Operational guideline: Red meat ante-mortem inspection

1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) staff on ante-mortem inspection in red meat slaughter establishments. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with other guidance documents as referenced in section 3.0.

2.0 Authorities

The inspection powers, control actions and enforcement actions authorized by the above legislation are identified and explained in the Operational guideline – Food regulatory response guidelines.

3.0 Reference documents

4.0 Definitions

Unless specified below, definitions are located in either the:

5.0 Acronyms

Acronyms are spelled out the first time they are used in this document and are consolidated in the Food business line acronyms list.

6.0 Operational guideline

6.1 Ante-mortem inspection

As per Section 139(1) of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, no animal shall be slaughtered in an establishment unless the animal has been subjected, within 24 hours before the time of slaughter, to an ante-mortem inspection performed by a veterinary inspector or by an inspector under the supervision of a veterinary inspector. All animals including ostriches, emus and rheas shall be inspected by an inspector while they are at rest and 5 to 10% of such animals (from several lots) shall be inspected on both sides while in motion.

Note: foreign countries' requirements might mandate that a veterinary inspector performs ante-mortem inspection on all animals (both normal and suspect/screened out). Refer to the specific countries requirements at Meat Electronic Export Certification (Ecert) (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).

The CFIA inspector who performs the ante-mortem inspection on a lot or animal must complete the form CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent in-house form. It is the licence holder's responsibility to ensure that the ante-mortem inspection and form have been completed by the CFIA inspector (and/or CFIA veterinary inspector is animals were screened out or deemed suspect) prior to slaughter of a particular lot.

Communication procedures must be included in the licence holder's Preventive Control Plan (PCP).

Information that must be provided by the licence holder on the CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent form includes:

establishment number
date and time of arrival
lot number (or producer name)
species
number of animals in the lot
number of animals held for veterinary inspection

Information that must be entered by the CFIA inspector on the CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent form includes:

identification of screened out animals
observations found during initial inspection, description of abnormalities
additional comments if necessary
the name of the inspector, date, and time of inspection

All animals screened out by the licence holder or held by the inspector are to be subjected to a detailed veterinary inspection and, when judged necessary, are to be suitably restrained for this purpose.

Information about the suspect animal that must be provided on the CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent form prior to CFIA veterinary inspection includes:

establishment number
producer name and address
species, sex and age of the screened out animal
description of the screened out animal
means of transportation of the animal to the establishment
date and time of arrival
animal identification (for example tattoo, ear tag number, other identifiers)

Information about the suspect animal that must be entered by the CFIA veterinary inspector on the CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent form includes:

ante-mortem findings (including body temperature if applicable)
CFIA veterinary inspector's name
date and time of CFIA veterinary inspection
disposition of the animal inspected

Based on their findings, the veterinarian will make one of the following dispositions:

the animal is to be permitted to proceed for normal slaughter
the animal is to be set aside for rest and/or treatment, or to go through an appropriate withdrawal time if a veterinary medication residue is a cause of concern, prior to slaughter, and further ante-mortem inspection, as appropriate
the animal is to be deemed a suspect and is to be set aside for separate slaughter, along with other suspects, preferably at the end of normal slaughter
the animal is to be deemed a suspect but, for animal welfare reasons, is to proceed for immediate slaughter
the animal is to be condemned and humanely killed

All animals that were held for veterinary ante-mortem inspection that proceed to slaughter must be identified and held for CFIA veterinary post-mortem inspection on the slaughter floor unless released on ante-mortem inspection by the CFIA veterinary inspector. When applicable, the Post-mortem Findings section of the CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent form will be completed with the post-mortem inspection results of the animal including the disposition of carcass and parts. Refer to 6.3 Control over suspect animals and their carcasses in this document for further guidance on correlation of held carcasses and parts.

6.1.1 Animals suspected of harbouring residues

Refer to Residues, micro-organisms, and sampling at slaughter RDIMS 10796096 (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) for the procedures to follow when an animal or a lot is suspected of having been exposed to chemical contaminants or veterinary drugs that may affect the disposition of the carcass or its parts, and also for the specific procedures for pre-test animals.

6.1.2 Age determination for bovine animals

Refer to Operational Guidance - Specified risk material (SRM) controls at federal meat establishments for procedures to follow when performing age determination of bovine animals.

6.2 Handling of non-ambulatory livestock

Refer to the Guidelines for the humane care and handling of food animals at slaughter – Handling non-ambulatory and compromised animals for further guidance on written animal welfare PCP requirements.

Any licence holder wishing to slaughter animals that became non-ambulatory during transport (en route) or became non-ambulatory in the live animal holding area must have adequate facilities, equipment, trained personnel and procedures to prevent any further suffering. These animals should be given priority for slaughter due to animal welfare considerations. It will be at the veterinary inspector's discretion following ante-mortem inspection of the animal, to decide whether the animal can proceed to slaughter. If the licence holder is unable to humanely handle and kill this class of animals or if the CFIA veterinary inspection cannot be performed in a timely manner, the animal must be humanely killed in situ and properly disposed of. In all cases, non-ambulatory animals must be either humanely killed, or stunned for slaughter, where they lie.

Any animal (other than bovine) that has become non-ambulatory in the live animal holding area after receiving a CFIA ante-mortem inspection may be stunned in place and moved for slaughter without a second ante-mortem inspection, provided that the licence holder has procedures or a protocol for such in their animal welfare PCP agreed upon by the veterinarian with supervisory authority, and the veterinary inspector is notified. All such animals must be clearly identified and presented for CFIA veterinary post mortem inspection as "suspect" animals unless otherwise directed by the attending veterinary inspector.

Non-ambulatory bovines are not eligible for slaughter unless approved by a CFIA veterinarian after ante-mortem veterinary inspection. If the veterinarian can determine that a specific acute injury resulted in the animal becoming non-ambulatory, it can be stunned on site, transported to the kill floor for bleeding and dressing. If the CFIA veterinarian cannot determine that a specific acute injury resulted in the animal becoming non-ambulatory, the animal shall be humanely killed, and the carcass transported to the inedible section of the establishment in order to be properly marked as Specified Risk Material (SRM) (unless the SRM has been removed from the condemned/rejected animal) and disposed of as prescribed by the regulations. Refer to 6.2.1 Animals displaying neurological signs in this document for further guidance on collecting samples for rabies and/or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE).

The previous requirements dealing with non-ambulatory bovine animals may not be applicable for all licensed establishments. For example, it is not permitted to slaughter non-ambulatory cattle in those establishments that are eligible for export to United States. Refer to the specific countries requirements at Meat Electronic Export Certification (Ecert) (accessible only on the Government of Canada network).

6.2.1 Animals displaying neurological signs

Animals displaying neurological signs must be evaluated as potential BSE surveillance candidates. Refer to the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Hazard Specific Plan (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) for the evaluation of clinical signs to determine whether the animal fits the description of a BSE surveillance candidate, and appropriate actions, lab submissions to take if it does (briefly described in the next section "BSE Surveillance").

The potential of rabies infection should also be considered in animals that are displaying neurological signs. Specific procedures are applicable if rabies is suspected and sampling is required. These will vary according to provincial/territorial guidelines; consult with the District Veterinarian for further information.

BSE Surveillance: Guidance for CFIA Staff in Licenced Slaughter Establishments

If staff performing antemortem inspections notice an adult bovine exhibiting any of the following signs, which are unusual compared to bovines of similar age and sex in the current environment or situation, they should take actions as described in the "Steps to Follow":

Unexpected excitability and/or nervousness
Over-reactivity to stimuli
Excessive vocalization
Excessive salivation and/or difficulty swallowing
Excessive teeth grinding
Excessive licking of the muzzle
Asymmetrical ear and eye movements
Uncoordinated gait
Difficulty avoiding obstacles
Abnormal pacing in circles
Low carriage of the head and/or head shyness
Tremors (involuntary quivering muscle movements)
Dullness combined with compulsive behaviors, such as pacing in circles or increased chewing and licking
Any other neurological signs

Steps to Follow:

Notify the veterinarian with supervisory authority (VSA): Bring the specific bovine to the attention of the responsible VSA.
Use the online questionnaire: Access and complete the online questionnaire on the CFIA BSE surveillance web page.
Receive a unique identifier (UID): If the bovine qualifies as a BSE surveillance candidate, you will receive a unique identifier.
Condemn the animal as per section 5 of the Disposition Manual for Red Meat Species.
Collect an appropriate obex sample: Follow the procedures for sample collection and packaging in the BSE surveillance sampling manual for veterinarians (found on the BSE surveillance web page).
Dispose of the carcass: Have the licence holder dispose of the carcass as SRM (specified risk material).
Inform the SRM pickup company: The licence holder should inform the company picking up the SRM that there is a sampled BSE surveillance candidate in that specific load.
Complete the LSTS form: Complete the LSTS Form 5420 – Animal Health TSE Specimen Submission (the "LSTS form for BSE testing") as per the Submission procedures for LSTS form for BSE testing (available only on the Government of Canada network) RDIMS 21815116, ensuring that the UID is entered in the field 'Other Animal ID / Description'.
Submit the sample to the BSE laboratory: Submit the sample and LSTS form to the appropriate CFIA laboratory for BSE testing (found on the BSE surveillance web page).

Note: Staff performing antemortem exams must be familiar with the list of clinical signs consistent with BSE. Animal Health District staff can provide training on obex sample collection.

6.3 Control over suspect animals and their carcasses

Effective communication between the licence holder, ante-mortem inspectors and post-mortem inspectors is essential to ensure proper control of suspect animals and their carcasses. The CFIA verifies via CFIA/ACIA 1438 or an equivalent in-house form that animals presented for slaughter have received and passed an ante-mortem examination and an ante-mortem inspection. Further controls are necessary in the case of animals that were "held" after ante-mortem inspection and/or examination. Carcasses of such animals must receive veterinary inspection.

It is imperative that all suspect animals be properly identified throughout the slaughter process, from the yards or live animal receiving room to the final post-mortem inspection station. Synchronization and correlation between carcass, harvested blood, head and other carcass parts must be maintained until completion of inspection. These control measures must be included in the licence holder's PCP.

Adequate cleaning and disinfection is required in all cases where the slaughter of a suspect animal may have caused contamination of the facility and equipment.

Once the suspect animal is slaughtered, the carcass and parts must be identified for CFIA post-mortem veterinary inspection (using CFIA/ACIA 5874, 5875, 5876, 5877, 5878, 5879 Tag – movement restricted as ordered by inspector, or alternative method as per the licence holder's PCP). These tags must be used to identify the carcass, edible blood, head, feet and viscera, as necessary to ensure that the identity of the carcass and all its parts is maintained until their final disposition is known.

6.3.1 Tracking animals condemned at ante-mortem inspection until disposal

In addition to the information mentioned in section 6.1 of this guidance, full details (animal identification and permanent ID where applicable, owner's name and address, reason for condemnation), should be entered on the CFIA/ACIA 1438 Ante-Mortem Veterinary Inspection Report Ante-Mortem Screening Record or equivalent in-house record.

6.4 Equine Information Document (EID)

After the licence holder has verified that equine information documents are complete and accurate they must be submitted (or copies there of) to the CFIA. A veterinary inspector will review the documents to ensure the necessary information is complete as per the Industry Guidance - Equine information document (EID):

equine identification is listed
non permitted substances were not used
any applicable withdrawal periods are listed and compatible with label declarations or with a provided withdrawal interval determination from a recognized veterinary body such as the Canadian Global Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (CgFARAD)
owner declaration is signed
for Lot EIDs the previously accepted animal identification method is used
sub lot equine information document (SLEID) identity information correlates to a previously submitted individual equine information document (IEID)

The Equine Certification Document (ECD) required for equine exported to Canada for slaughter or feeding purposes from the United States may also be reviewed if applicable. Information about the ECD can be found in the "Slaughter" section of the APHIS-USDA website.

Any unsatisfactory results of the Supplementary Equine Information Tasks conducted by Animal Health inspectors as per Operational Guidance – Supplementary Equine Information Tasks (OG-2016-0099) RDIMS 7615873 (accessible only on the Government of Canada network) should also be taken into consideration during review of submitted EIDs.

If EIDs are acceptable to the reviewing veterinary inspector, they must be signed and returned to the licence holder. If the veterinary review determines that the animal is not acceptable for slaughter and/or the information document is incomplete, the veterinary inspector will note the deficiency on the information document, make a copy of the document with comments and return the document to the licence holder.

The animal(s) represented by the unacceptable document may not proceed to slaughter without acceptable information documents. The licence holder must investigate and determine why an incomplete/unacceptable information document was submitted as acceptable to the CFIA and take appropriate preventive actions.

During ante-mortem inspection, the veterinary inspector will compare the identification listed on the individual animal EIDs or lot EIDs to the animals presented for slaughter. A sufficient number of EIDs and/or lot EIDs are selected by the CFIA for identity verification purposes to establish comfort over the licence holder's ante-mortem identification check. A copy of the information document or the original may be used for identification verification purposes by the CFIA, however all EIDs will be returned to the licence holder once inspection activities (ante-mortem inspection, ante-mortem document review, completion of any related Preventive Control Inspection tasks, etc.) have been completed.

Deficiencies found during CFIA inspection may indicate that the licence holder's control measures are ineffective to ensure the validity of the EID. The CFIA inspector must complete the Ante-Mortem Document Verification task in Appendix 2 - Red Meat Slaughter PCI Implementation Verification Tasks. The licence holder must take appropriate corrective measures related to implicated animals or product if necessary as well as implement/enhance control measures as per their Ante-Mortem PCP as required to assure the validity of EID information.

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