Abattoir Practices and Animal Products Technology

ANTE-MORTEM INSPECTION OF FOOD ANIMALS

• Meat inspection may be defined as expert supervision of all meat products with the object of providing wholesome meat for human consumption and preventing danger to public.
• One of the aspects of meat inspection is examination of the live animals on entry to the slaughterhouse known as ante-mortem inspection.
• This is an important inspection as it can represent at least 50% of meat inspection, for it is an adequate inspection of carcasses or meat, and makes the post-mortem examination much more efficient and less laborious.
• This is done in the pens and alleys (lairage) of the official establishments or in large slaughtering centers in the public stockyards.
• A proper meat inspection service consists of a veterinary examination of the carcass and offal and where necessary, laboratory tests (pathological, microbiological and chemical) of body tissues and fluids.

Definition

• Ante-mortem inspection is defined as the inspection of live animals done in the lairage within 24 hours prior to slaughter by a qualified Veterinarian to produce wholesome meat.