The Specified Risk Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Part V Particular requirements in relation to sheep and goats

The young lamb stamp

16.—(1) Where a sheep or goat is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, and at the time of slaughter there were no permanent incisor teeth erupted through in the sheep or goat or it was aged not more than 12 months, the carcase of the animal shall be marked immediately after slaughter with the young lamb stamp in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) The young lamb stamp shall consist of a circular mark 5 centimetres in diameter containing in legible form in letters 1cm high the words “VS” and “YL”, and shall be applied by an official veterinary surgeon, an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon.

(3) A person other than any person mentioned in paragraph (2) shall not apply the young lamb stamp to any sheep or goat or possess the equipment for applying the stamp.

(4) A person shall not mark a carcase with a stamp so resembling the young lamb stamp, or in such a way, as to be likely to suggest that the carcase was of a sheep or goat in which there were no permanent incisors erupted.

(5) For the purposes of this regulation a “meat inspector” means an inspector appointed pursuant to regulation 7(2) of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997.

Transportation of unmarked carcases of sheep and goats

17.—(1) A person shall not move from a slaughterhouse a carcase of a sheep or goat suitable for human consumption that is not marked with a young lamb stamp, except—

(a) to approved cutting premises that lie within the same curtilage as the slaughterhouse;

(b) a carcase which has been inspected and health marked in accordance with the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 and which is moved in a sealed vehicle; or

(c) when all specified risk material has been removed from the carcase.

(2) During the transportation referred to in paragraph (1) the carcase shall be accompanied by a document indicating—

(a) the name, address and licence number of the slaughterhouse from which the carcase is being transported; and

(b) the name, address and licence number of the authorised cutting premises to which the carcase is being transported.

Presence of an official veterinary surgeon

18.—(1) An official veterinary surgeon or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon—

(a) shall be present at any slaughterhouse where any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp is being loaded for delivery to an approved cutting premises; and

(b) shall supervise the loading.

(2) An official veterinary surgeon, an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon—

(a) shall be present at any approved cutting premises where any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp is being unloaded; and

(b) shall supervise the unloading.

(3) Where any vehicle is loaded as described in paragraph (1), it shall be sealed by an official veterinary surgeon, an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon.

(4) A sealed vehicle, on arrival at any approved cutting premises, shall be unsealed by an official veterinary surgeon, an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon.

(5) A person other than the person mentioned in paragraph (3) or (4) shall not seal any vehicle which has been loaded as described in paragraph (1) or unseal any sealed vehicle.

Possession of unmarked carcases of sheep and goats

19.—(1) A person shall not have in his possession elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse, in a sealed vehicle or at any approved cutting premises a carcase of a sheep or goat intended for sale for human consumption containing spinal cord, unless it is stamped with the young lamb stamp.

(2) This regulation shall not apply to a carcase of a sheep or goat slaughtered before 1st January 1998.