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction, and all ventilation systems to be kept at all times in good working order; and

(g) adequate lighting to enable inspection to be carried out.

Additional Requirements

In addition to the general requirements contained in Part I of this Schedule, a low throughput abattoir shall have—

(a) a suitable lairage, if live farmed game is received, whose—

(i) floors need not be paved or have concrete walls, but shall be sufficient for confining animals,

(ii) a separate pen for isolation of diseased, injured or animals suspected of being diseased or injured;

(b) overhead rails or cradles to permit hygienic dressing of carcasses;

(d) a guts cleaning space, table or similar facility;

(e) a suitable and sufficient area or space for hanging red offals;

(f) a suitable and sufficient leakproof facility for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(g) a suitable facility for safe disposal of hoofs, horn fat, etc;

(h) a manure bay or pit provided;

(i) a means of introduction of the body of an animal which is injured or animal suspected to be diseased, into the slaughterhall, in a manner which will not prejudice the hygienic operation of the farmed game meat plant:

Provided that—

(i) contamination of the carcass shall be avoided; and

(ii) cleaning of the place shall be supervised.

EIGHTH SCHEDULE
Hygiene requirements in relation to staff, premises, equipment and implements

(regs. 5(4)(a)(i), (ii) and (v), 14(1)(c))

PART I
Requirements applicable to all premises

1. The occupier of any premises shall keep them, or cause them to be kept, in such a state of cleanliness and otherwise so conduct them as to prevent the risk of contamination of any fresh meat in the premises or, in the case of any abattoir, of any blood intended for human consumption, and in particular shall—

(a) ensure that the premises and any plant, equipment, machinery or implements contained in them are not used for any purpose which is not properly connected with the preparation and storage of fresh meat, and that instruments for cutting up such meat are used solely for that purpose;

(b) ensure that fresh meat and the base of receptacles which contain, or may at any time contain, such meat do not come into direct contact with any floors, doors, columns, pillars or any other surfaces of any room;

(c) ensure that fresh meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector or rejected as unfit for human consumption is handled and transported in a manner avoiding contamination of fresh meat which has been declared fit for human consumption;

(d) ensure that fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption does not come into contact with any fresh meat requiring further examination by a VO, OVS or meat inspector, or rejected as being unfit for human consumption or the inedible by-products of the slaughtering of animals;

(e) ensure that tanks containing water used in the premises are kept fully covered and maintained in a clean state;

(f) where the premises are supplied with water which is only suitable for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, ensure that any such water is not used for any other purpose;

(g) ensure that all detergents, disinfectants, pesticides and rodenticides used in the premises are of such a kind and are used in such a manner as not to affect the fitness of any fresh meat;

(h) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with fresh meat are kept in a good state of repair, and all fixtures, fittings and equipment are kept clean;

(i) ensure that sawdust or any similar substance is not spread on floors;

(j) ensure that any room, used for the retention of meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption, is cleaned and disinfected as often as may be necessary to maintain it at all times in a satisfactory state of cleanliness and in such condition as to prevent the absorption of any blood, refuse, filth or other offensive matter; and ensure that, in any event, the wall and floor surfaces of any room in which fresh meat is produced or cut up shall be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected when such operations are completed for the day;

(k) cause the changing rooms to be kept clean;

(l) ensure that vehicles used for conveying livestock or meat are thoroughly cleansed and disinfected after use in the place provided for such purpose;

(m) cause every sanitary convenience, and the room in which it is situated, to be kept clean; and every such sanitary convenience shall be maintained in efficient working order and be provided with an adequate supply of toilet paper held in a suitable fitting;

(n) ensure that all washing facilities are kept clean and in good working order;

(o) cause a clearly legible notice requesting users to wash their hands after using the convenience to be affixed and maintained in a prominent position near every sanitary convenience;

(p) take all reasonable steps to ensure that no waste, whether solid or liquid, is deposited or allowed to accumulate in premises;

(q) ensure that receptacles (other than manure bays or manure pits) which contain blood, manure, garbage, filth or refuse are kept covered with closely fitting covers; and cause the interior surfaces of any room or other place in which fresh meat or by-products are produced, cut up, handled, stored or packaged; and

(r) ensure that rodents, insects and other vermin are systematically destroyed.

2. (1) No person shall engage in the handling of fresh meat if he is suffering from or suspected of suffering from, or is the carrier of, any disease or condition which may render a person liable to contaminate fresh meat, or is wearing a bandage on the hands or forearms other than a waterproof dressing protecting a non-infected wound.

(2) As soon as any person engaged in the handling of fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption becomes aware that he or she is suffering from, or is the carrier of, such disease or condition, he or she shall forthwith give notice of the fact to the occupier or person in charge of the premises, who, in turn, shall without delay, notify the Medical Authorities.

3. Every person engaged in slaughtering animals or working on or handling fresh meat shall—

(a) wear light coloured footwear and overalls or other suitable clothing, including covering for the hair of the head, and, where necessary, the neck, all of which articles shall, unless disposable, be easily cleanable, reserved exclusively for the use of persons slaughtering animals or working on or handling exposed or wrapped fresh meat, be clean at the commencement of every working day and renewed during the day, as necessary;

(b) keep as clean as may be reasonably practicable by thorough and frequent washing, in such a manner as to avoid any risk of contamination of fresh meat or blood, of all parts of his or her person or clothing which are liable to come into contact with any fresh meat or blood; and, in particular, shall wash his or her hands with hot water and soap, or other detergent, frequently during the working day and each time work is started and resumed and shall wash his or her hands and arms in such manner immediately after contact with animals or fresh meat which he or she knows or suspects to be diseased; and shall not use the same disposable towels more than once to dry hands and arms;

(c) keep any open cuts or abrasions on any exposed part of his or her person covered with a suitable waterproof dressing;

(d) ensure that all equipment and implements which come into contact with fresh meat are cleansed and subsequently sterilised in water at a temperature of not less than 82ºC—

(i) prior to commencement of work,

(ii) frequently during the course of each working day,

(iii) immediately after any contact with fresh meat known or suspected to be diseased,

(iv) before re-use after any break in work and,

(v) at the end of each working day;

(e) before being engaged to slaughter animals or work on or handle unpackaged fresh meat, obtain a medical certificate certifying that there is no objection on public health grounds to such activities and produce every such medical certificate on request to a VO or OVS. Such a medical certificate must be renewed annually.

4. No person shall—

(a) urinate, defecate or spit in premises where meat is slaughtered or handled, except in a sanitary convenience;

(b) bring into or keep in any part of the premises containing fresh meat any article liable to prejudice the maintenance of hygiene or the proper performance of the functions reserved for that part of the premises;

(d) use tobacco in any part of the premises which may contain fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption or while he or she is handling any such meat or blood;

(e) change his or her clothes in any part of the premises which may contain fresh meat;

(f) take any fresh meat or blood intended for human consumption, or any item of equipment which might come into contact with such meat or blood, into a room or other place which contains a sanitary convenience;

(g) bring into, or permit to be brought into, or remain in, the premises, any creature or bring any working dog or permit any such dog to be brought into or remain in any part of any premises used for the production, cutting up, handling or storage of fresh meat or for the storage of blood intended for human consumption.

5. Every person entering a meat exposed area shall comply with subparagraph 3(a) of this Part.

PART II
Additional requirements applicable in all abattoirs and farmed game meat plants

1. The occupier of every abattoir and farmed game plant shall ensure that—

(a) receptacles provided for holding blood intended for human consumption are clearly identified and used for no other purpose;

(b) any scalding tanks are emptied and washed out as often as is reasonably necessary and thoroughly cleaned at the end of each working day;

(c) prior to postmortem inspection, carcasses or offal do not come into contact with each other and, during chilling, carcasses are so hung as to allow air to circulate freely between them at all times;

(d) the lairage is kept clean and disinfected;

(e) the contents of every receptacle containing blood, and waste and every manure bay are removed from the abattoir or farmed game plant as often as may be necessary to prevent a nuisance, and, in any event, at least once in every two days and, after the contents have been so removed, the receptacle or bay is thoroughly cleaned before being used again:

Provided that the contents of manure pits may remain in the abattoir for more than two days provided that the contents are kept dry, the lairages are operated in a hygienic manner and the pits, whenever emptied, are thoroughly cleaned before being used again;

(f) hides, skins, horns, hooves, swine’s bristles and fat not intended for human consumption are collected and taken away daily unless they are stored in the room or rooms provided for the storage of such products, and by-products of slaughtering not intended for human consumption are removed from the premises as often as may be necessary to prevent a public health nuisance;

(g) fresh meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption is removed, as soon as possible, to the room or receptacle provided for the retention of such meat in a manner which avoids any risk of contamination of fresh meat which is intended for human consumption and such accommodation is kept locked, except when it is necessarily opened for the reception and removal of unfit meat or at the request of a VO, OVS or meat inspector for the purpose of the examination and seizure of such meat.

2. In an abattoir or farmed game plant, no person shall, when stirring any blood intended for human consumption, permit his or her hand or other part of his or her person to come into contact with such blood;

NINTH SCHEDULE
Ante-mortem health inspection requirements

(regs. 5(4)(a)(i) and (iv), 5(5), 9(2)(a), 12(1)(a))

1. Animals intended for slaughter for sale for human consumption shall undergo ante-mortem health inspection at the abattoir before slaughter, and such inspection shall take place—

(a) not more than 24 hours after arrival;

(b) not more than 24 hours before slaughter; and

2. The ante-mortem health inspection shall be made under adequate natural or artificial lighting.

3. The ante-mortem health inspection shall determine—

(a) whether the animals are showing clinical signs of a disease which can be transmitted through the fresh meat to humans or animals, or whether there are any indications that such a disease may occur;

(b) whether they are showing clinical signs of a disease or disorder which would be likely to make fresh meat unfit for human consumption;

(d) whether there is visible evidence that substances with pharmacological effects have been administered to them or that they have consumed any other substances which may make fresh meat unfit for human consumption.

4. Animals shall not be slaughtered for the production of fresh meat for human consumption if they—

(a) show any of the conditions mentioned in paragraph 3(a), (b) and (d) of this Schedule;

(b) have not been rested for an adequate period of time, which, for fatigued or stressed animals, is at the discretion of the VO, OVS or meat inspector; or

5. Where a VO or OVS is not available, a meat inspector may be authorised by the Director to carry out ante-mortem inspection.

6. An animal which shows any of the conditions mentioned in paragraph 3(a) or (b) of this Schedule shall be taken to and kept in that part of the lairage provided for the isolation of animals which are diseased or injured or suspected of being diseased or injured. All animals found injured and not suffering from any disease shall be slaughtered at the earliest opportunity.

7. Unless, following a subsequent ante-mortem health inspection, a VO or OVS passes the animal as fit for slaughter for human consumption, he or she may require that it shall be slaughtered and dressed in the room, or, alternatively, using the method of operation and facilities referred to in paragraph 1(d) of the Second Schedule, or in the case of a low throughput abattoir, after the completion of slaughter of all other animals for the time being in the lairage.

8. Any case of cruelty to animals shall be reported by the VO, OVS or meat inspector to the occupier and, in writing, to the Director.

9. Any suspect case of a disease notifiable under the Diseases of Animals Act shall be reported immediately to the Director, a VO, OVS or veterinary surgeon. The animal should be isolated and the case dealt with according to his or her instructions.

TENTH SCHEDULE
Slaughter and dressing practices requirements applicable in abattoirs and farmed game meat plants

(regs. 5(4)(a)(i) and (v), 12(1)(a))

1. (1) The occupier and persons engaged in the handling of fresh meat shall ensure that—

(a) animals brought into the slaughter hall of any abattoir are slaughtered without delay;

(b) in any abattoir where both swine and other animals are slaughtered, swine are slaughtered and dressed in a separate room or, alternatively using the method of operation referred to in paragraph 2 of the Second Schedule;

(d) fresh meat is adequately protected from the risk of contamination at all stages of the slaughtering and dressing process and during storage and despatch, and in particular that—

(i) bleeding and dressing processes are not carried out on the floor and no carcass or offal comes into contact with the floor,

(ii) during the dressing process, adequate precautions are taken to avoid the risk of discharge of materials and fluids from the alimentary tract, urinary bladder and uterus of any animal, and

(iii) offal is removed from the carcass in such a way as to avoid contamination of the offal or the carcass;

(e) bleeding is completed without delay and all blood is immediately disposed of down a drain via a suitable trough, or collected in a clean receptacle provided for that purpose and, if intended for human consumption, is so kept as to remain readily identifiable with the carcasses from which it was collected until the carcasses have been inspected in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule;

(f) the following are discarded immediately after slaughter—

(i) in the case of sheep and goats, the head, including the tongue and brain, if no part of it is intended for human consumption,

(ii) the penis if it is not intended for human consumption, and a VO, OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied that it shows no pathological lesion, and

(iii) Such other organs as may be specified by the Director.

(g) without prejudice to paragraph 1(h) of the Second Schedule, paragraph 1(e) of Part II of the Fifth Schedule paragraph 1(e) of Part II of the Sixth Schedule, paragraph 1(u) of Part II of the Seventh Schedule, paragraph 1(r) of Part III of the Seventh Schedule and subparagraph (n) of this Schedule, and subject to the requirements of regulation 11, the stomachs and intestines of slaughtered animals are removed from the slaughterhall, or in the case of a farmed game plant, from the dressing room, unopened, and in such a manner that they do not come into contact with the floor, as soon as possible after they have been separated from the carcass and that they are not opened or cleaned in any part of the premises which contains blood intended for human consumption or any fresh meat other than stomachs or intestines;

(h) slaughtered animals are dressed in the following manner—

(i) in the case of bovine animals, solipeds and farmed game, by the removal of the hide or skin, the tonsils, the horns or antlers (which shall be removed at the time of flaying), the head (except that where retention of the ears on carcasses of bovine animals is necessary for any certification purpose, removal of the ears may be delayed until completion of that certification), the genital organs (subject to subparagraph (f)(ii) of this Schedule), the urinary bladder, the feet, up to the carpal and tarsal joints and, in the case of lactating animals or animals that have given birth or are in advanced pregnancy, the udder. The kidneys shall be removed from their fatty coverings and their perirenal capsules,

(ii) in the case of swine, by the removal of the tonsils, the hair and bristles (where the bristles are removed by using a debristling agent, the carcass must immediately afterwards be rinsed in water which is clean and potable) or the skin, the claws, the genital organs (subject to subparagraph (f)(ii) of this Schedule), the urinary bladder, and, in the case of lactating animals or animals that have given birth or are in advanced pregnancy, the udder. The kidneys shall be removed from their fatty coverings and their perirenal capsules, and

(iii) in the case of sheep and goats, by the removal of the skin, the head, the genital organs (subject to subparagraph (f)(ii) of this Schedule), the urinary bladder, the feet up to the carpal and tarsal joints and, in the case of lactating animals or animals that have given birth or are in advanced pregnancy, the udder. The kidneys shall be removed from their fatty coverings, and their perirenal capsules;

(i) during the flaying of any cow, the teats are not excised and are left intact for removal with the udder from the carcass;

(j) no incision is made into the substance of any udder, except by or on the direction of a VO, OVS or a meat inspector;

(k) there is no contact between the external surfaces of the skin of any animal and any offal or flayed or partly flayed carcass and there is no placing of the unskinned head of any bovine animal under six weeks of age, game, sheep or goat is placed in any room containing fresh meat;

(l) every hide and skin is removed from any part of the abattoir or farmed game plant containing any fresh meat or containing any blood intended for human consumption as soon as possible after it has been separated from the carcass, and every such hide and skin shall be removed in such a way that it does not come into contact with the floor;

(m) evisceration is carried out immediately after flaying or depilation as appropriate and completed—

(i) not later than 45 minutes after stunning,

(ii) in the case of religious slaughter, not later than 30 minutes after bleeding, or

(iii) in the case of the slaughtered and bled bodies of farmed game brought into an abattoir or farmed game plant in accordance with subparagraph (e) of Part I of the Seventh Schedule, as soon as possible;

(n) subject to subparagraph (g) of this Schedule, the organs and viscera of any animal are so kept as to remain readily identifiable with the carcass until that carcass has been inspected in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule, and any samples required for residue tests have been taken, and the head and feet of any animal are kept available for inspection in the abattoir or farmed game plant until a VO, OVS or meat inspector authorises their removal;

(o) all carcasses of equines, bovine animals and swine should be split lengthwise through the spinal column before being submitted for inspection in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule, and any other carcass or the head of any animal is split lengthwise if a VO, OVS or a meat inspector considers it necessary for the purpose of carrying out the inspection prescribed in the Eleventh Schedule;

(p) slaughtered animals are dressed and treated in such a manner as not to prevent or hinder inspection in accordance with the Eleventh Schedule and in particular, no carcass is cut up and, subject to subparagraph (f) of this Schedule, no part other than the hide or skin of any slaughtered animal is removed from the abattoir or farmed game plant until the inspection prescribed in the Eleventh Schedule has been completed and any samples required for residue tests have been taken, and no action is taken which might alter or destroy any evidence of disease or contamination before inspection;

(q) subject to paragraph 3 of the Twelfth Schedule, fresh meat is placed without undue delay in a refrigeration room and is brought progressively to an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses, half carcasses, half carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts and quarter carcasses and 3ºC for offal, and is subsequently kept constantly at or below that temperature:

Provided that fresh meat shall not be required to be refrigerated where—

(i) it is removed from any abattoir or farmed game meat plant within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers’ shops,

(ii) such transportation can be completed within one hour, and

(iii) it is kept under hygienic conditions before removal from such premises;

(r) meat resulting from trimming of the sticking point, rejected as unfit for human consumption under paragraph 8 of Part IX of the Eleventh Schedule, is removed;

(s) no implement is left in fresh meat; and

(t) where back bleeding ensues upon the slaughter of an animal, the pleurae are not completely detached from the carcass until a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, authorises their removal.

(2) To take account of technological requirements, or where carcasses are intended for the production of traditional pig products or cuts, the VO, OVS or meat inspector may authorise the submission, for inspection, of carcasses of swine not split in half.

2. In any abattoir where bovine animals, sheep, goats or equines are slaughtered and dressed on the same day, the occupier shall ensure that thorough cleaning and disinfection of the slaughterhall takes place between the slaughter of the species.

ELEVENTH SCHEDULE
Postmortem health inspection requirements applicable in abattoirs and farmed game plants

(regs. 5(4)(a)(i) and (v), 5(5), 9(2)(b) and (c), 12(1)(b), 14(1)(d))

PART I
General requirements

1. At every abattoir and every farmed game plant, the carcass and offal and, where appropriate, the blood of each slaughtered animal intended for human consumption shall be inspected without delay by VO, OVS or a meat inspector, and any such VO, OVS or meat inspector, shall have regard to—

(a) the age and sex of the animal;

(b) the state of nutrition of the animal;

(d) any local or general oedema;

(e) the efficiency of bleeding;

(f) any swelling, deformity or other abnormality of bones, joints, musculature or umbilicus;

(g) any abnormality in consistency, colour, odour (such as pronounced sexual odours) and, where appropriate, taste;

(h) the condition of the pleura and peritoneum; and

(i) any other evidence of abnormality.

2. The inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the slaughtered animal and the organs belonging to it;

(b) palpation of the organs referred to in Parts II to VII of this Schedule and, where considered necessary by a VO, OVS or meat inspector the uterus;

(d) any additional incisions or examinations that a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers necessary.

PART II
Specific requirements for bovine animals not less than six weeks old

1. In the case of bovine animals not less than six weeks old, the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head and throat after removal of the tonsils, for which purpose the submaxillary, retropharyngeal and parotid lymph nodes shall be examined in detail, examination of the external (masseter) cheek muscles shall be carried out in which at least two deep incisions on each side shall be made and the internal (pterygoid) cheek muscles in which at least one deep incision on each side shall be made; all incisions shall be made parallel to the mandible from its upper muscular insertion, and visual examination and palpation of the tongue, having been freed to permit a detailed visual examination of the mouth and fauces shall be carried out;

(b) visual examination of the trachea and lungs, for which purpose palpation of the lungs shall be carried out; the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes shall be examined in detail and where the lungs are intended for human consumption, the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi shall be opened lengthwise and the lungs shall be incised in their posterior third at right angles to their main axes;

(c) visual examination of the pericardium and the heart for which purpose the latter shall be incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and to cut through the intraventricular septum;

(d) visual examination of the diaphragm, after removal of the pleura and peritoneum.

(e) visual examination and palpation of the liver, the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes for which purpose the gastric surface of the liver and the base of the caudate lobe shall be incised to examine the bile ducts;

(f) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes for which purpose the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be palpated and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, examined in detail;

(g) visual examination and palpation of the spleen with further detailed examination as is considered necessary.

(h) visual examination of the kidneys following the removal of the fat and perirenal capsule and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes;

(i) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum;

(j) visual examination of the genital organs; and

(k) visual examination and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, palpation and incision of the udder of a cow and its lymph nodes for which purpose, where the udder is removed from the carcass and intended for human consumption, each half of it shall be opened by a long deep incision as far as the lactiferous sinuses and its lymph nodes shall be examined in detail and such incisions shall be carried out in such a way that they do not contaminate meat.

PART III
Specific requirements for bovine animals less than six weeks old

1. In the case of bovine animals under six weeks old, the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head and the throat for which purpose the retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; the mouth and fauces shall be examined and the tongue shall be palpated;

(b) visual examination of the lungs and trachea, for which purpose palpation of the lungs shall be carried out, the bronchial and mediastinal lymphnodes shall be examined in detail and where the lungs are intended for human consumption the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi shall be opened lengthwise and the lungs shall be incised in their posterior third at right angles to their main axes;

(c) visual examination of the pericardium and the heart for which purpose the latter shall be incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and cut through the intraventricular septum;

(d) visual examination of the diaphragm after removal of the pleura and peritoneum.

(e) visual examination and palpation of the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes;

(f) visual examination of the pancreatic lymph nodes and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, incision of the liver and examination in detail of the hepatic lymph nodes;

(g) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes for which purpose the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be palpated and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, examined in detail;

(h) visual examination and palpation of the spleen with further detailed examination as is considered necessary.

(i) visual examination of the kidneys following the removal of the perirenal capsule and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes;

(j) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum; and

(k) visual examination and palpation of the umbilical region and the joints; and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the umbilical region shall be incised, the joints opened and the synovial fluid examined.

PART IV
Specific requirements for swine

1. In the case of swine, the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head and the throat for which purpose the submaxillary lymph nodes shall be examined in detail;

(b) visual examination of the mouth, fauces and tongue;

(c) visual examination of the trachea and lungs, for which purpose palpation of the lungs and of the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes shall be carried out, the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi shall be opened lengthwise and the lungs shall be incised in their posterior third at right angles to their main axes;

(d) visual examination of the pericardium and the heart for which purpose the latter shall be incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and to cut through the intraventricular septum;

(e) visual examination of the diaphragm;

(f) visual examination and palpation of the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes; and visual examination of the pancreatic lymph nodes;

(g) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery and the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes for which purpose the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be palpated and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, examined in detail;

(h) visual examination and palpation of the spleen, and, if necessary, detailed examination.

(i) visual examination of the kidneys and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes;

(j) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum;

(k) visual examination of the genital organs;

(l) visual examination of the udder and supramammary lymph nodes, and, in the case of sows, the supramammary lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; and

(m) visual examination and palpation of the umbilical region and joints of young animals, and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the umbilical region shall be incised and the joints shall be opened.

2. An investigation for cysticercus cellulosae shall be carried out which shall include examination of the directly visible muscular surfaces, in particular at the level of the thigh muscles, the pillars of the diaphragm, the intercostal muscles, the heart, the tongue and the larynx; and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the abdominal wall and the psoas muscles shall be freed from fatty tissue.

3. The carcass shall be split through the spinal column and such of the following lymph nodes as have not already been so examined: superficial inguinal, supramammary, cervical, prepectoral, prescapular, presternal, sublumbar, iliac, precrural and, if a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the popliteal examined in detail.

PART V
Specific requirements for sheep and goats

1. In the case of sheep and goats, the inspection shall include—

(a) visual inspection of the head after flaying and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, examination of the throat, mouth, tongue, retropharyngeal and parotid lymph nodes;

(b) visual examination of the trachea and lungs. The lungs shall be palpated and incised and the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes examined in detail;

(d) visual examination of the diaphragm;

(e) visual examination and palpation of the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes; and visual examination of the pancreatic lymph nodes. The gastric surface of the liver shall be incised to examine the bile ducts;

(f) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery and the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes;

(g) visual examination, and where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, palpation of the spleen;

(h) visual examination of the kidneys and, where a meat inspector, a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes;

(i) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum;

(j) visual examination of the genital organs;

(k) visual examination of the udder and its lymph nodes;

(l) visual examination and palpation of the umbilical region and joints of young animals.

Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the umbilical region shall be incised and the joints shall be opened.

2. Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, has reason to suspect that a suppurative condition exists in the carcass of any sheep or lamb, he or she shall—

(a) examine by palpation as well as by observation such of the lymph nodes as are readily accessible; and

(b) in the case of a sheep, examine in detail such of the following lymph nodes as have not already been so examined: prescapular, superficial inguinal, precrural; and, in the case of a lamb, examine in detail such lymph nodes if he or she has found evidence of disease in the course of visual examination or palpation.

PART VI
Specific requirements for equines

1. In the case of equines, the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head after removal of the tonsils and, after freeing the tongue, the throat, for which purpose the submaxillary, retro-pharyngeal and parotid lymph nodes shall be palpated and, where considered necessary by a VO, OVS or a meat inspector incised and visual examination and palpation of the tongue, having been freed to permit a detailed examination of the mouth and the fauces shall be carried out;

(b) visual examination of the trachea and lungs for which purpose palpation of the lungs, the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes shall be carried out and, where a VO , OVS or meat inspector, considers it necessary, the lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; and where the lungs are intended for human consumption the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi shall be opened lengthwise and the lungs shall be incised in their posterior third at right angles to their main axes;

(c) visual examination of the pericardium and the heart; the latter shall be incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and to cut through the intraventricular septum;

(d) visual examination of the diaphragm after removal of the pleura and peritoneum.

(e) visual examination and palpation of the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes; visual examination of the pancreatic lymph nodes; and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, incision of the liver and the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes;

(f) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes; and where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be examined in detail;

(g) visual examination and palpation of the spleen and, if necessary, further detailed examination.

(h) visual examination and palpation of the kidneys after removal of the perirenal capsule, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes;

(i) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum;

(j) visual examination of the genital organs;

(k) visual examination of the udder and the supramammary lymph nodes; and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the supramammary lymph nodes shall be examined in detail;

(l) visual examination and palpation of the umbilical region and joints of young animals; and, where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the umbilical region shall be incised and the joints shall be opened; and

(m) for all equines, an examination for melanosis and melanomata. The attachment of one shoulder shall be loosened to allow examination of the muscles and the prescapular lymph node, and the kidneys shall be examined after splitting by a longitudinal incision which exposes both cortex and medulla.

2. An investigation for glanders shall be carried out by means of careful examination of mucous membranes of the trachea, larynx, nasal cavities, sinuses and their ramifications” after splitting the head in the median plane and excision of the nasal septum.

PART VII
Specific requirements for farmed game

1. In the case of farmed game, the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head and throat after the removal of the tonsils; the submaxillary, and retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; and where a VO, OVS or meat inspector, considers it necessary, visual examination and palpation of the tongue, having been freed to permit a detailed visual examination of the mouth and fauces;

(b) visual examination of the trachea and lungs for which purpose palpation of the lungs shall be carried out; the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; and where the lungs are intended for human consumption the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi shall be opened lengthwise and the lungs shall be incised in their posterior third at right angles to their main axes;

(c) visual examination of the pericardium and the heart; the latter shall be incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and to cut through the intraventricular septum;

(d) visual examination of the diaphragm after removal of the pleura and peritoneum;

(e) visual examination and palpation of the liver, the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes; the gastric surface of the liver shall be incised to examine the bile ducts;

(f) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes; and, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be palpated and where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector considers it necessary, examined in detail;

(g) visual examination and, palpation of the spleen and if necessary further detailed examination.

(h) visual examination of the kidneys after removal of the perirenal capsule, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes

(i) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum;

(j) visual examination of the genital organs;

(k) visual examination of the udder and the supramammary lymph nodes;

(l) visual examination and palpation of the umbilical region and joints of young animals; and where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector, considers it necessary, the umbilical region shall be incised and the joints shall be opened; and

(m) the feet.

2. All carcasses of large farmed game should be split lengthwise through the spinal column before being submitted to inspection.

3. Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector has reason to suspect that a suppurative condition exists in the carcass and viscera he or she shall carry out a visual examination and palpation of such of the lymph nodes as are readily accessible and examine in detail such lymph nodes if he or she has found evidence of disease in the course of visual examination or palpation.

PART VIII
Additional requirements where tuberculosis is suspected

1. Where a VO, OVS or meat inspector has reason to suspect that any part of the carcass or offal of any animal is infected with tuberculosis, he or she shall, in addition to carrying out the provisions of the preceding Parts of this Schedule—

(a) in the case of any carcass, require the carcass to be split, examine the vertebrae, ribs, sternum, spinal cord and, if he or she considers it necessary, the brain, and if a lesion of a kidney is visible or suspected, incise the kidney;

(b) in the case of the carcass of any bovine animal, soliped or farmed game, examine, in detail, the following lymph nodes (being lymph nodes not already examined by him or her in accordance with the provisions of Parts II, III, VI or VII of this Schedule), namely, the superficial inguinal, prepectoral, presternal, suprasternal, xiphoid, subdorsal, intercostal, prescapular, iliac, sub lumbar, ischiatic, pre-crural and popliteal, those lymph nodes which are least likely to show infection being examined first; and

(c) in the case of the carcass of any swine, examine in detail the following lymph nodes (being lymph nodes not already examined by him or her in accordance with the provisions of Part IV of this Schedule), namely, the superficial inguinal, cervical, prepectoral, prescapular, subdorsal, sub lumbar, iliac, precrural and, if he or she considers it necessary, the popliteal.

2. Such animal if suspected ante-mortem of being affected by tuberculosis shall be slaughtered separately at the end of a day’s kill.

PART IX
Indications for unfitness for human consumption

1. (1) If upon inspection of any carcass, a VO, OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied that the animal was suffering from any of the following diseases or conditions, he or she shall regard the whole carcass and all the offal and blood removed or collected from it as being unfit for human consumption—

(a) Actinobacillosis (generalised) or actinomycosis (generalised);

(b) Anaemia (advanced);

(d) Blackleg;

(e) Botulism;

(f) Bruising (extensive and severe);

(g) Brucellosis (acute);

(h) Caseous lymphadenitis with emaciation;

(i) Caseous lymphadenitis (generalised);

(j) Cysticercus bovis (generalised);

(k) Cysticercus cellulosae;

(l) Cysticercusovis (generalised);

(m) Decomposition (generalised);

(n) Emaciation (severe);

(o) Enteritis (acute);

(p) Fever;

(q) Foot and mouth disease;

(r) Glanders;

(s) Jaundice (severe);

(t) Lymphadenitis (generalised);

(u) Malignant catarrhal fever;

(v) Mastitis (acute septic);

(w) Melanosis (generalised);

(x) Metritis (acute septic);

(y) Abnormal odour associated with disease or other conditions prejudicial to health or pronounced sexual odour;

(z) Oedema (generalised);

(aa) Pericarditis (acute septic);

(bb) Peritonitis (acute diffuse septic);

(cc) Pleurisy (acute diffuse septic);

(dd) Pneumonia (acute septic);

(ee) Pyaemia;

(ff) Rabies;

(gg) Salmonellosis (acute);

(hh) Sarcocysts (generalised);

(ii) Septicaemia;

(jj) Swine erysipelas (acute);

(kk) Swine fever;

(ll) Tetanus;

(mm) Toxaemia;

(nn) Trichinellosis;

(oo) Tuberculosis (generalised);

(pp) Tuberculosis with emaciation;

(qq) Tumours (malignant with secondary growths or multiple);

(rr) Uraemia; and

(ss) Viraemia.

Any suspected case of a disease notifiable under the Diseases of Animals Act must be reported without delay to the Director, Veterinary Officer, or OVS.

(2) A VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall reject as unfit for human consumption any stillborn or unborn carcass and any immature carcass which is oedematous or in poor physical condition, together with any offal or blood removed or collected therefrom.

2. A VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall reject the blood of any animal as unfit for human consumption if he or she is satisfied—

(a) that the animal was affected by any infectious condition; or

(b) that the blood is contaminated by stomach contents or other extraneous matter.

3. A VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall, in determining for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule whether tuberculosis is generalised, take into account the sum of the evidence of disease, the extent and the character of the lesions throughout the carcass and, in particular, shall regard evidence of any of the following conditions as satisfactory evidence of generalised tuberculosis—

(a) miliary tuberculosis of both lungs with evidence of tuberculosis elsewhere;

(b) multiple and actively progressive lesions of tuberculosis;

(d) diffuse acute lesions of tuberculosis of both the pleura and peritoneum associated with an enlarged or tuberculous lymph node of the carcass,

(e) active or recent lesions present in the substance of any two of the following: spleen, kidney, udder, uterus, ovary, testicle, brain and spinal cord or their membranes, in addition to tuberculous lesions in the respiratory and digestive tracts; and

(f) in the case of a calf, congenital tuberculosis.

4. (1) Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied that a carcass or offal is affected with tuberculosis, other than generalised tuberculosis or tuberculosis with emaciation, he or she shall reject the following parts of the carcass and offal as unfit for human consumption—

(a) any part of the carcass infected with localised tuberculosis and any other part contiguous thereto;

(b) the head, including the tongue, when tuberculosis exists in any lymph node associated with the head or tongue.

(c) any organ or viscera when tuberculosis exists in the substance, or on the surface thereof, or in any lymph node associated therewith.

(2) A VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall reject any part of a carcass and any offal or blood contaminated with tuberculous material as unfit for human consumption.

5. A VO, OVS or a meat inspector, shall regard either of the following conditions as satisfactory evidence of generalised caseous lymphadenitis for the purpose of this Part of this Schedule—

(a) multiple, acute and actively progressive lesions of caseous lymphadenitis; or

(b) multiple lesions of caseous lymphadenitis which are inactive but widespread.

6. (1) Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied—

(a) that a carcass or offal is affected with caseous lymphadenitis or any other suppurative condition; but

(b) that the condition is not generalised nor associated with emaciation, he or she shall reject the following parts of the carcass and offal as unfit for human consumption—

(i) any organ and its associated lymph node, when the condition exists on the surface or in the substance of that organ or lymph node; and

(ii) when it does not so exist, the lesion and such of the surrounding parts as he or she may think proper having regard to the age and degree of activity of the lesion.

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(ii), an old lesion which is firmly encapsulated may be regarded as inactive.

7. Cysticercus bovis:

(1) Method of examination: Every meat inspector finding evidence of bladderworm disease (“measles”) in a slaughtered animal during examination shall make the following additional examination thereof—

Head: Inspection incisions into the inner and outer muscles of the jaw.

Tongue: Inspection of surface and incisions into the muscles of attachment and tongue proper.

Pluck: Examination of heart and oesophagus.

Stomach and intestines: Examination of the outer surface of the stomach and intestines.

Carcass: The following inspection incisions shall be made into each side of the carcass:

Muscles of the shoulder behind the elbow: Seven incisions.

Chuck (by which is understood the muscles of the dorsal aspect of the thoracic cavity): One incision.

Brisket: One incision. Muscular diaphragm: Two incisions.

Fillet: Three incisions.

Apart from the foregoing, the large muscular surface exposed by the splitting of the carcass shall be examined and three incisions made into the pillars of the diaphragm.

(2) Action to be taken in the event of evidence of infestation with Cysticercus bovis—

Where, during examination in accordance with subparagraph (1)—

(a) ten or more bladderworm cysts are found in any head, tongue, pluck, liver or stomach and intestines, the part so infested shall be condemned as unfit for human consumption;

(b) one to nine bladderworm cysts are found on the majority of the cut surfaces of the carcass musculature then the carcass so infested together with the viscera shall be condemned as unfit for human consumption unless—

(i) subjected to cold storage to the satisfaction and under the control of the Director or local authority, and in which cold storage the carcass and viscera is subjected, for a period of 14 continuous days, to a continuously maintained temperature of or below minus 10ºC;

(ii) subjected to being frozen, to the satisfaction and under the control of the Director or local authority, in a blast freezing tunnel in such a manner that the temperature at the thermal centre of the carcass or viscera is reduced to not more than minus 15ºC within 24 hours of the commencement of the blast freezing and that immediately thereafter the carcass and viscera are retained in cold storage at a temperature of not more than minus 10ºC for a continuous period of not less than 72 hours;

(iii) subjected to boiling until a uniform grey colour is observed on a fresh cross-section; or

(iv) subjected to sterilisation by heat in hermetically sealed cans.

8. A VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall reject as unfit for human consumption meat resulting from trimming of the sticking point.

9. Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied that the whole or any part of a carcass or any offal is affected by any disease or condition other than one mentioned in paragraphs 1 to 7 of this Part or that it is contaminated, he or she shall reject as unfit for human consumption the whole carcass and the offal or such lesser part thereof as he or she may think appropriate to the circumstances of the case.

10. Where a VO, OVS or a meat inspector is satisfied that a part of a carcass or any offal is affected by a slight localised infestation by a parasite not transmissible to man, he or she may, at his or her discretion, reject as unfit for human consumption the part of the carcass or offal so affected together with the tissue immediately surrounding it.

11. Where the blood or offal of several animals is collected in one receptacle a VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall reject as unfit for human consumption the entire contents of that receptacle if fresh meat of any of the animals from which the blood was collected or the offal obtained is declared unfit for human consumption.

12. Where the Director so directs, a VO, OVS or a meat inspector shall examine fresh meat from swine for trichinellosis and shall reject as unfit for human consumption fresh meat so affected.

TWELFTH SCHEDULE
Requirements applicable in all cutting premises

(reg. 5(4)(a)(ii))

1. In this Schedule—

“appropriate receptacles” means the receptacles referred to in paragraph 1(g) of the First Schedule and paragraph 1(f) of Part I of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules; and

“refrigerated room” means the room referred to in paragraph 1(a) of the Third Schedule and paragraph 1(i) of Part I of the Fifth Schedule.

2. The occupier of the cutting premises shall ensure that—

(a) any of the following in clauses (i) to (vi) below is cut up, prepared or, if unpackaged, stored (as the case may be) in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below, in a separate room from, or at other times than, unpackaged fresh meat and in the case of clauses (iv), (v) and (vi) below, separately from unpackaged fresh meat—

(i) poultry meat,

(ii) farmed game meat from animals of the family Leporidae,

(iii) wild game meat,

(iv) minced meat prepared with the addition of spices or similar substances,

(v) meat preparations, and

(vi) meat products,

and that any room used for such operations is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before being used again for the cutting up, preparation or storage of fresh meat;

(b) the products (other than fresh meat) referred to in subparagraph (a) of this paragraph are cut up, prepared or, if unpackaged, stored (as the case may be) separately from each other;

(c) without prejudice to paragraph 3 of this Schedule, as soon as fresh meat intended for cutting up enters the cutting premises, it is placed in the refrigerated room provided for the reception and storage of such meat awaiting cutting and maintained there at an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses, half carcasses, half carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts and quarter carcasses, and 3ºC for offal;

(d) without prejudice to paragraph 3 of this Schedule, fresh meat is brought into the cutting room as and when required, that it remains in that room only for the minimum time required to carry out the necessary cutting up operations, and that on completion of cutting up, wrapping and packaging such meat is transferred without undue delay to the refrigerated room and there maintained at an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for cut fresh meat and 3ºC for offal;

(e) fresh meat entering the premises is checked and, if necessary, trimmed and the work stations for this task are equipped with suitable facilities and adequate lighting;

(f) without prejudice to paragraph 3 of this Schedule, cutting up does not take place until the fresh meat has reached an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses, half carcasses, half carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts and quarter carcasses and 3ºC for offal, that during cutting up, wrapping and packaging such meat is kept at an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts and 3ºC for offal, and, with the exception of low throughput cutting premises, that while cutting up is taking place the temperature of the room does not exceed 12ºC;

(g) any splinters of bone and clots of blood are removed from fresh meat during cutting up;

(h) no carcass, offal or cut fresh meat is wiped down;

(i) fresh meat obtained from cutting up and not intended for human consumption is collected in the appropriate receptacles as it is cut up;

(j) no implement is left in fresh meat, and

(k) in the case of fresh meat from bovine animals, obvious nervous and lymphatic tissue is removed and collected in the appropriate receptacles and not used for human consumption.

3. Notwithstanding anything in paragraph 2 of this Schedule or paragraph 1(1)(p) of the Tenth Schedule—

(a) fresh meat may be cut up without first being chilled, subject to the following conditions—

(i) the fresh meat is transferred directly and without risk of contamination from an abattoir or farmed game meat plant to cutting premises within the same group of buildings;

(ii) cutting up takes place without delay; and

(iii) as soon as cutting up, wrapping and packaging are completed the fresh meat is placed immediately in the refrigerated room and is brought progressively to an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for cut fresh meat and 3ºC for offal;

(b) fresh meat of bovine animals, sheep and swine may, after having been placed in the refrigerated room, be cut up before reaching an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts and 3ºC for offal, provided—

(i) such meat is transferred directly and without risk of contamination from the abattoir to cutting premises within the same group of buildings;

(ii) cutting up takes place if the temperature has been attained, in the case of fresh meat of bovine animals, within 48 hours from the end of slaughtering operations or, in the case of fresh meat of sheep and swine, within 20 hours from the end of slaughtering operations;

(iii) as soon as cutting up, wrapping and packaging are completed, the fresh meat is placed immediately in the refrigerated room and is brought progressively to an internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts and 3ºC for offal; and

(iv) the time between the fresh meat entering the cutting room and being placed in the refrigerated room must be within one hour.

THIRTEENTH SCHEDULE
Health marking

(regs. 9(2)(d), 12(2), 14(1)(e), 14(2))

1. Health marking shall be carried out under the responsibility of the official veterinarian. For this purpose, he or she shall keep and maintain under his or her responsibility—

(a) the instruments intended for meat health marking which he or she may hand over to auxiliaries only at the time of marking and for the length of time required for this purpose; and

(b) the labels and wrapping material when marked as provided for in this Schedule. The labels, seals and wrapping material shall be given to auxiliaries at the time when they are to be used and in the required number.

2. The health mark shall be a mark consisting of two concentric circles of at least 35 mm diameter for the inner circle and at least 55 mm diameter for the outer circle bearing the following information—

(a) on the upper part, the name “BOTSWANA”;

(b) in the centre, the veterinary approval number of the establishment; and

The letters shall be at least 8 mm high and the figures at least 10 mm high.

3. Carcasses shall be stamped in ink and the mark placed as follows:

(a) Carcasses of cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats, kids and pigs shall have at least four marks, namely at least one mark on each quarter;

(b) the skinned heads of cattle, calves, sheep, goats and pigs: one mark on either side;

(d) ostriches: two marks on each side, namely on the breast and thigh.

4. For purposes of removal from an abattoir, viscera that is not marked piece by piece, shall be marked by placing the mark on a label which shall be fastened to the viscera or the container.

5. Notwithstanding the provisions contained in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Schedule, the Director may require or authorise the use of a method of rollermarking at a particular abattoir, which marking shall comply with the requirements specified in paragraph 2 of this Schedule.

6. Cuts obtained in licensed cutting plants from officially marked carcasses shall be stamped in ink in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Schedule, unless they are wrapped or packaged, and ribs shall be marked in a way making it possible to identify the slaughterhouse of origin.

7. Wrapping and packaging shall always be marked in accordance with paragraph 8 of this Schedule.

8. (1) Wrapped cut meat and offal, including sliced livers from bovine animals, shall bear a health mark in accordance with paragraph 2 of this Schedule. The mark shall include the veterinary approval number of the cutting plant, and not of the slaughter house. The mark shall be printed on the wrapping or applied to a label fixed to the wrapping. The Director may require that the mark bear a serial number. In the case of offal packaged in a slaughterhouse, the number included in the mark shall be the veterinary approval number of the slaughterhouse concerned.

(2) Packaging shall bear a health mark described in paragraph 2 of this Schedule, and shall be stamped on a seal fixed to the packaging in such a way that it is destroyed when the packaging is opened. The seal shall bear a serial number.

9. Meat from solipeds and its packaging shall be marked with a hexagonal stamp, of which size shall be at least 35 mm across. The mark shall bear the information referred to in paragraph 2 of this Schedule.

10. The ink to be used for the stamp shall be safe for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption and approved by the Director.

FOURTEENTH SCHEDULE
Wrapping and packaging of fresh meat

(reg. 14(1)(h))

PART I
Wrapping

1. The occupier of any premises shall ensure that—

(a) any material for wrapping fresh meat does not cause a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of such meat or transmit to it any substance harmful to human health;

(b) subject to paragraph 2 of Part II of this Schedule, only transparent and uncoloured wrapping material is used except where the wrapping material used conforms to the requirements of subparagraph (e);

(c) the wrapping operation is carried out immediately after cutting and in a hygienic manner and that wrapping material is not re-used for wrapping fresh meat;

(d) cut fresh meat, other than cuts of pig belly and pork fat, is wrapped in accordance with subparagraphs (a) and (b) of this paragraph unless it is transported hanging up;

(e) wrapped fresh meat is packed in accordance with the requirements of Part II of this Schedule, except that where the wrapping material used fulfils the requirement of packaging in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1(a), (b) and (c) of Part II of this Schedule, it does not in addition require to be packaged; and

(f) all fresh meat wrapped in commercial portions intended for direct sale to the consumer bears a reproduction of the health mark on the wrapping material or in a clearly visible label affixed to the wrapping material. The mark shall include the veterinary approval number of the cutting plant.

PART II
Packaging

2. The occupier of any premises shall ensure—

(a) that any material used for packaging fresh meat is strong enough to protect the meat during the course of handling and transport and does not cause a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of the meat or transmit to it any substance harmful to human health;

(b) that any material used for packaging fresh meat is not re-used for this purpose unless it is made of a non-corrodible and impervious substance which is easy to clean and has been cleaned and disinfected prior to re-use for packaging meat;

(c) that every package bears the health mark either on the package or on a clearly visible label affixed to the package or wrapping material which fulfils the requirements of paragraph 1(f) of Part I of this Schedule;

(d) that the health mark includes the approval number of the cutting premises or, in the case of offal which is wrapped or packaged in an abattoir, the number of that abattoir;

(e) that the health mark is applied in such a way that it is torn when the package is opened;

(f) that labels are serially numbered.

3. The occupier of every abattoir or farmed game plant in which offal is prepared, cleaned, wrapped and packaged in the same room in accordance with paragraph 1(n) of the Second Schedule, paragraph 1(x) of Part II of the Seventh Schedule and paragraph 1(t) of Part III of the Seventh Schedule and the occupier of all cutting premises in which fresh meat is cut up, wrapped and packaged in the same room shall ensure that the following conditions are observed—

(a) the packaging and wrapping materials shall, during storage, be enclosed in a protective cover under hygienic conditions in the separate room provided for this purpose; and such a room shall not be connected in any way with rooms containing substances which might contaminate fresh meat;

(b) the room in which packaging and wrapping materials are stored shall be free from dust and vermin and such material shall not be stored on the floor;

(c) packaging material shall be assembled under hygienic conditions before being brought to the room where fresh meat is packaged;

(d) the place in which fresh meat is packaged shall be sufficiently large and so arranged that the hygiene of operations is assured;

(e) packaging and wrapping material shall be brought to the room hygienically and shall be used without delay and persons who handle fresh meat shall not handle packaging unless it is non-porous and corrosion resistant; and;

(f) immediately after wrapping and packaging, the fresh meat shall be placed in the refrigerated room referred to in paragraph 1(i) of the Second Schedule or paragraph 1(a)(ii) of the Third Schedule or paragraph 1(i) of Part I of the Fifth Schedule or paragraph 1(i) of Part II of the Seventh Schedule or paragraph 1(i) of Part III of the Seventh Schedule.

FIFTEENTH SCHEDULE
Storage of fresh meat requirements applicable in cold stores

(regs. 5(4)(a)(iii), 14(1)(g))

1. The occupier of a cold store shall ensure that fresh meat is—

(a) kept at a constant internal temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen fresh meat;

(b) handled, loaded, unloaded and stored in an hygienic manner and, in particular, that it is loaded and unloaded under cover;

(d) identifiable as to origin while it is being stored;

(e) identifiable as to the date of slaughter of the animals from which the fresh meat was derived and the date of cutting up; and

(f) made available for inspection on request by a meat inspector, VO or OVS.

2. The occupier of a cold store shall ensure that—

(a) where wrapped fresh meat is brought into the cold store for freezing, it is not stored on wooden pallets, and that, during freezing, it is suspended from either a rail system or suitable frames of a material resistant to corrosion;

(b) unfit meat is not stored in the same room as other fresh meat;

SIXTEENTH SCHEDULE
Freezing of fresh meat

(regs. 5(4)(a)(iii) and 14(1)(i))

1. The occupier of any premises at which fresh meat is to be frozen shall ensure that fresh meat intended for freezing—

(a) is frozen without delay (which shall not preclude an initial period of stabilisation, where appropriate);

(b) is frozen in a hygienic manner, by a rapid method, using suitable equipment; and, in the case of an abattoir or cutting premises, in rooms in the same premises where it was produced or cut up, as the case may be;

(c) is frozen so that it reaches an internal temperature of minus 12ºC or lower and is not stored at a higher temperature thereafter; and

(d) is stamped legibly before freezing so as to indicate the month and year in which it is frozen or a label is attached to it after freezing indicating this or, if fresh meat is packaged or wrapped, the packaging or wrapping in which it is placed after freezing is marked clearly and visibly in such a way as to indicate this.

2. The occupier of any cold store shall ensure that fresh meat intended for freezing in a cold store comes directly from an abattoir, or a farmed game meat plant, and that the official seals are intact.

SEVENTEENTH SCHEDULE
Transport of fresh meat requirements applicable to occupiers or persons responsible for the control and management of transport

(reg. 14(1)(j))

1. No fresh meat or fresh meat product from an abattoir, intended for sale for human consumption, shall be conveyed in any vehicle or aircraft, other than in refrigerated trucks, unless the use of the vehicle or aircraft has been approved in writing by the VO or OVS.

2. Subject to paragraph 1(q) of the Tenth Schedule, fresh meat shall be loaded at a temperature of not more than 7ºC for carcasses and cuts, 3ºC for offal and -12ºC for frozen fresh meat, and shall be transported in vehicles so designed and equipped that such meat is maintained at those temperatures throughout the period of transport.

3. The interior surfaces of vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat and any other parts of the vehicles which may come into contact with such meat shall be so finished as to enable them effectively to be kept clean and disinfected and shall be constructed of material resistant to corrosion which does not cause a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of the meat or render it harmful to human health.

4. (1) Vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat shall be provided with efficient devices for protecting the meat against the entry of insects and dust and shall be watertight.

(2) Where such vehicles are used for the transport of carcasses, half carcasses, quarter carcasses and unpackaged cut fresh meat, they shall be equipped with fittings of material resistant to corrosion for hanging the meat fixed at such a height that fresh meat cannot come into contact with the floor:

Provided that fittings for hanging such meat shall not be required where the meat is transported by aircraft. These must have suitable facilities resistant to corrosion, provided for hygienically loading, holding and unloading the meat and the meat must be suitably packaged.

5. Vehicles used for conveying live animals or any substance which may be detrimental to, or contaminate fresh meat, shall not be used for the transport of such meat.

6. Fresh meat shall not be transported in the same vehicle at the same time as any other product likely to affect the hygiene of such meat or to contaminate it unless it is transported in such a manner that it will not contaminate the meat; and packaged meat shall not be transported in the same vehicle and at the same time as unpackaged meat unless an adequate physical separation is provided so as to protect unpackaged meat from packaged meat.

7. Stomachs shall be scalded, or cleaned and feet and heads skinned or scalded and depilated before being transported in a vehicle containing other fresh meat, and must be strictly separated from fresh meat.

8. Fresh meat shall not be transported in vehicles which are not properly cleaned and disinfected.

9. Carcasses, half carcasses, wholesale cuts of half carcasses and quarter carcasses, other than frozen fresh meat packaged in a hygienic manner, shall be suspended throughout the period of transport, except where such meat is transported by aircraft in which suitable facilities resistant to corrosion have been provided for hygienically loading, holding and unloading fresh meat. Other cuts and offal, other than the viscera, shall be hung or placed on supports if not placed in packages of material resistant to corrosion. The supports shall be clean and corrosion-resistant and packaging shall meet the requirements of the Fourteenth Schedule.

10. The viscera may only be transported in strong, clean and impervious lidded containers or packages which may only be re-used after being cleaned and disinfected.

11. All persons engaged in the handling and transport of meat or meat products from an abattoir shall take all precautions which, in the opinion of the Director, VO, OVS or meat inspector, are reasonably necessary to prevent the exposure of the meat or meat products to contamination.

12. Every person who employs a person to carry meat in or about an abattoir, or to or from a vehicle shall cause such a person, while so occupied, to wear a clean and washable head covering and protective clothing.

This requirement shall not apply to the carriage of any meat which is packed in impervious material.

13. Any person transporting red meat, pork or poultry in a frozen state for a distance of 100 km or further, or in a chilled state for a distance of 20 km or further, shall be required to use refrigerated transport.

EIGHTEENTH SCHEDULE
Application for an approval licence

(reg. 5(7))

NINETEENTH SCHEDULE
Licence or approval

(reg. 5(8))

TWENTIETH SCHEDULE
Application for renewal or transfer of premises

(reg. 6(3))

TWENTY-FIRST SCHEDULE
Application for alterations or additions to premises

(reg. 5(10)(a))

TWENTY-SECOND SCHEDULE
Declaration to accompany an animal for slaughter known or suspected to be injured

(reg. 18(2)(a))

TWENTY-THIRD SCHEDULE
Veterinary certificate for movement of slaughtered farmed game from handling facilities to a meat plant

(reg. 19(2))

LIVESTOCK AND MEAT INDUSTRIES (POULTRY ABATTOIR) REGULATIONS

(section 7)

(11th September, 2007)

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

REGULATION

PART I
Preliminary

1. Citation

2. Interpretation

3. Exemptions

PART II
Licensing of Abattoirs, Cutting Premises, Cold Storage and Wrapping Centres

4. Issue of licences

5. Renewal, transfer and alteration of licence

6. Refusal or revocation of licence

7. Licensing appeals

PART III
Supervision and Control of Premises

8. Appointment of official veterinary surgeon and meat inspector

9. Premises to be approved by Director

10. Supervision of premises

11. Powers of authorised officer

12. Inspection and health marking

13. Notice of operation of licenced premises

PART IV
Conditions for the Marketing of Fresh Meat

14. General conditions

15. Transport documentation

16. Prohibition and conditions of slaughter

PART V
Administration, Penalties and Enforcement

17. Records of inspections

18. Duties of occupier

19. Duties of producer

20. Offences and penalties

Schedules

S.I. 55, 2007.

PART I
Preliminary (regs 1-3)

1. Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Livestock and Meat Industries (Poultry Abattoir) Regulations.

2. Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“abattoir” means premises licensed by the Director under regulation 4 for the slaughter and dressing of poultry for human consumption;

“authorised officer” means a veterinary officer, an official veterinary surgeon, or a meat inspector appointed by the Director under regulation 8;

“batch” means a quantity of meat obtained from the same bird species and type, and produced from the same production run;

“condemned” means unfit for human consumption;

“cutting up” means cutting carcasses into smaller cuts or removing bones from carcasses or parts thereof;

“detained” means held pending a final decision on fitness for human consumption by an authorised officer;

“Director” means the Director of the Department of Veterinary Services;

“farmed game birds” means birds including guinea-fowl, partridge, pheasant, quail, pigeon, not excluding poultry which are not generally considered domestic but which are bred and reared in captivity;

“final consumer” means a person who buys fresh meat—

(a) otherwise than for the purpose of resale;

(b) for transport to and consumption on, premises which he or she owns, are under his or her personal supervision, or are in the ownership or under the personal supervision of a person employed by him or her; or

(c) for direct transport to, and sale as take-away food for consumption from, premises which he or she owns, or are under his or her personal supervision, or are in the ownership or under the personal supervision of a person employed by him or her;

“fresh meat” means meat which has not undergone any preserving process, but may have been chilled, frozen, vacuum wrapped or wrapped in a controlled atmosphere;

“giblet” means, in the case of—

(a) duck, goose and turkey, the neck bone with the head removed, the heart trimmed of vessels and the sac, the liver with the gall bladder removed, or the gizzard with the lining and contents removed;

(b) chicken and guinea-fowl, the neck bone with or without the head, the heart trimmed of vessels and the sac, the liver with the gall bladder removed, the gizzard with the lining and contents removed, or any other part of that chicken, not being meat, considered edible:

Provided that all such material is properly cleaned;

“health mark” means a health mark set out in the Seventeenth Schedule;

“licensed” in relation to any abattoir, cutting premises, cold store or wrapping centre, means licensed by the Director under regulation 4, and

“licence” has a corresponding meaning;

“occupier”, in relation to premises, includes a person who is entitled to use and control the premises and the duly authorised representative of that person;

“official veterinary surgeon” means a veterinary surgeon appointed by the Director under regulation 8;

“owner”, in relation to premises, includes the lessee or occupier of those premises, and any person who is in charge or control of the premises;

“plant” means an abattoir, cutting premises, cold store or wrapping centre;

“postmortem health inspection” means the inspection of slaughtered birds in accordance with the Sixth Schedule;

“poultry” means chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese;

“pre-slaughter health inspection” means the inspection of live birds in accordance with the Fifth Schedule;

“producer” means the person who owns or is in charge of any birds, including the duly authorised representative of any such person;

“red offal” means any part of the abdominal and thoracic cavity and any part of the digestive tract excluding intestines and cloaca;

“rough offal” means any part of the intestines and cloaca;

“veterinary officer” means a veterinary surgeon who is in the permanent employment of the Ministry of Agriculture;

“veterinary surgeon” has the same meaning as that assigned to it under the Veterinary Surgeons Act (Cap. 61:04);

“viscera” means offal from the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities, including the trachea, the oesophagus and the crop; and

“wrapping centre” means premises licensed under regulation 4, other than an abattoir, cutting premises or cold store, where fresh meat is packaged, wrapped or re-wrapped.

3. Exemptions

These Regulations do not apply to—

(a) premises where fresh meat is cut up, stored, or re-wrapped for sale from those premises, either—

(i) direct to the final consumer at those premises,

(ii) direct to the final consumer at a local market, or

(iii) to retailers who sell direct to the final consumer where such retailers pursue their trade in the same locality as, or in a neighbouring locality to, that in which those premises are situated;

(b) a cold store which handles only fresh meat which is packaged;

Provided that such meat is not used for human consumption and, except in the case of such meat used for analysis, it is destroyed after such exhibition or special study; or

(d) fresh meat intended for use other than human consumption.

PART II
Licensing of Abattoirs, Cutting Premises, Cold Storage and Wrapping Centres (regs 4-7)

4. Issue of licences

(1) No person shall use any premises as an abattoir, cutting premises, a cold store or wrapping centre unless those premises are licensed.

(2) An application for the issue of a licence in respect of such premises referred to in subregulation (1) shall be made to the Director in the prescribed form, set out in the First Schedule, and the licence shall be issued only after the premises have satisfied the requirements of these Regulations.

(3) An application under this regulation shall be accompanied by—

(a) a comprehensive plan of the premises to which the application relates;

(b) a site plan showing the area to be used and adjacent properties and buildings; and

(c) a full description of the operations to be carried out and the equipment and fittings to be used on the premises to which the application relates.

(4) The Director shall, on receipt of the application, cause a comprehensive report regarding the suitability of the plans, site and other health matters to be compiled by staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and an environmental health officer.

(5) The Director shall arrange any veterinary inspections he or she believes are necessary and liaise with the environmental health authority.

(6) The Director shall decide whether or not to grant a licence within sixty days of receiving the application.

(7) The Director shall notify the occupier of the premises in writing of his or her decision on the application and, if the application is not granted, of the reasons for the refusal.

(8) Any licence granted in respect of any premises under this regulation shall be subject to the condition that any alteration to the premises or the equipment in those premises or the method of operation in those premises shall comply with the provisions of these Regulations.

(9) In granting a licence in respect of any premises under this regulation the Director may—

(a) specify which species of bird may or may not be slaughtered or handled in such premises;

(b) make the licence subject to conditions in respect of which a species of bird may be slaughtered or handled in such premises.

(10) In granting a licence in respect of a cold store, the Director may grant that licence subject to the condition that fresh meat shall be stored only in one or more specified storage chambers or that the cold store shall store only fresh meat which is packaged.

(11) A licence in respect of a category of abattoir shall be subject to the conditions for that category, as set out in the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Schedules.

(12) A licence in respect of any abattoir shall be subject to the conditions set out in the Fifth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Schedules.

(13) If the Director is satisfied that the planned or existing plant satisfies the requirements of these Regulations, the Director shall—

(a) allocate to the plant a licence number;

(b) enter in a register—

(i) the licence number of the plant,

(ii) the name of the owner of the plant,

(iii) the type of plant,

(iv) in the case of an abattoir, the category of abattoir, and

(v) such other details as the Director considers necessary;

(c) forward to the applicant a licence, in the Form set out in the Second Schedule, in the name of the applicant, specifying on the licence any special conditions subject to which the plant shall operate.

(14) A licence shall expire annually on 31 December each year from the date of issue.

(15) The Director may, on application by any person, approve and issue a temporary licence for a specified period to a backyard slaughter facility in a city, town or village where are is no compliant operational facility within a reasonable distance:

Provided that—

(a) the basic standards of slaughter and hygiene as provided for in these Regulations are met and all carcasses are examined by a meat inspector and passed as fit for human consumption or condemned, as appropriate;

(b) ante-mortem and postmortem requirements of the Fifth and Sixth Schedules are used as guidelines by the meat inspector, and the judgement criteria in the Sixth Schedule shall apply; and

(16) Where, under this regulation, the Director refuses to grant a licence or granted a licence subject to any condition, the Director shall notify the applicant of his or her right to appeal to the Minister under regulation 7.

5. Renewal, transfer and alteration of licence

(1) Any person who wishes to renew or transfer into the name of another person the licence of a plant shall submit to the Director, not later than the date of expiry of the existing licence of the plant, an application in the form set out in the Third Schedule.

(2) Any person who wishes to make alterations or additions to a plant which alters or affects the production or throughput shall submit to the Director an application in the form set out in the Fourth Schedule, attaching such plans as may be necessary to describe the alterations or additions.

(3) The Director shall, within 30 days after receiving an application, subject to a satisfactory report in terms of regulation 4(4), consider the application and if he or she is satisfied that—

(a) there is no change in the use of the plant from the purpose specified in the licence; and

(b) there is no reduction in the standards of hygiene or quality of the products of the plant,

the Director shall issue a new licence to the applicant in the form set out in the Second Schedule.

6. Refusal or revocation of licence

(1) The Director may refuse to license a plant, renew a licence, transfer a licence, or may cancel a licence, as the case may be, and shall thereupon notify the applicant, in writing, giving reasons for the decision if the Director is of the opinion that—

(a) an application for building a new abattoir, cold store, cutting premises or wrapping centre is being made, and such premises will not be used for the purpose for which it may be licensed;

(b) an application for altering an existing plant is being made, and such plant will not be or is not being used for the purpose for which it is or may be licensed;

(d) the operations of the plant are in any way unsatisfactory;

(e) the applicant has otherwise failed to comply with these Regulations; or

(f) the plant has had an adverse veterinary inspection report.

7. Licensing appeals

(1) Where the Director refuses to license any premises, to renew a licence, to transfer a licence, or cancels a licence, or grants a licence with conditions under regulation 5, the occupier of those premises may within 14 days of being notified of that decision appeal to the Minister, attaching a copy of the notification, giving reasons why the Director’s decision should be reversed.

(2) The Minister shall, after consultation with the Director, within 30 days after receiving an appeal in terms of subregulation (1), notify the appellant of his or her decision:

Provided that if the appeal concerns a previously licensed plant the appellant concerned may continue to operate the plant pending the outcome of his or her appeal, unless the Director notifies the appellant that the continued operation poses a risk to public health.

PART III
Supervision and Control of Premises (regs 8-13)

8. Appointment of official veterinary surgeon and meat inspector

(1) The Director may appoint a veterinary surgeon to the Ministry of Agriculture for a specified period or purpose, and during his or her appointment, such veterinary surgeon shall be designated an “official veterinary surgeon”.

(2) The Director may appoint a person holding a Certificate in Meat Inspection from the Meat Inspection College of Botswana, or an equivalent qualification approved by the Director of Public Service Management, as a meat inspector.

(3) The Minister shall cause the approval of the equivalent qualification, referred to in subregulation (2), to be published in the Gazette.

9. Premises to be approved by Director

(1) No person shall produce meat for sale for human consumption in any abattoir unless the abattoir has been approved by the Director, in accordance with the Tenth to Thirteenth Schedules.

(2) A person who produces meat for human consumption in any abattoir shall comply with the requirements of the Fifth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Schedules.

10. Supervision of premises

(1) The Director may, in relation to any plant, appoint a veterinary officer, official veterinary surgeon, or meat inspector to be an authorised officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, to act in relation to the examination and seizure of meat, to provide the health certification of fresh meat in accordance with regulation 12(2) and to be responsible for the following functions in relation to that plant—

(a) ensuring the pre-slaughter health inspection of birds and postmortem health inspection of slaughtered birds in accordance with the Fifth and Sixth Schedules;

(b) supervising the health marking of fresh meat in accordance with the Seventeenth Schedule;

(c) securing, in accordance with these Regulations, the observance of the requirements of the Seventh to Sixteenth Schedules.

(2) The Director shall, in relation to any plant, appoint such number of meat inspectors to perform the functions specified in subregulation (1) as are in his or her opinion necessary for the proper performance of those functions.

(3) A meat inspector appointed under subregulation (2) shall act under the supervision and responsibility of an authorised officer.

11. Powers of authorised officer

(1) An authorised officer may, by notice in writing given to the occupier, prohibit the use of any equipment or any part of the premises specified in the notice, or require the rate of operation to be reduced to such an extent as is specified in the notice, if it appears to the authorised officer that in respect of any plant to which he or she has been appointed—

(a) any of the requirements of these Regulations as to hygiene are being breached;

(b) adequate health inspection in accordance with these Regulations is being hampered; or

(2) A notice given under subregulation (1) shall specify the breach of the regulation that has occurred, and the action required to remedy it.

(3) A notice given under subregulation (1) shall be withdrawn by a further notice in writing given by the authorised officer to the occupier of the premises as soon as the authorised officer is satisfied that necessary action has been taken to satisfy the requirements of that subregulation.

(4) As long as the notice given under subregulation (1) is in effect, the licence in respect of the premises shall be treated as being altered by the addition of the requirements specified in the notice, and the other provisions of the licence shall be subject to those requirements.

(5) An authorised officer may, in relation to any premises to which he or she is appointed, subject any bird or any carcass or meat in any premises to such examinations (including the taking and analysis of samples) as he or she may reasonably consider to be necessary for the protection of public health.

(6) An authorised officer may, where he or she reasonably considers it necessary for the protection of public health, by notice in writing given to the occupier of any such premises, state that he or she requires to examine any specified group, bird, carcass or meat specified in the notice on the premises, and once such notice is received the occupier shall detain any such specified group, bird, carcass or meat until such time as he or she is informed in writing, as soon as practicable, by the authorised officer that the result of any such examination has been obtained.

12. Inspection and health marking

(1) An authorised officer shall arrange for—

(a) pre-slaughter health inspections to be carried out and authorise the slaughter of birds in accordance with the Fifth Schedule; and

(b) postmortem health inspections to be carried out in accordance with the Sixth Schedule.

(2) The authorised officer shall apply a health mark in accordance with the Seventeenth Schedule to all fresh meat which complies with the requirements of these Regulations and has been passed as fit for human consumption following pre-slaughter and postmortem health inspections.

(3) No person shall apply a health mark—

(a) to any fresh meat which does not satisfy the requirements under subregulation (2); or

(b) to any uneviscerated poultry.

(4) No person shall remove, or cause or permit to be removed, from licensed premises, any carcass or part of a carcass or any offal intended for sale for human consumption until it has been inspected in accordance with these Regulations.

(5) No person shall remove, or cause or permit to be removed, from licensed premises, any body of a bird intended for sale for human consumption unless such body is accompanied by a health attestation.

(6) No person shall use any mark which resembles a health mark, or mark a product in such a way, as to imply that it has been produced in accordance with these Regulations.

13. Notice of operation of licenced premises

(1) Subject to subregulation (3), no person shall operate any licensed premises to produce fresh meat for sale for human consumption unless such a person has notified the Director in accordance with subregulation (2) of the day on which and time and place at which they are to be operated.

(2) The notification referred to in subregulation (1) shall be given to the Director not less than 72 hours before the commencement of such operation, except where the Director agrees with such person that the Director will accept notice of a shorter duration, in which case such person shall give to the Director notice of such agreed duration.

(3) Where it is the regular practice in any licensed premises to operate at fixed times on fixed days and a written notice of this practice has been given to and accepted by the Director, such notice shall, as respects any operation in accordance with such practice, be regarded as adequate compliance with the requirements under subregulations (1) and (2).

PART IV
Conditions for the marketing of fresh meat (regs 14-16)

14. General conditions

(1) No person shall at any time sell for human consumption any fresh meat unless—

(a) it has been obtained from licensed premises;

(b) it comes from a bird which has been subjected to a pre-slaughter health inspection in accordance with the Fifth Schedule;

(d) it comes from the body of a bird which has been subjected to a postmortem health inspection in accordance with the Sixth Schedule;

(e) it has been given a health mark in accordance with the Seventeenth Schedule;

(f) it is accompanied during transportation by a health certificate and an invoice or delivery note;

(g) if it has been stored in any licensed premises in accordance with the Eighth Schedule ;

(h) if it is wrapped or packaged under hygienic conditions in accordance with the Sixteenth Schedule; or

(i) if it has been transported to, or from, any licensed premises under hygienic conditions in accordance with the Eighth Schedule.

(2) No person shall sell for human consumption—

(a) fresh meat which—

(i) has been treated with an antibiotic or tenderiser;

(ii) has been marked with a colourant other than in accordance with regulation 12(2) and the Seventeenth Schedule;

(iii) has been treated with a preservative other than a permitted preservative; or

(iv) has been cooled, immediately after evisceration and a postmortem health inspection has been conducted, by means contrary to the requirements and principles under the Seventh Schedule;

(b) meat which has not been eviscerated or has been obtained from the body of any bird which has not been eviscerated; or

15. Transport documentation

(1) The occupier of licensed premises shall ensure that fresh meat is accompanied during transportation from those premises by a health certificate and by an invoice or delivery note containing the following information—

(a) the name and address of the consignor and the consignee;

(b) the approval number of the premises from which the meat is to be transported;

(d) a description of the product transported;

(e) the total quantity despatched; and

(f) the particulars provided for under the Seventeenth Schedule.

(2) Any person who receives fresh meat direct from any licensed premises shall keep the invoice or delivery note referred to in subregulation (1) for a period of at least six months from the date of receipt.

16. Prohibition and conditions of slaughter

(1) An authorised officer may require the occupier of any licensed premises or the producer of any bird—

(a) not to slaughter for human consumption any bird in respect of which there is evidence that it would be unfit for such consumption; or

(b) not to slaughter for human consumption any bird in respect of which clinical signs of ornithosis or salmonellosis have been established.

PART V
Administration, Penalties and Enforcement (regs 17 – 21)

17. Records of inspections

(1) An authorised officer shall record the results of the pre-slaughter health inspections and postmortem health inspections carried out by the officer or under his or her supervision.

(2) Where an inspection reveals the presence of a transmissible disease in any bird, the authorised officer shall immediately give notification of the presence of the disease to—

(a) the occupier of the abattoir;

(b) the producer of the bird in question; and

(3) An authorised officer shall report any case of cruelty to poultry in writing to both the occupier and to the Director.

(4) An authorised officer shall immediately report to the Director any suspected case of an inspected bird with a disease which is notifiable under the Diseases of Animals Act (Cap. 37:01) and the authorised officer shall immediately isolate that bird and deal with it in accordance with the instructions of the Director.

(5) The authorised officer shall retain a record of the inspection referred to in subregulation (1) until the expiry of a period of one year from the date of the inspection.

18. Duties of occupier

(1) The occupier of any plant shall—

(a) keep, and retain for a period of at least one year from the date of slaughter, a record showing the number of birds, identified by species, received into, and the amounts of fresh meat despatched, from the premises during each week;

(b) take all reasonable steps to secure compliance with these Regulations by any person employed by him or her or by any person invited onto the premises;

(c) ensure that an authorised officer or meat inspector is provided with adequate facilities to enable him or her carry out his or her duties under these Regulations and that he or she is given such reasonable assistance and access to the premises and records as he or she may from time to time require for such purposes;

(d) take all necessary measures to ensure that at all stages of production the requirements of these Regulations are complied with, and carry out checks (including any microbiological checks the Director may require) on the general hygiene of conditions of production in his or her establishment to ensure that all equipment, machinery, instruments, fittings and facilities comply with the requirements of these Regulations; and

(e) take all necessary measures to ensure—

(i) that a record in permanent form, which shall be made available to the authorised officer upon request, is kept in respect of the matters specified in paragraph (d) for a period of at least one year from the date of such record;

(ii) the proper application of the health mark, as provided for in the Seventeenth Schedule including the use of any labels or wrapping on which the health mark is printed;

(iii) that the Director is notified immediately when any information at the occupier’s disposal reveals a serious health risk, and

(iv) in the event of a serious health risk, the withdrawal of fresh meat which has been obtained under similar conditions or stored in similar conditions and is likely to present a similar risk.

(2) The occupier of any licensed premises shall in consultation with the authorised officer establish a staff training programme to train staff—

(a) to comply with hygiene requirements as set out in Schedule 9; and

(b) in the use of cleaning tools, methods of disassembling equipment for cleaning, and knowledge in the significance of contamination and the hazards involved.

(3) The owner of an abattoir shall designate a person who shall be held responsible for the cleanliness of the plant.

19. Duties of producer

(1) In order to enable the authorised officer to carry out his or her producer functions under these Regulations, every producer shall—

(a) give any such assistance as he or she may reasonably be requested for any such purpose; and

(b) ensure that birds are made available in a condition suitable for inspection by the authorised officer.

(2) If a producer fails to comply with subregulation (1), the authorised officer may suspend the inspection or other function until the producer complies with his or her obligations under that subregulation.

(3) Where a producer receives a notification under regulation 17(2) regarding the presence of a transmissible disease in any of his or her birds, he or she shall retain such notification and bring it to the notice of the authorised officer carrying out a pre-slaughter health inspection of that producer’s birds during the subsequent production period.

20. Offences and penalties

(1) Any person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations Offences and penalties commits an offence and is liable—

(a) for the first offence, to a fine not exceeding P1,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, and where the offence is a continuing offence, to an additional fine of P500 for each day on which the offence continues; and

(b) for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine of P2,000 or to imprisonment for a term of six months, and where the offence is a continuing offence, to an additional fine of P500 for each day on which the offence continues.

FIRST SCHEDULE

(reg. 4(2))

APPLICATION FOR LICENCE OF A POULTRY ABATTOIR OR RELATED PREMISES

I, the undersigned, hereby apply for a licence in respect of the abattoir/premises mentioned below and described in detail on the attached plans in terms of the Livestock and Meat Industries (Poultry Abattoir) Regulations.

Name of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Description of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Address of the abattoir/premises (including district)	…………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………
Name and address of owner	…………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………
Average daily throughput	……………………………………………………
Maximum daily throughput	……………………………………………………
Capacity of chillers/freezers	……………………………………………………
Full name of applicant	……………………………………………………
Signature of applicant	……………………………………………………
Date	……………………………………………………

SECOND SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(13), 5(3))

POULTRY ABATTOIR/PREMISES LICENCE

I hereby certify that the abattoir/premises described below is for the slaughter of poultry
and processing of poultry meat intended for human consumption in terms of the Livestock
and Meat Industries (Poultry Abattoir) Regulations, and it is allocated licence number
……………………………..

Name of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Description of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Address of the abattoir/premises (including district)	…………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………
Name of owner	……………………………………………………
Category of abattoir/type of plant	……………………………………………………
Maximum daily throughput permitted	……………………………………………………
Special conditions under which the abattoir may operate	…………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………
	……………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………. Director of Animal Health & Production	…………………………………………………… Date and Stamp

This licence is valid until 31st December, 20…….. and must be displayed in the abovementioned abattoir/premises at all times.

THIRD SCHEDULE

(reg. 5(1))

APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OR TRANSFER OF A POULTRY ABATTOIR/PREMISES LICENCE

I hereby apply for the renewal/transfer* of the licence in respect of the abattoir mentioned below for the period from ……………………………………… to ………………………………………

I certify that no alterations, other than those for which permission has been duly granted, to the abattoir/premises have been made since the previous licence was granted and the Category of the abattoir is the same.

Name of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Description of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Licence number	……………………………………………………
In the case of proposed transfer, name of new owner	……………………………………………………
Name of applicant	……………………………………………………
Signature of applicant	……………………………………………………
Date ……………………………………………………

*delete as applicable.

FOURTH SCHEDULE

(reg. 5(2))

APPLICATION FOR ALTERATION OR ADDITIONS TO A POULTRY ABATTOIR/PREMISES

I hereby apply for permission to make alteration/additions* to the abattoir/ premises mentioned below and attach details of the same.

Name of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Description of the abattoir/premises	……………………………………………………
Licence number	……………………………………………………
Address of the abattoir/premises	…………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………
Name and address of owner	……………………………………………………
Signature of applicant	……………………………………………………
Date ……………………………………………………

*delete as applicable.

FIFTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(12), 9(2), 10(1)(a), 12(1)(a), 14(1)(b))

GENERAL OPERATING PRACTICES AND PROCESSING REQUIREMENTS OF A POULTRY ABATTOIR

1. No person shall keep, or allow to be kept, any live poultry at a poultry abattoir or part thereof, other than in suitably large containers which shall comply with the following minimum requirements—

(a) the floor of a container for—

(i) turkeys or geese shall have an area of at least 0.1 square metres per bird and the height thereof shall be at least 76 cm,

(ii) poultry which is smaller than turkeys or geese shall have an area of at least 455 square cm per bird and the height thereof shall be at least 0.5. metres in height;

(b) each container or compartment of a multiple container shall not hold more than—

(i) 30 chickens or poultry of a similar size,

(ii) 20 ducks or poultry of a similar size, or

(iii) 10 turkeys or geese, or poultry of a similar size;

(d) the container shall be kept or erected on a suitably paved and drained area and, where containers holding poultry are stacked upon each other, the containers shall not be placed within a distance of 0.3 metres from any walls or other vertical surface or within 0.6 metres of the roof.

2. Containers, batteries, coops, or other facilities in which live poultry are presented for pre-slaughter health inspection shall be constructed and arranged in such a way, with sufficient light provided, to enable the authorised officer to carry out inspection.

3. No person shall deliver or receive the following at a poultry abattoir without the consent of the authorised officer—

(a) any obviously diseased poultry;

(b) the carcass of any bird which died or was killed before it could be delivered to such abattoir.

4. Subject to subparagraph ( 5), no person shall keep live poultry, except ostrich or other ratites, on the premises of an abattoir for a period exceeding 24 hours prior to slaughter.

5. A person may keep poultry for up to 72 hours prior to slaughter, if proper facilities for accommodation, feeding and watering of the poultry in the containers exist.

6. No person shall slaughter ostriches and other ratites at an abattoir other than one which has been designated by the Director, in writing, for that purpose.

7. No person shall at an abattoir feed or cause to be fed any poultry with blood, offal or refuse.

8. The authorised officer shall at the abattoir take all necessary steps to ensure that the birds are correctly identified and checked for injury during transportation.

9. The occupier shall report any case of cruelty to poultry in writing to the Director.

10. Any person shall immediately report a suspected case of a disease notifiable under the Diseases of Animals Act to the Director or an authorised officer and the affected bird shall be isolated and dealt with in accordance with the Director’s instructions.

11. Poultry showing on pre-slaughter health inspection any disease or condition that under the Sixth Schedule may require condemnation in whole or in part on postmortem health inspection, shall be segregated, by the authorised officer from the other poultry and held for separate slaughter, evisceration and postmortem inspection.

12. The authorised officer shall, if a live bird affected by a contagious disease transmissible to man is brought into an abattoir—

(a) segregate the bird;

(b) defer the slaughter of the bird;

(c) not slaughter the bird unless he or she is satisfied that the slaughter of the bird will not pose any threat to public health.

13. The authorised officer may prohibit slaughter where he or she has evidence that the meat from the bird concerned might be unfit for human consumption.

14. The person in charge of a poultry abattoir shall ensure that, 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, those birds are slaughtered at the end of the current slaughtering period or under conditions that ensure that any contamination of other birds is avoided.

15. To protect against the risk of cross contamination, the person in charge of a poultry abattoir shall ensure that domesticated birds including chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese or pigeons, on the one hand, and farmed game birds, on the other hand, are processed in different areas of the abattoir or at a different time and, where the processing is done at a different time, the processing area shall be cleaned thoroughly before the introduction of different species of poultry to the processing area.

16. The person in charge of a poultry abattoir shall keep and maintain or cause to be kept and maintained in a state of repair and cleanliness such abattoir and shall so conduct operations as to prevent the risk of contamination of any poultry intended for human consumption, and in particular shall ensure that—

(a) all receptacles containing refuse are kept covered with close fitting lids or covers;

(b) tanks and other containers are emptied and washed out and sterilised as often as is necessary and are thoroughly cleansed and sterilised at the end of each working day;

(c) any paper or other wrapping material used for covering or handling dressed poultry is not damaged in any way and is in a clean and hygienic condition;

(d) all floors and walls of all rooms are thoroughly clean at all times.

17. The person in charge of a poultry abattoir shall take measures to inhibit mould growth and to prevent dust, dirt, flaking paint and other loose material being present in the slaughtering, dressing or processing areas or in the storage, cold storage and refrigeration rooms.

18. The owner of a poultry abattoir shall—

(a) cause all refuse to be removed daily;

(b) provide a sufficient number of suitable receptacles with close-fitting lids for the collection, disposal and removal of refuse and shall after the contents have been so removed and disposed of, cause such receptacles to be thoroughly cleansed before being used again;

(c) ensure that any blood or other refuse which is not immediately swilled down a drain is collected in suitable receptacles and disposed of as provided in subparagraphs (a) and (b);

(d) be responsible for—

(i) the maintenance of cleanliness and proper hygienic conditions in the abattoir,

(ii) the cleanliness of the outer garments of all employees handling carcasses,

(iii) the thorough and regular cleansing and disinfection of all knives and equipment, and

(iv) the washing of hands by employees after visiting a toilet.

19. The person in charge of a poultry abattoir shall not permit employees to work in parts of the premises where poultry is slaughtered or processed, unless adequate cleansing measures are taken by such personnel to prevent contamination.

20. The person in charge of a poultry abattoir shall not permit—

(a) smoking or expectorating in any area of an abattoir containing any poultry carcasses or portion thereof;

(b) the chewing of tobacco, the placing of knives in the mouth, the testing of any container used for the packaging of poultry or portions thereof with air from the mouth and or the sucking of air from any container used for packaging carcasses or portions thereof by means of the mouth; or

21. Poultry shall be adequately restrained and shall be rendered unconscious or stunned by—

(a) application of an electric current; or

(b) any other method designated by the Director for the purpose of humane slaughter.

22. Poultry shall be thoroughly bled immediately after stunning by the severing of the neck or brain blood vessels and by suspending poultry by the legs or by placing them in suitable metal bleeding cones.

23. At least 90 seconds time shall be allowed for bleeding.

24. Plucking or de-feathering shall take place in such a manner as to prevent the scattering of feathers.

SIXTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 10(1)(a), 12)

PART I
INSPECTION OF POULTRY MEAT

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1. (1) Subject to subparagraph (2), the number of poultry that one meat inspector may inspect shall not exceed 20 per minute nor exceed 5,000 per 24 hours.

(2) The Director may specify, having regard to the needs of inspection and hygienic control, the maximum rate at which any particular species of poultry in a particular abattoir may be slaughtered, and the maximum number of such poultry which a meat inspector may inspect within a period of 24 hours.

2. Where the meat inspector suspects that a bird is infected with any disease set out in Part II of this Schedule, he or she shall immediately inform the nearest veterinary officer or official veterinary surgeon.

3. (1) A person shall not remove the viscera or any part thereof from any poultry except at the time of inspection of the carcass by a meat inspector.

(2) The meat inspector shall before a carcass is eviscerated, open the carcass so as to expose the organs and the body cavity for proper examination.

(3) If a carcass which is to be eviscerated is frozen, it shall be thoroughly thawed before being opened for examination by the meat inspector.

(4) The meat inspector shall examine each carcass, or all portions comprising such carcass.

4. The person in charge of the abattoir shall ensure that proventriculus, crops and intestines are, as soon as possible after evisceration, placed in suitable containers and removed from the slaughtering floor in such a manner as not to interfere with the meat inspection or to cause any obstruction or nuisance.

5. (1) A meat inspector shall detain for further examination a carcass, including all portions thereof, in which there is a lesion or disease, or other condition which might render it unfit for human consumption and with respect to which a final decision cannot be made on first examination by the meat inspector.

(2) The meat inspector shall, in deciding whether a carcass is unfit for human consumption, pay particular attention to—

(a) anomalies of consistency, colour and smell of the carcass;

(b) major anomalies resulting from slaughtering operations; and

6. The meat inspector shall, at the time of evisceration, condemn a carcass or any portion thereof, which he or she finds to be unfit for human consumption.

7. (1) The person in charge of the abattoir shall ensure that inedible offal is put into a separate receptacle or washed down to a reception tank which shall, apart from opening to receive the offal, be kept covered and, if necessary shall drain into a gully.

(2) The reception tank, if it is not drained, shall be emptied as often as necessary and at least not less than twice daily.

8. The person in charge of the abattoir shall ensure that edible offal is removed to a sorting shelf or tray, clear of the working area or evisceration trough.

9. (1) The authorised officer shall take random samples to examine for residues of prohibited substances in the poultry.

(2) The authorised officer may take samples to examine for residues of prohibited substances in the poultry if he or she reasonably suspects that the poultry may contain such substances.

10. (1) Where a disease is suspected on the basis of the pre-slaughter health inspection or postmortem health inspection, the authorised officer may ask for the requisite laboratory tests to be carried out at an approved laboratory if he or she considers them necessary to substantiate his or her diagnosis or to detect substances with pharmacological action likely to be present, given the pathological condition observed.

(2) In case of any doubt, the authorised officer may perform any further inspections of the bird or carcass necessary in order to reach a definitive diagnosis.

PART II
INDICATIONS OF UNFITNESS FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION

1. (1) The carcass or portion of a carcass of any poultry inspected at a licensed poultry abattoir and found at the time of postmortem health inspection, or at any subsequent inspection, to be affected with any of the diseases or conditions specified in this Schedule shall be dealt with as indicated in respect of the particular disease or condition.

(2) The decision as to the disposal of a poultry carcass, meat, viscera or animal product affected with a disease or condition not specified in this Schedule shall be made by the authorised officer.

2. If upon pre-slaughter health inspection or postmortem health inspection poultry is found to be suffering from any of the following diseases or conditions the whole carcass and viscera thereof shall be condemned—

(a) Botulism;

(b) Duck Virus Hepatitis;

(d) Fowl plague;

(e) Fowl Cholera (Pasteurellosis);

(f) Goose Influenza;

(g) Listeriosis;

(h) Malignant or multiple tumors;

(i) Newcastle Disease;

(j) Ornithosis;

(k) Pyaemia;

(l) Residues of substances exceeding the authorised standards or residues of prohibited substances;

(m) Salmonellosis;

(n) Septicaemia;

(o) Systemic mycosis;

(p) Tetanus;

(q) Toxaemia;

(r) Tuberculosis;

(s) Abnormal odour, colour and consistency;

(t) Decomposition;

(u) Emaciation;

(v) Hydraemia;

(w) Ascites;

(x) Moribund; or

(y) Over scalding resulting in cooked appearance of meat.

3. (1) Subject to subparagraph (2), if poultry upon either pre-slaughter health inspection or postmortem health inspection is found to be suffering from any of the following diseases or conditions, if the whole carcass is affected then the whole carcass shall be condemned but if only portions of the bird are affected then those portions shall be removed and condemned, and the unaffected portions passed—

(a) Air-sac mite infestation;

(b) Arthritis;

(d) Entero-hepatitis (Histomoniasis);

(e) Breast blisters;

(f) Respiratory diseases and their complications such as air-saculitis, peritonitis;

(g) Pericarditis and Perihepatitis;

(h) Coccidiosis;

(i) Fowl pox;

(j) Leukosis;

(k) Moniliasis;

(l) Mycosis (local);

(m) Neoplasms;

(n) Parasitic infection;

(o) Subcutaneous mite infestation;

(p) Trichomoniasis;

(q) Infectious laryngo-tracheitis; or

(r) Vibrionic hepatitis.

(2) If poultry has any of the diseases set out in subparagraph (1), the entire bird shall be condemned if—

(a) the disease is accompanied by severe emaciation or dehydration;

(b) advanced pathological changes are observed; or

4. If poultry is suffering from avitaminosis, visceral gout or salpingitis, portions of the bird shall be passed after removal and condemnation of the affected portions or organs, but the entire bird shall be condemned if—

(a) the disease is accompanied by severe emaciation or dehydration;

(b) advanced pathological changes are observed; or

5. Portions of a poultry carcass and organs shall be condemned if they are—

(a) affected by disease;

(b) soiled, or contaminated with disease;

(d) in any other way rendered unfit for human consumption.

6. (1) An inspected and passed poultry carcass, portion or giblets may be brought into a poultry abattoir only if its container is marked as prescribed and the contents are re-inspected by a meat inspector at the time they are brought into such abattoir, and if such contents, upon re-inspection are found to be unfit for human consumption, the meat inspector shall condemn them.

(2) A product which is prepared in an abattoir shall be inspected as often as the meat inspector deems it necessary in order to ascertain whether the product is fit for human consumption at the time it leaves the premises.

(3) If the meat inspector on any such inspection, finds any product or portion thereof to be unfit for human consumption, such product or portion thereof, shall be condemned by the meat inspector.

7. No germicide, insecticide, rodenticide, or other harmful substance of any nature by which a carcass, meat or animal product may be contaminated shall be handled, stored or used in a part of a poultry abattoir in which a carcass, meat, or animal product is dealt with, handled, processed or stored, but such substance may be used at any time if the meat inspector is satisfied that there will be no danger of contamination of the carcass, meat, or animal product.

8. (1) Where in a poultry abattoir a carcass, meat, viscera, or poultry product is condemned by the meat inspector, it shall be the duty of the person in charge of that abattoir to cause such carcass, meat, viscera or product to be disposed of in a suitable manner.

(2) The authorised officer may give such directions as appear to him or her to be necessary for the proper preservation in the abattoir of a carcass, meat, viscera, or poultry product which has been condemned or which requires to be detained for the time being.

(3) Every person shall comply with the terms of any direction given under subparagraph (2) by the authorised officer.

(4) A condemned carcass shall promptly be removed to the condemned room or space or shall be placed in a special truck reserved for that purpose and removed to a place of burial or of burning or for processing in digesters or melters in accordance with the law.

(5) In no case shall a carcass, meat, viscera or poultry that has been condemned in a poultry abattoir be permitted to remain in any edible product department of that abattoir after the conclusion of the working day on which it is condemned.

9. No person shall treat poultry for human consumption with ionising radiation or sell, distribute or import into Botswana poultry that has been so radiated without obtaining a prior import permit from the Director; and any such treated poultry shall be labelled “Irradiated Poultry”.

10. (1) The person in charge of an abattoir shall keep a register in which shall be correctly entered, immediately after the slaughter of poultry, the date, the number, the description and the type of poultry slaughtered and the names and addresses of the persons by whom and on whose behalf such poultry were delivered for slaughter.

(2) The person in charge of an abattoir shall keep a record of the number of carcasses passed and the number of carcasses condemned.

SEVENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 10(1)(c), 14(1)(c), 14(2)(a)(iv))

PREPARATION AND PROCESSING OF POULTRY CARCASSES

1. The preparatory treatment of poultry carcasses, leading to the finished product and packaging, shall be timed to permit expeditious handling of consecutive units in production under conditions which would reduce contamination, deterioration, spoilage or the development of infectious or toxigenic micro-organisms.

2. Procedures which are necessary for cooling and freezing carcasses and all edible portions thereof, shall be in accordance with operating practices which ensure the prompt removal of the product heat and preserve the conditions and wholesomeness of the carcass and all portions thereof.

3. Immediately after evisceration, a poultry carcass and the giblets shall be cooled within two hours to a temperature of 4?C or lower for chilled product, and minus 12?C or lower for frozen product.

4. Only water approved by the local authority shall be used for cooling purposes, and no water used for cooling shall be re-used unless it has been treated so as to conform to the water quality approved by the local authority.

5. If ice is used for cooling, it shall be washed with water approved by the local authority and then crushed immediately prior to being used.

6. (1) Water and ice for batch cooling shall be replaced after each batch.

(2) Water used for continuous cooling shall be continuously added to the chiller at a rate of not less than one litre per bird chilled, and meters shall be installed to register the amount of water entering the system.

7. No antibiotic substance shall be added to any poultry carcass or portion thereof or edible poultry product or to any water or ice used in a poultry abattoir.

8. (1) Poultry washing, chilling and draining methods shall be such that the increase of weight due to absorption and retention of water by a poultry carcass shall not at the time of packaging exceed the limits set out in the following table—

Kind and weight of poultry	Percentage increase in weight over weight before washing
Turkey 9 kg and over	4.5 %
Turkey 4.5 – 9.0 kg	6%
Turkey under 4.5 kg	8%
Chicken 2.8 kg and under	8%
All other poultry of any weight	6%

(2) An authorised officer shall make such weight tests from time to time as he or she deems necessary to ensure compliance with the provisions of this subparagraph.

9. All poultry carcasses shall, subject to the provisions of the Seventeenth Schedule, be labelled, tagged or marked with an inspection mark and such label, tag or mark shall in addition bear the identity number of the poultry abattoir.

EIGHTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 10(1)(c), 14(1)(g), (i))

REQUIREMENTS OF POULTRY MEAT STORAGE AND TRANSPORT

1. The finished meat product shall be stored and transported under conditions that prevent contamination with or development of pathogenic or toxigenic micro-organisms or infestation, and will protect the finished meat product against deterioration of the product or of the container.

2. (1) A meat inspector shall regularly inspect poultry carcasses, portions thereof or giblets stored in cold rooms for mould growth, or other signs of deterioration.

(2) Poultry carcasses shall be stored so as to permit adequate circulation of air around them and shall not be piled directly onto the floor of the room.

3. (1) Loading platforms shall be roofed and facilities shall be provided for easy loading into vehicles.

(2) As far as possible temperature changes in the carcass shall be avoided during transport and temperatures shall be maintained as provided in paragraph 6 hereof.

4. A vehicle used for the transport of poultry carcasses shall be clean and facilities shall be provided for the cleansing and disinfection of such a vehicle at the poultry abattoir.

5. A person engaged in the transport of poultry carcasses shall maintain a high standard of personal cleanliness and shall wear suitable and clean protective clothing made of a material which shall be of a light colour and be easily washed.

6. A person transporting poultry in a frozen state for a distance of 100km or further, or in a chilled state for a distance of 20km shall use refrigerated transport capable of maintaining the chill or frozen state of such poultry.

NINTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 10(1)(c), 18(2)(a))

HYGIENE OF PERSONNEL WORKING IN POULTRY ABATTOIRS

1. The owner of a poultry abattoir shall—

(a) provide to the employees of the abattoir, adequate and suitable light, clean and washable protective clothing at all times such employees are at work;

(b) ensure that protective clothing is not used by employees outside designated areas;

(d) provide protective clothing to every person visiting the abattoir.

2. (1) The owner of the abattoir shall ensure that no employee, known or suspected to be suffering from or to be a carrier of a disease capable of being transmitted through poultry, or afflicted with infected wounds, sores or diarrhoea, is permitted to work in an area of the abattoir in a capacity in which there is a possibility of such a person directly or indirectly contaminating poultry with pathogenic micro-organisms.

(2) The owner shall continuously educate and encourage his or her employees to maintain a high standard of hygiene and to recognise and report any poultry illness.

3. (1) The owner of the abattoir shall ensure that a medical examination is carried out by a medical practitioner on each person who is employed, or to be employed, as a poultry handler or employed in a position where he or she comes into contact with poultry or meat in an abattoir—

(a) prior to being employed; and

(b) at least once a year.

(2) The medical practitioner shall, after conducting the examination under subparagraph (1), furnish the employee with a report which shall give details of any of the following conditions if present in that person—

(a) infected wounds or sores;

(b) enteric infections, including parasitic diseases and carrier states, especially salmonella; or

4. Minor cuts and abrasions on the hands shall be appropriately treated and covered with suitable waterproof dressing, and adequate first aid facilities shall be provided to meet emergency contingencies to avoid contamination of the poultry.

5. Gloves used in handling meat shall be—

(a) made of impermeable material, except where gloves made of impermeable material would be inappropriate or incompatible with the work involved; and

(b) maintained in a sound, clean and sanitary condition.

6. A person shall immediately after handling any poultry which he or she knows or suspects to be diseased—

(a) wash with hot water and soap, all parts of his or her body which came into contact with the diseased or suspect bird; and

(b) wash with hot water and detergent any utensils, apparatus and protective clothing which may have come into contact with such poultry.

7. No person shall allow any dressed poultry to come into contact with the floor or any waste matter or refuse.

8. No person shall stack or store dressed poultry or any part thereof in such a manner as to preclude the effective inspection thereof.

9. No person shall use a cloth or other material to wipe or dry a poultry carcass.

TENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(11), 9(1), 10(1)(c))

REQUIREMENTS OF CATEGORY “D2” AND “D1” POULTRY ABATTOIRS

1. (1) An abattoir with a capacity to slaughter up to 240 birds per day shall be classified as category D2 abattoir.

(2) An abattoir with a capacity to slaughter between 241 to 500 birds per day shall be classified as category D1 abattoir.

(3) Subject to the provisions of subparagraph (4), the provisions of this Schedule apply to category D1 and D2 abattoirs.

(4) Paragraphs 3, 4, 5 and 8 of this Schedule do not apply to category D2 abattoir.

2. Roads on the premises shall be gravelled or surfaced in such a way as to prevent the roads from being dusty or muddy.

3. The abattoir shall have a covered and paved reception area with adequate ventilation for live poultry.

4. The abattoir shall have facilities for the cleansing and disinfection of crates in which poultry is received.

5. The abattoir shall have at least one room which has suitable equipment and additional facilities for the hygienic slaughtering, dressing and inspection of poultry.

6. (1) The abattoir shall have a refrigerator for the storage of poultry slaughtered there each day.

(2) No poultry carcass or part thereof shall be stored in the refrigerator for more than 48 hours.

(3) Any poultry carcass or part thereof which is kept in the abattoir for longer than 48 hours shall be frozen.

7. The abattoir shall have facilities for the storage of supplies needed for the effective operation of the abattoir.

8. The abattoir shall have adequate shower facilities and change rooms.

9. In the case of the kosher or halaal slaughter of poultry, where carcasses are treated with salt, facilities shall be made available for that purpose.

10. The abattoir shall have an adequate supply of cold and hot water which is free from objectionable odour, and free from pathogenic organisms.

ELEVENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(11), 9(1), 10(1)(c))

REQUIREMENTS OF CATEGORY “C” POULTRY ABATTOIR

1. An abattoir with a capacity to slaughter between 501 to 4,000 birds per day shall be classified as a category C abattoir.

2. Unless there is a conflict with the provisions of this Schedule, the abattoir shall comply with all the requirements set out in the Tenth Schedule.

3. The abattoir shall have washing facilities for the conveyances and crates in which poultry is transported to the abattoir.

4. (1) There shall be separate rooms—

(a) in which poultry is stunned, bled, scalded, de-feathered and singed and the heads and feet thereof removed, edible rough offal, heads and feet refrigerated and the bodies washed; and

(b) in which poultry is eviscerated and carcasses are washed, covered, deboned, cut, packed and refrigerated to 4?C within two hours.

(2) The temperature at which the carcasses are refrigerated shall be at 4?C or less within two hours after the time of slaughter.

5. The rooms referred to in paragraph 4(1) shall be connected by means of a hatchway only.

6. If products are packed in cartons, exposed meat and carcasses shall not be handled in the same room simultaneously with cartons unless—

(a) exposed meat and carcasses are separated from cartons and persons handling cartons by a distance of at least two metres;

(b) there is no positive airflow from the cartons in the direction of the exposed meat and carcasses;

7. Washing facilities for meat crates shall be provided.

8. The abattoir shall have a cold room with functional temperature recording devices if more than 500 birds per day are slaughtered there.

TWELFTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(11), 9(1), 10(1)(c))

REQUIREMENTS OF CATEGORY “B” POULTRY ABATTOIR

1. An abattoir with a capacity to slaughter between 4,001 to 10,000 birds per day shall be classified as category B abattoir.

2. Unless otherwise determined in this clause, it shall comply with all the requirements set out in paragraphs 2 to 7 of the Eleventh Schedule.

3. There shall be separate rooms in which—

(a) poultry is stunned, bled, scalded, de-feathered and singed, the heads and feet refrigerated and the bodies washed;

(b) bodies are eviscerated, carcasses washed and red offal and gizzards cleaned;

4. The rooms referred to in paragraph 3 shall be connected by means of hatchways only.

THIRTEENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(11), 9(1), 10(1)(c))

REQUIREMENTS OF CATEGORY “A” POULTRY ABATTOIR

1. An abattoir with a capacity to slaughter more than 10,000 birds per day shall be classified as a category A abattoir.

2. Unless otherwise determined in this clause, it shall comply with all the requirements set out in paragraphs 2 to 4 of the Twelfth Schedule.

3. Roads to the premises thereof shall be provided with a suitable permanent surface in order to render it dust and mud free.

4. The abattoir shall be designed and erected in such a manner that “dirty” and “clean” areas are physically separated, and for this purpose—

(a) “dirty” areas thereof include off-loading and reception bays for live poultry, washing facilities for conveyances and crates for live poultry, covered areas in which poultry is stunned and rooms in which they are bled, scalded, de-feathered and singed, the heads and feet thereof removed and the bodies washed, and parts where offal is handled, chilled and frozen, as well as eating areas, changing rooms and showers and hand wash facilities for employees in such parts, and entrances to such facilities, rooms and areas;

(b) “clean” areas include the rooms where bodies are eviscerated, carcasses washed, packed and refrigerated, red offal handled and meat (excluding rough offal) and carcasses despatched, and washing facilities for conveyances and crates for meat, as well as office accommodation and eating areas, changing rooms, toilets, shower and wash facilities for persons employed in such areas, and entrances to such facilities, rooms and accommodation.

5. Washing facilities for conveyances from which meat is removed shall be available on the clean side of the abattoir.

6. Storage facilities for clean meat crates shall be provided.

7. A covered area shall be available where live poultry can be received and placed on a conveyor chain.

8. A bleeding tunnel shall be available between the area referred to in paragraph 7 and the room referred to in paragraph 11(a) and such bleeding tunnel shall be provided with an opening in the tunnel wall through which the operator may perform the neck cutting.

9. The bleeding tunnel may be connected with the area and room referred to in paragraph 8 by means of hatchways only, and shall be physically separated from any other work areas and rooms.

10. The bleeding tunnel may, except in the case of kosher slaughtering, be replaced by a partition or partitions to the height of the overhead rail if the bleeding process takes place in the room referred to in paragraph 11(a), provided that an opening referred to in paragraph 8 shall also be provided in such partition.

11. Separate rooms shall be provided in which—

(a) poultry is scalded, de-feathered and singed, the heads and feet thereof are removed and the bodies are washed;

(b) bodies are eviscerated, carcasses are washed, carcasses that are unsuitable for human consumption are deposited in lockable containers and carcasses that are detained for further inspection can be suspended on suitable equipment in a separate area:

Provided that such a room shall be connected with the room referred to in subparagraph 11(a) by means of hatchways only;

(c) blood, inedible offal and feathers are collected, provided that where not more than 4,000 poultry are slaughtered in one day, only suitable containers need be provided;

(d) intestines, heads and feet are received, packed, refrigerated or otherwise dealt with as prescribed;

(e) carcasses are wrapped, deboned and portioned, and meat (including red offal) is wrapped and packed in cartons, provided that packing in cartons shall take place in a separate room if the requirements set out in the Eleventh Schedule paragraph 4(b) cannot be complied with;

(f) meat, carcasses and red offal are refrigerated and kept in storage, provided that unwrapped meat, carcasses and red offal may not be stored in a room containing cartons;

(g) packing material is kept and cartons are made up; and

(h) equipment, material and chemicals used for cleansing are kept.

12. If carcasses are pre-cooled this pre-cooling shall take place in the room referred to in paragraph 11(b) or 11(e) or in a separate room between the rooms referred to in the said paragraphs.

13. Suitable facilities for the cleansing of gizzards shall be available in a separate area in the room referred to in paragraph 11(b) or in a room used solely for this purpose.

14. Where the sorting and marking of packed carcasses and meat is done after the refrigeration thereof, an area for this purpose shall be made available between the room referred to in paragraph 11(f) and the exit to the despatch area, provided that where a fluctuation of temperature occurs during the handling of products, an air temperature of not more than 10‡C shall be maintained in this area.

15. A separate room, which may be the charging floor of a sterilisation installation, shall be made available for the keeping and disposal of poultry and the meat and poultry products thereof that are found to be unsuitable for human consumption.

16. Separate office accommodation and change-rooms shall be available for meat inspection personnel.

17. It shall have access to approved laboratory facilities for evaluation of sanitation and hygiene and meat quality.

FOURTEENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(12), 9(2), 10(1)(c))

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF POULTRY ABATTOIRS

Every owner of a poultry abattoir shall ensure that the abattoir complies with the following additional requirements—

1. In order to avoid transmission of diseases and pest infestation to live poultry, the abattoir shall be located at least 500 metres from the area where birds are reared, except where the poultry being slaughtered are always from the same farm, in which case the distance shall be at least 50 metres.

2. The premises used as a poultry abattoir shall be properly fenced with one or more gates for entrance or exit of vehicles and persons.

3. The sitting of the abattoir buildings shall allow adequate drainage for rain or drain water to an open or closed drainage system.

4. The premises shall be provided with a satisfactory sewerage system which shall enter the municipal sewerage system or drain into a septic tank with trench drain of sufficient capacity.

5. Every room or working area other than offices, refrigerated rooms, store-rooms, change rooms or passages shall have a floor area of at least 14 square metres and no length or breadth measured from wall to wall shall be less than 2.7 metres. Every room shall be so constructed that at least 2.3 square metres of floor space are allowed for each person working therein. The internal height of every room shall be not less than 2.7 metres from the floor to the lowest point of the ceiling, except where air conditioning or power ventilation is installed.

6. Floors shall be constructed of cement, concrete or other easily cleansed impervious durable material and laid to a fall of one in 3.1 metres, free from cracks and open joints, and drained to permit thorough cleansing and disposal of all waste matter into a gully connected to a sewer, septic tank with trench drain, and the junction of floors and walls shall be rounded off.

7. A separate receiving roofed-in area shall be provided for the receipt and holding of live poultry prior to slaughter, as well as separate rooms or defined working areas for each of the following processes—

(a) killing, plucking and dressing;

(b) evisceration;

(d) refrigeration, when required; and

(e) the roof shall be weather-proof.

8. The inside surfaces of the walls of the slaughtering, dressing or processing rooms, or any room which may become contaminated shall be impervious to water and shall have a smooth, light-coloured washable finish.

9. Ceilings shall be of durable and dust proof construction and shall be painted with a light coloured gloss paint to form a smooth washable surface, impervious to moisture. Roof spaces above ceilings shall be rodent proof.

10. There shall be provided and maintained for use in connection with a poultry abattoir—

(a) an adequate supply of water per bird slaughtered and dressed shall be available to ensure the cleanliness and safety of the poultry. Such water shall be clean, potable and free from suspended matter and substances that are injurious to health. The water shall have been treated by flocculation or a suitable water treatment process to ensure—

(i) the absence of faecal coliform organisms,

(ii) a total count of viable micro-organisms not exceeding 100 per millilitre,

(iii) comply with such standards and conditions as the Director may specify; and

(b) a sufficient and clean supply of hot water having a temperature of not less than 82‡C at convenient places, and such hot water shall be constantly available during working hours.

11. In addition to paragraph 10—

(a) every room, section or sub-division, with the exception of the chilling and freezing rooms, shall be efficiently ventilated. Internal window sills shall be sloped at such an angle that dust and dirt cannot collect and have a smooth surface which can easily be kept clean;

(b) ventilation, whether natural or artificial, shall allow at least three (3) changes of air per hour, the design of the building shall ensure that the direction of airflow is from “clean” area to “dirty” area;

(c) ventilation shall effect the removal of excess steam and prevent the growth of mould and the formation of condensation. Natural ventilation shall be augmented, if necessary, by mechanical means.

12. An adequate number of washbasins with an adequate supply of hot and cold running water, germicidal soap or detergent solution, and disposable towels shall be provided at every entrance to the dressing and processing areas of a poultry abattoir.

FIFTEENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 4(12), 9(2), 10(1)(c))

EQUIPMENT AND UTENSILS TO BE USED IN POULTRY ABATTOIRS

1. All equipment and utensils shall be designed and constructed to prevent hygienic hazards and permit easy and thorough cleaning. Stationary equipment shall be installed in such a manner as to permit easy and thorough cleaning. Fittings and utensils coming into contact with carcasses or meat shall be made of smooth surface stainless metal or other suitable material and shall be of seamless hygienic design. Lead and lead alloys shall not be used in the construction of equipment coming into contact with carcasses or meat. All tables shall be made of metal. The frames shall be made of corrosion resistant metal or galvanised and the tops shall be made of stainless metal or other corrosion resistant impervious material possessing similar characteristics. Cutting boards or blocks where used shall be solid and smooth and made of tough rubber, plastic or other impervious material. The tops of tables shall allow rapid and effective drainage and shall be free from dents, cracks and crevices. All joints shall be made watertight.

2. All equipment, fittings and utensils shall be maintained in a state of good repair and shall be kept clean. Cleaning and bactericidal materials, hot and cold running water, hose pipes, brushes and other materials and equipment necessary for cleaning shall be provided.

3. Water used for the cleaning of equipment and utensils shall be continuously chlorinated to contain a minimum of 5 PPM of free residual chlorine, or alternatively, it shall contain a disinfectant specified by the Director.

4. Suitable and efficient facilities shall be provided in convenient places within a poultry abattoir for the cleansing and sterilisation of cloths, knives and small equipment and the sanitisation of fittings and appliances.

5. Blood containers shall be constructed of corrosion resistant metal and shall have close fitting lids. They shall be emptied at least once a day and shall be thoroughly cleansed after each emptying. Blood troughs shall be of corrosion-resistant metal and easily removable for cleaning and for disposal of the blood. Blood tunnels shall be of corrosion-resistant metal or solid wall construction. Metal tunnels shall have detachable side and head shields and the base trough arranged with a slope to free-standing blood containers. Solid wall tunnels shall be tiled, or furnished with a completely impervious, smooth surface. The base trough shall be arranged with a slight fall to the blood container or tank.

6. Conveyors used in the slaughter, handling, evisceration and preparing of poultry shall be of metal specified by the Director and so designed and constructed as to allow adequate and efficient inspection. Overhead conveyors shall be so constructed and maintained that they will not allow grease, oil or dirt to accumulate on the drop chain or shackle which shall be of corrosion, resistant metal or other material approved by the Director. Non-metallic belt-type conveyors used in moving packaged poultry shall be of water-proof composition. When individual trays are not used during the evisceration operation, each carcass shall be suspended and a metal trough or a trough constructed of other impervious material approved by the Director, shall be provided beneath the conveyor to extend from the point where the carcass is opened to the point where the viscera have been completely removed, and such troughs shall be flushed continuously by running water as a flow or spray.

7. Scalding or plucking equipment used for immersing a carcass shall be constructed of corrosion-resistant metal or other suitable impervious material.

8. Plucking and evisceration equipment shall be so arranged that all parts can be kept clean and inedible materials immediately removed.

SIXTEENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 10(1)(c))

REQUIREMENTS FOR POULTRY MEAT PACKAGING, LABELLING AND WEIGHING OF FINISHED PRODUCTS

1. Labelling of poultry shall comply with all the requirements contained in the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods Regulations.

2. Packaging materials shall be stored in a clean and sanitary manner and shall not transmit to the product objectionable substances; and shall provide protection of the product from contamination. Packaging shall be done under conditions that preclude the introduction of contaminants into the product, including separate wrapping of giblets. Where bulk packaging takes place, poultry carcasses and portions thereof shall be placed in suitable containers designed for the purpose.

3. A passed poultry carcass or portions thereof or giblets may be wrapped in transparent film, plastic wrapping material as approved by the Director, and on which the inspection mark referred to in the Seventeenth Schedule has been legibly printed.

4. In addition—

(a) wrapping material, carrying the inspection marks shall be held in a clean, dry store and kept under lock and key, and shall be at all times under the personal supervision of the officer in charge;

(b) wrapping material shall be handled as little as possible and always in a hygienic manner; and

(c) the officer in charge shall satisfy himself or herself that no more wrappers or inspection tags are issued than are required for the day’s use in the wrapping area of the abattoir.

5. Weighing and packaging of a poultry carcass, portions thereof and giblets shall be done with the utmost cleanliness.

SEVENTEENTH SCHEDULE

(regs. 10(1)(b), 12(2), 14(2)(a), 15(1)(f), 18(1)(e))

HEALTH MARKING

1. The health mark shall be made under the responsibility of the authorised officer, who shall keep and maintain for that purpose—

(a) instruments for making the health marking on meat, to be handed over to the assistant staff only at the time of marking and for the length of time necessary for this purpose;

(b) labels and wrappers where these already bear the stamp or mark and the seals referred to in paragraph 2. These labels, wrappers and seals shall be handed over in the required number to the assistant staff at the time when they must be used.

2. The health marking shall consist of the following—

(a) for non-packed carcasses, a seal affixed to each carcass.

The seal shall be such that it cannot be reused; it shall be of resistant material, meeting all hygiene requirements and large enough for the following compulsory information to appear on it in perfectly legible characters—

(i) on the upper part, the letters BW, representing Botswana as the country of origin,

(ii) in the centre, the veterinary approval number of the slaughterhouse,

(iii) on the lower part, the word “PASSED”.

The seal shall bear a printed circle of at least 2.5 cm in diameter containing the information listed above; the letters of which must be 0.8 cm high and the figures 1.1 cm high;

(b) for packed carcasses and parts of carcasses, a round mark stamped or seal firmly affixed on the wrapper, which shall be closed in such a way that it can not be reused after opening.

The wrapper shall be of sufficiently strong material meeting all hygiene requirements; the mark shall give the same information as that required for the seal and shall be printed in characters of the same size;

(c) for offal not contained in the carcass, a mark stamped on a wrapper which shall be closed, or a stamp impressed on a label which is clearly visible and firmly affixed to the packaging.

The label shall be attached in such a way that it is destroyed when the packaging is opened. The stamp shall be a round ink stamp of at least 4.5 cm in diameter. The compulsory information described under paragraph (a) shall appear on it in perfectly legible characters. The letters shall be 0.8 cm high and the figures 1.1 cm high.

LIVESTOCK AND MEAT INDUSTRIES (PRODUCERS’ AGENTS) REGULATIONS

(section 7)

(9th February, 1968)

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

REGULATION

1. Citation

2. Interpretation

3. Registration of agents

4. Refusal of registration

5. Duration of registration

6. Registration fee

7. Security

8. Duties of agent

9. Payment and commission

10. Weight and grade sheets

11. Agent’s statement of account

12. Keeping of books

13. Agent’s remuneration

14. Admission of agent to abattoir

15. Unpaid moneys

16. Trust accounts

17. Offences

S.I. 8, 1968.

1. Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Livestock and Meat Industries (Producers’ Agent) Regulations.

2. Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“abattoir” means the abattoir operated by the Commission;

“agent” means producer’s agent;

“Commission” means the Botswana Meat Commission;

“licensing authority” means the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture;

“owner” means the owner of an animal slaughtered at the abattoir and includes his executor, curator, trustee, guardian or other legal representative.

3. Registration of agents

No person shall act in the capacity of a producer’s agent in the abattoir unless he has been registered as a producer’s agent by the licensing authority:

Provided that no company may be so registered unless it is registered as a company in Botswana.

4. Refusal of registration

(1) The licensing authority may refuse to register a person as a producer’s agent if in his opinion such registration would be contrary to the public interest.

(2) Any person who is aggrieved by the refusal of the licensing authority to register him as a producer’s agent may, within 30 days of notification thereof, appeal to the President whose decision in the matter shall be final.

5. Duration of registration

(1) The registration of an agent shall lapse on the 31st December in each year.

(2) The registration of any agent may be cancelled at any time by the licensing authority if—

(a) the agent contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of these Regulations or of any law relating to the purchasing, marketing or slaughter of livestock;

(b) the agent indulges in any practice which in the opinion of the licensing authority is calculated to interfere with the smooth operation of the marketing of slaughter animals or of the abattoir.

6. Registration fee

The fee for the registration of an agent shall be P100.

7. Security

Every agent shall, if required to do so by the Minister, furnish the Government with such security as the Minister may determine and, if he fails to do so, his registration may be forthwith cancelled by the licensing authority:

Provided that such security shall not exceed an amount of P1000.

8. Duties of agent

(1) Upon the delivery of a slaughter animal to the abattoir the agent shall inform the Commission of the name and address of the owner of such animal and shall also supply the Commission with a description of such animal sufficient for the purposes of identifying such animal as the property of such owner.

(2) Unless such slaughter animal is otherwise identifiable the agent shall mark the animal in a manner adequate for the purposes of identifying such animal in accordance with the provisions of subregulation (1).

(3) While on the premises of the abattoir the agent shall comply with such instructions as may be given by the Commission through any official of the abattoir authorised thereto, for the safety, security, hygiene and smooth operation of the abattoir.

(4) The agent shall obtain from the Commission for and on behalf of the owner of the animal the amount due in respect of each carcass of an animal delivered to the abattoir by the agent and, in the event of the condemnation of the carcass as being unfit for human consumption, in whole or in part, a certificate of condemnation signed by a veterinary officer designated for the purpose by the Director of Veterinary Services.

9. Payment and commission

(1) The agent shall within five working days of receiving any payments (including a supplementary payment) from the Commission in respect of any animal delivered to the abattoir under his agency tender to the owner of such animal the amount received less any amount which may be deducted under the provisions of subregulation (3).

(2) The requirements of subregulation (1) shall be deemed to have been complied with if the agent posts to the owner a cheque drawn in favour of the owner and in the amount owing to the owner within the period specified in that subregulation.

(3) No deduction shall be made from any payment tendered under subregulation (1) except—

(a) the commission of the agent at a rate not exceeding two and a half per cent;

(b) such amounts (not being commission) as the owner of the animal has authorised to be deducted.

10. Weight and grade sheets

(1) The Commission shall supply to the agent in duplicate a weight and grade sheet which shall show—

(a) the date of slaughter;

(b) the name and address of the owner of the animal slaughtered as supplied in accordance with the provisions of regulation 8(1);

(d) the estimated cold dressed weight of the carcass.

(2) In the event of there being any difference between the weight of a carcass as recorded by the agent and the weight and grade sheet, the weight recorded on the weight and grade sheet shall be deemed to be the correct weight.

(3) The weight and grade sheet shall be authenticated with the signature of the authorised representative of the Commission.

11. Agent’s statement of account

Every payment made by the agent in terms of regulation 9(1) shall be accompanied by—

(a) a copy of the weight and grade sheet supplied to the agent under the provisions of regulation 10(1); and

(b) a copy of the certificate of condemnation, if any, supplied under the provisions of regulation 8(4).

12. Keeping of books

The agent shall keep, in the English language, a set of books and records showing particulars of all transactions undertaken by him in terms of his appointment and such books and records together with all railway delivery notes relating to consignments of slaughter animals handled by him shall at all reasonable hours be open for inspection by any person authorised thereto in writing by the licensing authority or by a police officer of the rank of sub-inspector or above.

13. Agent’s remuneration

The agent shall not be entitled to any remuneration or payment for services rendered other than the commission which he is entitled to deduct in terms of regulation 9(3).

14. Admission of agent to abattoir

An agent or his representative shall have no right of admission to the abattoir building except at the time when slaughter stock consigned to him are being slaughtered and processed and then only on to that area of the slaughter floor set aside for grading and weighing, except when a carcass is in dispute as regards its grade he may, if accompanied by an official of the Commission, go to where the carcass is:

Provided that where the grading of a carcass, not being the carcass of a full-mouthed animal, is dependent upon the number of incisors in the mouth of such animal the agent may enter upon that portion of the slaughter floor where the number of incisors is marked on the carcass.

15. Unpaid moneys

(1) An agent shall within 30 days after 31st March, the 30th June, the 30th September and 31st December in each year furnish to the Commission a return showing all payments tendered to producers in accordance with the provisions of regulation 9(1) and which, for any reason, remain unpaid on 31st March, the 30th June, the 30th September, and 31st December, as the case may be, and which have not been paid into the Guardians Fund established under the Administration of Estates Act (Cap. 31:01) in accordance with the provisions of subregulation (2).

(2) The agent shall when he is called upon to do so by the licensing authority pay any such moneys, less any deduction permissible under regulation 9(3), into the Guardians Fund.

16. Trust accounts

(1) All moneys received by an agent from the Commission in respect of the slaughter of any animal shall be paid into a separate bank account at a bank lawfully established within Botswana.

(2) No payment shall be made out of such bank account other than—

(a) payments to producers of money owing to them in respect of the slaughter of any animal;

(b) any moneys deductible under the provisions of regulation 9(3);

(d) such other payments as the Minister may approve.

(3) The moneys held in such bank account, being moneys owing to producers in respect of the slaughter of any animal, shall be deemed to be trust moneys held for and on behalf of such producers.

17. Offences

(1) Any person who conducts the business or profession of a producers’ agent in respect of the abattoir without having been registered under the provisions of regulation 3(other than a person registered during the previous calendar year during the month of January of the following year) shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P400 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both.

(2) Any producer’s agent registered under the provisions of regulation 3 who—

(a) knowingly gives false information under the provisions of regulation 8(1);

(b) fails, without lawful excuse, to make any payment in accordance with the provisions of regulation 9(1);

(d) fails to keep books or records in accordance with the provisions of regulation 12;

(e) seeks to obstruct or hinder any person seeking to make an inspection in accordance with the provisions of regulation 12;

(f) fails to render a return or to make a payment under the provisions of regulation 15 or renders a return which is false or inaccurate;

(g) fails to maintain a bank account in accordance with the provisions of regulation 16(1) or fails to make any payment into that account which should be so made, or makes any payment out of such account other than a payment authorised under regulation 16(2),

shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P400 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both.

GRADING OF CARCASSES REGULATIONS

(section 7)

(12th August, 1977)

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

REGULATION

1. Citation

2. Interpretation

3. General

4. Grading specifications for beef

5. Grading specifications for mutton

6. Grading specifications for lamb

7. Grading specifications for goat meat

8. Appeals against grading

S.I. 99, 1977,
S.I. 141, 1980,
S.I. 142, 1982,
S.I. 57, 1989,
S.I. 113, 1992,
S.I. 33, 2004,
S.I. 43, 2006.

1. Citation

These Regulations may be cited as the Grading of Carcasses Regulations.

2. Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-

“aged” means a bovine animal, sheep or goat which has eight permanent incisors in wear;

“animal” means any bovine animal, sheep or goat of any age;

“beef” means the meat of a bovine animal—

(a) of which any part of a fourth molar in the upper jaw has erupted through the gum; or

(b) of which the head has been separated from the body or carcass (as the case may be) prior to the determination by a meat grader of the state of dentition of such animal;

“carcass” means the remainder of the body of an animal after the blood has been drained and the hide, skin, hair, entrails, pluck, head, trotters, cow-heels, hoofs, feet, tail, diaphragm, genitals and udder have been removed as the customs or requirements may be in respect of the relevant species of animal, and includes any such remainder of a bovine animal which has been divided into two halves;

“cold dressed mass” means the weight of a carcass determined immediately after the chilling process and prior to its cutting;

“Director” means the Director of Veterinary Services;

“fat carcass” means a carcass with a distinct accumulation of fat in the abdominal and subcutaneous depots;

“goat meat” means—

(a) in the case of “Class A”, the meat of a goat showing no more than two permanent incisors; and

(b) in the case of “Class B”, the meat of a goat—

(i) showing more than two permanent incisors, or

(ii) of which the head has been separated from the body or carcass (as the case may be) prior to the determination by a meat grader of the state of dentition of such goat;

“lamb” means the meat of a sheep showing no permanent incisors;

“meat grader” means a public officer appointed as a grading officer;

“mutton” means—

(a) in the case of “Class A”, the meat of a sheep showing not more than four permanent incisors; and

(b) in the case of “Class B”, the meat of a sheep—

(i) showing more than four permanent incisors, or

(ii) of which the head has been separated from the body or carcass (as the case may be) prior to the determination by a meat grader of the state of dentition of such sheep;

“patchy fat cover” means thin but distinct fat covering only the hindquarter, or loin, or both;

“uniform light fat cover” means thin but distinct fat covering the hindquarter, loin and shoulder.

3. General

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Regulations, any carcass which exhibits signs of stagginess or is bruised or mutilated or overfat or does not comply with all the requirements of a grade may be graded one or more grades lower than the grade for which it otherwise would have qualified, depending on the degree of stagginess or over-fatness or the nature, extent and location of the bruising and mutilation or the degree to which it does not meet all the requirements of a grade: Provided that in the case of generalised bruising involving only one side of a bovine carcass, each side may be graded separately.

4. Grading specifications for beef

(1) There shall be seven grades of beef, namely, Prime Grade, Super Grade, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade and Canning Grade.

(2) The specifications of the various grades of beef shall be as follows—

(a) Prime Grade

The carcasses shall be of any sex, having not more than two permanent incisors of good conformation and uniform light fat cover. Fat colour shall be white.

(b) Super Grade

The carcasses shall be of any sex, having not more than four permanent incisors, of good conformation, and uniform light fat cover. Fat colour shall be white only.

The carcasses shall be of any sex, having not more than four permanent incisors, of good conformation, of patchy fat cover or none; or the carcasses shall be of any sex, having five to eight permanent incisors, of good conformation, at the most with a uniform light fat cover. Fat shall be white or cream only.

(d) Second Grade

The carcasses shall be of any sex, have up to eight permanent incisors, of fair conformation, at the most with a uniform light fat cover; or the carcasses shall be of any sex, age, or fair to good conformation, with patchy or uniform light fat cover. Fat colour shall be of any normal colour.

(e) Third Grade

The carcasses shall be of any sex and age, of poor conformation, and no fat cover.

(f) Fourth Grade

The carcasses shall be of any sex and age, of very poor conformation, and either none or patchy fat cover whose meat is fit for manufacturing purposes.

(g) Canning Grade

The carcasses shall be of any sex and age and of very poor conformation with oedema whose meat is suitable only for canning.

5. Grading specifications for mutton

(1) There shall be four grades of mutton, namely, Prime Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3.

(2) The specifications for the various grades of mutton shall be as follows—

(a) Class A

(i) Prime Grade: The carcasses shall be of a proper finish, well-fleshed, of a good quality and derived from wethers or ewes, or the carcasses may be somewhat deficient in finish but must be very well-fleshed, of good quality and derived from wethers or ewes:

Provided that—

(i) carcasses in this grade shall show at least a fairly even distribution of fat; and

(ii) no carcass of the fat-tail type shall be included in this grade.

(ii) Grade 1:

The carcasses shall be of a fair finish, reasonably fleshed, and derived from wethers or ewes:

Provided that moderately over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.

(iii) Grade 2:

The carcasses shall be either of a fair finish and poorly fleshed or reasonably fleshed and of a poor finish, and derived from wethers or ewes or from rams of better carcass quality (considered on the basis of the quality of ram carcasses):

Provided that moderately over-fat but not grossly over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.

(iv) Grade 3:

Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades.

(b) Class B

(i) Grade 1:

The carcasses shall be of a fair finish, reasonably fleshed, of a fair quality and derived from wethers or ewes:

Provided that moderately over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.

(ii) Grade 2:

Provided that moderately over-fat but not grossly over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.

(iii) Grade 3:

Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades.

6. Grading specifications for lamb

(1) There shall be four grades of lamb, namely, Super Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3.

(2) The specifications for the various grades of lamb shall be as follows—

(a) Super Grade

The carcasses shall be of a proper finish, well-fleshed, of a good quality and derived from wether or ewe lambs or from ram lambs whose carcasses show little masculine character; or the carcasses may be somewhat deficient in finish but should be very well-fleshed, of good quality and derived from wether or ewe lambs or from ram lambs whose carcasses show little masculine character:

Provided that—

(i) carcasses in this grade shall show at least a fairly even distribution of fat; and

(ii) no carcass of the fat-tailed type shall be included in this grade.

(b) Grade 1

The carcasses shall be of a fair finish, reasonably fleshed and derived from wether or ewe lambs or from ram lambs, whose carcasses show no marked masculine character:

Provided that moderately over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.

The carcasses shall be either of a fair finish and poorly fleshed or reasonably fleshed and of a poor finish and derived from wether, ewe or ram lambs:

Provided that moderately over-fat but not grossly over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.

(d) Grade 3

Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades.

7. Grading specifications for goat meat

(1) There shall be four grades of goat meat, namely, Super Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3.

(2) The specifications for the various grades of goat meat shall be as follows—

(a) Class A

(i) Super Grade: The carcasses shall be of a proper finish and reasonably well-fleshed and derived from goat ewes showing no permanent incisors.

(ii) Grade 1: The carcasses shall be of a fair finish and reasonably fleshed and derived from goat castrates and goat ewes showing not more than two permanent incisors.

(iii) Grade 3: Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades.

(b) Class B

(i) Grade 1: The carcasses shall be of a proper finish and reasonably well-fleshed and derived from goat castrates and goat ewes.

(ii) Grade 2: The carcasses shall be of a fair finish and reasonably fleshed and derived from goat castrates and goat ewes:

Provided that carcasses which are over-fat but not grossly over-fat may be included in this grade.

(iii) Grade 3: Carcasses which do not comply with requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades.

8. Appeals against grading

(1) If the owner of any carcass or the agent of such owner is not satisfied with the decision of a meat grader in regard to the grading of that carcass he shall be entitled to appeal to the Director against that decision:

Provided that his intention to do so is conveyed to that meat grader before such carcass is removed from the place where it has been graded.

(2) The meat grader may apply to the carcass, in respect of which he has under subregulation (1) been informed that an appeal is contemplated, a mark which he considers necessary for identification purposes.

(3) No appeal under subregulation (1) shall be considered unless it is lodged with the meat grader in charge, at the place where the carcass in question has been graded, on the day on which the decision which is the subject of that appeal is given, and is accompanied by a deposit of P30 in the case of an appeal against the grading of one beef carcass, and, additionally, or alternatively, P10 in the case of an appeal against the grading of one mutton, lamb or goat carcass.

(4) Where an owner or agent simultaneously lodges more than one appeal in terms of subregulation (3) the deposit in respect of each such appeal other than the first shall be P1 in the case of every additional beef carcass and P1 in the case of every additional goat, lamb or mutton carcass.

(5) A carcass in respect of which an appeal has been lodged in terms of subregulation (3) shall be kept in cold storage by the person in charge of the abattoir at which the animal from which that carcass is derived was slaughtered.

(6) Carcasses in respect of which an appeal has been lodged shall be stored, in the case of beef carcasses in the form of whole sides, and in the case of goat, lamb and mutton carcasses in the form of whole carcasses.

(7) The Director shall designate a person or persons who shall decide any appeal as soon as possible and not later than seven days after the date on which it has been lodged with the meat grader concerned, and the decision of such person or persons shall be final.

(8) The person or persons designated in terms of subregulation (7) to decide an appeal shall cause the applicant or his agent to be notified as soon as possible of the place, date and time at which the appeal will be heard, but in any case not less than two hours before the time fixed for the appeal, in order to enable the appellant or his agent to identify the carcass or carcasses which have been stored by the person in charge of the abattoir as aforesaid.

(9) The person or persons designated as aforesaid to decide an appeal may after the carcass or carcasses have been identified in terms of subregulation (8) request all persons (including the appellant and his agent) to vacate the room in which the appeal is being heard until such time as a decision has been reached.

(10) Immediately after the appeal has been decided the person or persons who decided the appeal shall acquaint the appellant or his agent of the decision arrived at, and if the appeal is being dismissed shall, if requested by the appellant or his agent, state the reasons for such dismissal.

(11) The amount deposited in respect of any appeal shall be forfeited if the appeal is dismissed, or if the carcass or carcasses to which it relates are not identified by the appellant or his agent at the place, date and time notified to him in terms of subregulation (8):

Provided that if an appeal has been lodged in respect of more than one carcass and the appeal is dismissed in respect of some of such carcasses the appellant shall forfeit an amount which bears the same percentage in relation to the total deposit as the number of carcasses in respect of which the appeal is dismissed bears to the total number of carcasses in which the appeal has been lodged.