Inspection of Animals Before and After Slaughter

Ante-mortem inspection is the examination of food animals before slaughter to assess their suitability for human consumption. Post-mortem inspection involves examining carcasses and organs to determine their fitness for consumption.

Meat inspection is essential to prevent the transfer of zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible from animals to humans), such as rabies, tetanus, tuberculous meningitis, and salmonellosis.

Both ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections should be conducted in the abattoir, slaughter hall, or cooling hall. While certifying animals and their products as fit for consumption, it is also necessary to ensure that the processing facilities and equipment are clean and the environment is germ-free.

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Ante-Mortem Inspection Procedures

1. Examine both sides of the animal at rest and in motion.
2. Observe clinical signs of diseases and pathological conditions by noting the animal’s general disposition, hair coat condition, feces, and urine color.
3. Check the mucous membrane, pulse rate, and temperature.
4. Identify emaciated animals for special post-mortem inspection.
5. Exclude crippled, immature, and pregnant animals from slaughter.
6. Prevent processing of dead or dying animals from unknown causes.
7. Conduct examination systematically from face to rear and back to face.

Inspection of the Head Region

1. Examine the conjunctivae of the eyes.
2. Inspect the mucous membranes of the mouth and tongue.
3. Check jaws for swellings (abscesses).
4. Inspect nostrils and external ears for abnormal discharges, including pus, blood, or serous fluid.

Inspection of the Body and Skin

1. Check if precapular lymph nodes are visibly enlarged.
2. Inspect for emaciation by observing rib bone prominence.
3. Observe abdominal and thoracic movements for eating rate assessment.
4. Examine prefemoral lymph nodes for enlargement.
5. Inspect hides and skin for conditions such as streptotrichosis, sores, and bruises.

Inspection of the Rear and Anal Region

1. Observe the consistency of feces.
2. Inspect for external genitalia enlargement.
3. Measure rectal temperature (e.g., pigs above 41°C and cattle, sheep, and goats above 40°C should undergo further investigation).

Outcome of Ante-Mortem Inspection

Following inspection, animals are categorized as:

1. Fit for Slaughter: Healthy animals approved for immediate processing.

2. Suspected Cases: Animals showing signs of disease requiring thorough post-mortem inspection before approval.

3. Unfit for Slaughter: Animals requiring treatment or rest before processing, such as pregnant animals or those with high fever.

Animals diagnosed with rabies, anthrax, blackleg, tetanus, tuberculous meningitis, rinderpest, hog cholera, or swine fever should not be slaughtered.

Post-Mortem Inspection Procedures

A detailed post-mortem examination should be conducted using:

1. Visual inspection
2. Palpation
3. Incision
4. Olfaction
5. Laboratory testing

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Inspection of Specific Animal Species

1. Cattle:
i. Examine for bruising, bleeding efficiency, nutritional status, and conformation.
ii. Inspect thoracic and abdominal cavities for inflammation, abscesses, or tuberculous adhesions.
iii. Loosen and examine kidneys.
iv. Incise lymph nodes (iliac, prescapular, precrural, superficial inguinal, supramammary, popliteal).
v. Incise shoulder and adductor muscles for Cysticercus bovis detection.

2. Sheep and Goats:
i. Conduct visual examination to assess bleeding efficiency and carcass setting.
ii. Palpate lungs for hydatid cysts and inspect bronchi for nematode worms.
iii. Examine the liver for fascioliasis.
iv. Inspect the thoracic cavity for septic pleurisy.
v. Check for cysticercus tenuicolis worms.
vi. Observe abscesses in head and carcass lymph nodes.

3.Pigs:

1. Assess carcass appearance for good bleeding.
2. Incise submaxillary lymph nodes for jaw abscess detection.
3. Inspect retropharyngeal and parotid lymph nodes for tuberculosis.
4. Examine tonsils for tuberculosis lesions and abscesses.
5. Check spleen for torsion or tuberculous nodules.

Head Region Inspection

1. Cattle: Loosen but do not detach the tongue. Inspect the surface and substance. Examine the roof of the mouth, retropharyngeal, submaxillary, and parotid lymph glands. Incise masseter muscles parallel to the jaw.

2. Pigs: Examine the lips, gums, tongue, and submaxillary lymph glands.

3. Horses: Inspect the head similarly to cattle, with muscle incision only if necessary.

4. Sheep and Goats: Examine the lips, gums, tongue, and nasal cavities.

Abdominal Cavity Inspection

1. Examine the stomach, intestines, and spleen externally and internally when necessary.
2. Inspect gastro-splenic and mesenteric glands in cattle, pigs, and horses.
3. Examine liver surface and bile ducts. Incise the thick end of the cattle liver. Inspect hepatic lymph glands.
4. Observe kidneys after removing the capsules. Examine renal and adrenal glands.
5. Check uterus and ovaries, including the inner surface if necessary.

Thoracic Region Inspection

1. Lungs: Observe and palpate lungs, incise at the base if no obvious disease is found. Inspect bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes.

2. Heart: Open the pericardium, examine, and incise if needed.

3. Udder: Palpate and incise the udder. Examine supramammary lymph glands.

4. Testicles and Penis: Inspect the surface and substance. Examine superficial inguinal lymph glands in bulls and boars.

Ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections are critical in meat processing to ensure that animal products are safe for human consumption. The procedures outlined help in the early detection of diseases, preventing the transmission of zoonotic infections, and maintaining high meat quality standards.

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