The Sheep Carcase (Classification and Price Reporting) (England) Regulations 2025

Requirement and methods for classification of carcases

5.—(1) The operator of a regulated slaughterhouse must ensure that the carcase of each sheep aged less than 12 months at the time of its slaughter at that slaughterhouse is classified in accordance with paragraph (2)—

(a) visually by a licensed classifier; or

(b) by use of an authorised automated classification method.

(2) Classifications under this paragraph must—

(a) be carried out at the time that the warm weight of the carcase is being determined in accordance with regulation 10; and

(b) subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), classify the carcase by—

(i) a conformation class from the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 1; and

(ii) a class of fat cover from the first column of Table 2 in that Schedule.

(3) Each of the classes of conformation in the first column of Table 1 in Schedule 1 or, as the case may be, fat cover in the first column of Table 2 in that Schedule, may be subdivided into three subclasses of Low (marked as “-”), Medium (marked as “=”) and High (marked as “+”).

(4) If the option in paragraph (3) is not exercised in relation to the fat cover classes—

(a) “3. Average”; and

(b) “4. High”,

those fat cover classes must be subdivided into the subclasses Low (marked as “L”) and High (marked as “H”).

(5) The operator must keep a classification record for each carcase classified under paragraph (1), comprising—

(a) the specification of presentation used under regulation 7;

(b) the cold weight of the carcase established in accordance with regulation 10(3); and

(c) the classification determined under paragraphs (2)(b), (3) and (4).

(6) If the operator of a regulated slaughterhouse uses an automated classification method and that method fails to accurately classify a carcase, the operator must ensure that the carcase is visually classified by a licensed classifier as soon as possible after that failure is identified.