Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002

Prohibition on feeding specified risk material to animals

49.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person shall not –

(a) sell or supply any specified risk material for use in the preparation of any feedingstuff; or

(b) use any specified risk material in the preparation of any feedingstuff.

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to –

(a) the sale or supply of any specified risk material; or

(b) the use of any specified risk material,

in the preparation of any feedingstuff for feeding to any animal for research purposes in a research establishment licensed under these Regulations in accordance with any conditions subject to which the licence is issued.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), a person shall not sell or supply any specified risk material, or any feedingstuff which he knows or has reason to suspect contains any specified risk material, for feeding to any animal.

(4) Paragraph (3) shall not apply to the sale or supply of any feedingstuff to a research establishment licensed under these Regulations in accordance with any conditions subject to which the licence is issued.

(5) Subject to paragraph (6), a person shall not feed to any animal or poultry –

(a) any specified risk material;

(b) any feedingstuff which he knows or has reason to suspect contains any specified risk material; or

(c) a whole carcase or any part of a ruminant animal from which specified risk material has not been removed in accordance with these Regulations.

(6) Paragraph (5)(a) and (b) shall not apply to the feeding to any animal or poultry of any specified risk material or feedingstuff for research purposes in a research establishment licensed under these Regulations and in accordance with any conditions subject to which the licence is issued.

(7) For the purposes of this regulation –

(a) “specified risk material” includes anything derived from it;

(b) a feedingstuff shall be treated as containing specified risk material if it contains anything derived from it; and

(c) “animal” does not include a human being.

(8) It shall be a defence for any person charged with an offence under this regulation to prove that he did not know or have any reason to believe that the material or the feedingstuff in relation to which he is charged comprised or contained, specified risk material.