Ante-mortem inspection is the examination of food animals prior to slaughter to assess their suitability as a source of product fit for human consumption while post-mortem inspection is the examination of carcasses and organs to assess whether these products are fit for human consumption.
It is important to carry out meat inspection so as to eliminate the possible transfer of zoonotic diseases (diseases transmissible from animal to man) such as rabies, tetanus, tuberculous meningitis, salmonellosis etc.
Both ante- and post-mortem inspections should be conducted in the abattoir, slaughter hall or in the cooling hall, as the case may be.
While inspecting animals and their product to certify them fit for human consumption, it is equally important to ensure that the facilities and equipment used to process these animal products are equally clean and the environment germ free.
Ante-Mortem Inspection
Examine both sides of the animal at rest and in motion.
Observe clinical signs of diseases and pathological conditions by noting the general disposition of the animal, condition of hair coat, feces, and urine colour.
Check mucous membrane, pulse rate and temperature.
Note emaciated animals for special inspection during post- mortem
Crippled, immature and pregnant animals are to be exempted from slaughter.
Dead or dying animals from unknown causes should not be processed for human consumption.
As a rule, animals are examined in a round-about fashion i.e. from face – left or right – the rear or anus – right to left and the back to the face.
Inspection of head region of animal.
Examination of the conjunctivae of eyes.
Examination of the mucous membrane of the mouth and tongue.
Examination of jaws for swellings (abscesses).
Examination of nostrils and external ear for abnormal discharges including pus, blood or serous fluid.
Inspection of Both Sides of Animal
Watch if the precapular lymph nodes are enlarged by being markedly visible
Inspect if the rib bones are conspicuous i.e. emaciation. Watch the eating rate of the animal by noting the abdominal and thoracic movement
Watch for prefemoral lymph node if enlarged or not
Watch for the hides and skin e.g. in cattle for streptotrichosis, sores and bruises
Inspection of the Rear and Anal Region of the Animal
Watch the consistency of the droppings (faeces)
Inspect for any enlargement of the external genitalia
Consider taking the rectal temperature (e.g. pigs with rectal temperature above 410C and cattle, sheep and goat with temperature above 400C should be detained for further investigation
Outcome of Ante-Mortem Inspection
Following thorough ante-mortem inspection, animals may be judged as:
Animals physically fit for straight slaughter.
Animals suspected to be diseased needing more careful inspection at post-mortem before passing for consumption.
Animals unfit for slaughter which need treatment or rest before slaughter e.g. pregnant animals should be preserved and animals with high fever should have rest and treatment.
Animals examined to suffer from the following conditions should NOTbe slaughtered: Rabies, anthrax, blackleg, tetanus, tuberculous meningitis, rinder pest, hog cholera or swine fever.
Post-Mortem Inspection: The Carcass
Detailed post-mortem examination should be carried out by:
Visual inspection.
Palpation.
Incision.
Olfaction.
Laboratory.
1. Cattle
Examine visually for evidence of bruising, bleeding efficiency as well as nutritional status and conformation.
Inspect the thoracic and abdominal cavities for evidence of inflammation, abscess or tuberculous adhesions.
Loosen the kidneys and examine as outlined above.
Be careful to incise the following lymph nodes: the iliac, prescapular, precrural, superficial inguinal/supramammary as well as popliteal lymph nodes.
Incise the shoulder and the adductor muscles for evidence of Cysticercusbovis.
2. Sheep and Goat
Visual examination is most crucial.
Evidence of bleeding efficiency and carcass setting is significant.
Examine the lungs by palpation for hydatid cysts.
Examine the bronchi for nematode worms.
Inspect the liver for fascioliasis.
Check the thoracic cavity for septic pleurisy.
Check for cysticercus tenuicolis worm.
Watch out for abscesses in both the head and carcass lymph. nodes
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3. Pigs
Carcass appearance for good bleeding is essential.
Incise both submaxillary lymph nodes, for evidence of jaw abscess as well as retropharyngeal and paratid lymph nodes for evidence of tuberculosis.
Examine the tonsils as they frequently show lesions of tuberculosis and abscess.
Enlargement of spleen could be due to torsion or tuberculous nodules.
Head Region
1. Cattle
The tongue should loosen but not detached and the surface and substance inspected.
The roof of the mouth should be inspected.
The retropharyngeal, sub maxillary, and parotid lymph glands should be examined in detail.
The masseter muscles should be examined by incisions parallel to the lower jaw.
The eyes should be examined by close observation.
2. Pig
The lips, gums, tongue should be examined wherever practicable.
The submaxillary lymph glands should be examined in detail.
3. Horses
The head should be examined in the same manner as the head of the bovine animal, except that the muscles of the horse need not be incised unless if considered necessary.
4. Sheep and Goats
The lips, gums and tongue and nasal cavities should be examined wherever possible.
The Abdominal Cavity
a. Stomach, intestines and spleen
The outer, and when necessary, the inner surface of the stomach and intestine, the surface and substance of the spleen and the surfaces of the omentum should be well examined.
The gastro-splenic and mesenteric glands in cattle, pigs and horses should be examined in detail.
b. Liver
The surface and substance of the liver should be examined and the bile incised when necessary.
The thick end of the cattle liver should be incised.
The hepatic lymph glands of cattle, pigs and horses should be examined in detail.
c. Kidneys
The renal lymph glands and the adrenal glands should be examined and when necessary the kidneys should be exposed and incised.
The surface of the kidneys must be observed after removing the capsules.
d. Uterus and Ovaries
The substance of the uterus, its surface and, if necessary, its inner surface should be examined.
The Thoracic Region
a. Lungs
The lungs should be examined by both observation and by palpation, and unless obviously diseased, they should be incised at the base.
The bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes of cattle, pigs and horses, unless obviously diseased should be examined in detail.
b. Heart
The pericardium should be opened and the heart examined, and if necessary incised.
c. Udder
For Cow and Sows
The udder should be incised and examined by observation and palpation.
The associated supramammary lymph glands should be examined in detail.
d. Testicles and Penis
The substance and surface of the testicle and penis should be examined in detail.
The superficial inguinal lymph glands of bulls and boars should be examined in detail.
In summary, under this practical session, it can be seen that both ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of food animals are critically essential to certify meat fit for human consumption and to eliminate any possibility of transmission of diseases from animal origin to human.
Also, detailed procedure has been provided to properly inspect carcass in various regions of animal bodies as well as in different species of animals.
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