33.—(1) When a bovine animal is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, or slaughtered elsewhere and brought to a slaughterhouse to be dressed for human consumption, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that –
(a)all specified risk material is removed from the rest of the carcase as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal was slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 35; or
(b)in the case of a bovine animal imported into Northern Ireland from outside the United Kingdom and slaughtered in Northern Ireland, all specified risk material, except vertebral column, is removed at the slaughterhouse as soon as reasonably practicable after the animal is slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 35, and the rest of the carcase is consigned to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises.
(2) When a sheep or goat is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, or slaughtered elsewhere and brought to a slaughterhouse to be dressed for human consumption, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that –
(a)subject to regulation 37, all specified risk material is removed from the rest of the carcase at the slaughterhouse as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal is slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 35; or
(b)in the case of a sheep or goat with one or more permanent incisor teeth erupted, all specified risk material, except spinal cord, is removed at the slaughterhouse as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal is slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 35, and the rest of the carcase is consigned to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises.
(3) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation and to regulation 36, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that the specified risk material which has been removed is stained blue immediately after removal from the carcase.
(4) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 53, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that, while in the slaughterhouse, the specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material (except material derived from animals tested for the presence of TSE which is required to be disposed of as if it were specified risk material) and that it is disposed of in accordance with these Regulations.
(5) An occupier of a slaughterhouse in possession of any material derived from a carcase of an animal in relation to which there is carried out (whether by an inspector or on behalf of the occupier or any other person) any test for the presence of a TSE shall, if he disposes of the material before a negative result in respect of the test is received, ensure that the material is stained, stored and consigned for disposal as if it were specified risk material.
(6) Material which is not specified risk material may be separated from intestines which have been removed from the carcase before the intestines are stained.
(7) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an inspector or an official veterinary surgeon, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.
(8) In the case of scheme animals, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that, once the specified risk material has been removed, the remainder of the carcase (excluding the hide), is immediately stained blue or yellow.
(9) Nothing in paragraph (2) shall require the removal of a spinal cord, being specified risk material, from the carcase of a sheep which has been slaughtered in a slaughterhouse if –
(a)the carcase is intended for export whole direct to listed premises;
(b)the occupier of the slaughterhouse concerned provides a written declaration to an official veterinary surgeon –
(i)indicating that he believes that the carcase is intended for export whole direct to listed premises; and
(ii)specifying the date on which and the place and time at which the carcase was loaded into the particular sealed vehicle by which it is intended that it be moved for the purpose of exporting it whole direct to listed premises; and
(c)the carcase has been marked in accordance with regulation 16A of the Specified Risk Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997(1).
(10) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall require –
(a)the removal of the vertebral column from the carcase of a bovine animal which was accompanied at the time of slaughter by a slaughter certificate under the Beef Assurance Scheme as described in regulation 3(3)(a) or (b) of the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(2) if the carcase is consigned to licensed cutting premises; or
(b)the removal of vertebral column from the carcase of a bovine animal imported into Northern Ireland from outside the United Kingdom and slaughtered in Northern Ireland if the carcase is consigned to licensed cutting premises.
34.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, when specified risk material is removed from the carcase of a ruminant animal elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse, the occupier of the premises at which the specified risk material is removed shall ensure that it is removed as soon as is reasonably practicable after the death of the animal and that it is stained blue immediately.
(2) The occupier of those premises shall ensure that, while on the premises, the specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material (except material derived from animals tested for the presence of TSE which is required to be disposed of as if it were specified risk material) and that it is disposed of in accordance with these Regulations.
(3) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an official veterinary surgeon, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.
(4) An occupier of premises, other than a slaughterhouse, in possession of any material derived from a carcase of an animal in relation to which there is carried out (whether by an inspector or on behalf of the occupier or any other person) any test for the presence of a TSE shall, if he disposes of the material before a negative result in respect of the test is received, ensure that the material is stained, stored and consigned for disposal as if it were specified risk material.
(5) The provisions of this regulation shall not apply in the case of a post-mortem examination carried out by a veterinary surgeon at a farm, provided that he makes arrangements for the disposal of the whole of the carcase by burial there.
35.—(1) The occupier of any slaughterhouse shall permit an inspector or official veterinary surgeon, or a person acting under the responsibility of either of them, to –
(a)inspect the carcase of any ruminant animal slaughtered there, so that he can check whether the requirements of this Part have been complied with; and
(b)mark each carcase which has been so checked and found to comply with the requirements of this Part.
(2) The occupier of any slaughterhouse shall give to any inspector or official veterinary surgeon, or a person acting under the authority of either of them, such reasonable assistance as he may require.
(3) The occupier of a slaughterhouse or cutting premises shall permit an inspector or official veterinary surgeon, or a person acting under the authority of either of them, to inspect the carcase of any sheep or goat consigned there so that he can check whether the specified risk material has been removed from the carcase in accordance with this Part, and the occupier shall give to any such person such reasonable assistance as he shall require.
36.—(1) Where a carcase of a bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material –
(a)is consigned as referred to in regulation 33(10) to licensed cutting premises; or
(b)is imported and transported in accordance with the Community TSE Regulation or the Community Transitional Measures to licensed cutting premises,
the occupier of that cutting premises shall ensure that the vertebral column is removed from the rest of the carcase at the premises as soon as is practicable after the arrival of the carcase.
(2) The occupier of any licensed cutting premises shall permit an inspector or official veterinary surgeon, or a person acting under the authority of either of them, to inspect the meat of any bovine animal consigned there so that it can be checked whether the specified risk material has been removed from the carcase in accordance with these Regulations; and the occupier shall give to any such person such reasonable assistance as he shall require.
(3) The occupier of any licensed cutting premises at which vertebral column is removed in accordance with this regulation shall ensure that it is –
(a)stained in accordance with regulation 33(3); and
(b)disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with these Regulations.
(4) If the vertebral column, which is specified risk material, is removed at any premises other than a slaughterhouse or cutting premises for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination, on completion of that examination both the spinal cord and the vertebral column shall be stained blue and disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with this Part.
(5) In this regulation, “carcase” means any whole carcase, half carcase or quarter carcase.
37.—(1) Where a carcase of a sheep or goat, or bone-in carcase meat from a sheep or goat, is consigned to a slaughterhouse or cutting premises licensed for the purposes of this Part, the occupier of that slaughterhouse or cutting premises shall ensure that the spinal cord, which is specified risk material, is removed from the rest of the carcase or meat.
(2) If the spinal cord, which is specified risk material, is removed in a slaughterhouse or at cutting premises licensed for the purpose of this Part, the occupier shall ensure that it is stained in accordance with regulation 33(3), and disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with this Part.
(3) If the spinal cord, which is specified risk material, is removed at any premises, other than a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises, for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination, on completion of that examination the spinal cord shall be stained blue and disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with this Part.
38.—(1) Where a sheep or goat is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, and at the time of slaughter there were no permanent incisor teeth erupted or it was aged not more than 12 months, the carcase of the animal shall be marked with the young lamb stamp.
(2) The young lamb stamp shall consist of a circular mark 5 centimetres in diameter containing in legible form in letters 1 cm high the words “VS” and “YL”, and shall be applied by an official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, and no other person shall apply the young lamb stamp or possess the equipment for applying the stamp.
(3) A person shall not use any stamp so resembling the young lamb stamp, or in such a way, as to be likely to suggest that any carcase is other than a carcase of a sheep or goat in which there were no permanent incisor teeth erupted or was aged not more than 12 months.
39.—(1) In this Part “stained blue” in relation to any material means being treated (whether by immersion, spraying or other application) with a 0.5% weight/volume solution of the colouring agent Patent Blue V (E131, 1971 Colour Index No. 42051(3)) in such a way that the colouring is clearly visible –
(a)in the case of specified risk material other than the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole surface of the material; and
(b)in the case of the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole of the cut surface and majority of the head,
except that, if the tongue is to be removed, this shall be done immediately after slaughter and the head shall be stained immediately after the removal of the tongue.
(2) In this Part “stained yellow” in relation to any material means being treated (whether by immersion, spraying or other application) with a 0.5% weight/volume solution of the colouring agent Tartrazine (E102, Colour Index No. 19140) in such a way that the colouring is clearly visible over the whole surface of the material.
(3) The requirement in regulations 33 and 34 to stain specified risk material shall not apply –
(a)if the specified risk material is to be sent to a veterinary or medical school, laboratory, hospital or similar institution for instructional, diagnostic or research purposes; or
(b)to specified risk material which is intended to be used at premises licensed under regulation 57.
(4) Where specified risk material has been stained in accordance with regulation 33 or 34, the occupier of any premises at which such material is stored or handled and, in the case of a place licensed under this Part, the operator of that place, shall take appropriate measures to ensure that colouring remains visible –
(a)in the case of stained specified risk material, other than the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole surface of the material; and
(b)in the case of the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole of the cut surface and the majority of the head,
until the stained specified risk material is incinerated or rendered.
(5) Where specified risk material is required to be stained in accordance with regulation 33 or 34 but has not been so stained, the occupier of any premises at which such material is stored or handled and, in the case of a place licensed under this Part, the operator of that place shall, as soon as practicable after he becomes aware that the specified risk material has not been so stained, inform the Department and detain the specified risk material until it has been inspected or collected by the Department or the Department has informed him that it may be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of this Part.
40. Once specified risk material has been removed from the carcase and treated in accordance with this Part, including any material treated as if it were specified risk material in accordance with regulation 33(5) or 34(4), or, in the case of specified solid waste, recovered from the drainage system draining any place where specified risk material is handled, the person responsible for its removal or recovery shall, without unreasonable delay, send it directly to –
(a)an approved collection centre;
(b)an approved rendering plant;
(c)an approved incinerator;
(d)premises licensed under regulation 57; or
(e)a veterinary or medical school, laboratory, hospital or similar institution for instructional, diagnostic or research purposes.
41.—(1) An official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, shall be present at any slaughterhouse where –
(a)any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp and contains specified risk material is being loaded for delivery to licensed cutting premises, and he shall supervise the loading;
(b)a carcase of any bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material is being loaded for delivery to licensed cutting premises, and he shall supervise the loading.
(2) An official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, shall be present at any licensed cutting premises where –
(a)any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp and contains specified risk material is being unloaded, and he shall supervise the unloading;
(b)a carcase of any bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material is being unloaded, and he shall supervise the unloading.
(3) Immediately after the loading referred to in paragraph (1) the delivery vehicle shall be sealed by an official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, and no other person may seal such a vehicle.
(4) On arrival at licensed cutting premises a sealed vehicle shall be unsealed by an official veterinary surgeon, or an authorised officer or an inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon, and no other person may unseal such a vehicle.
(5) Where the presence of an official veterinary surgeon, an authorised officer or a meat inspector acting under the responsibility of an official veterinary surgeon is required in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2), the occupier of the slaughterhouse or cutting premises shall, not less than 72 hours before the intended loading or unloading of a carcase, give notice to the official veterinary surgeon, except where the official veterinary surgeon has agreed with the occupier that notice of a shorter duration will be accepted, in which case the notice shall be of the agreed duration.
S.R. 1997 No. 552 as amended by S.R. 1999 Nos. 157 and 431, S.R. 2000 Nos. 78 and 295 and S.R. 2001 Nos. 48, 196 and 376
S.R. 1996 No. 404 as amended by S.R. 1996 No. 506, S.R. 2000 No. 78 and S.R. 2001 No. 155
Colour Index is published by the Society of Dyers and Colourists at Perkin House, 82 Grattan Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD1 2JB