The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

PART II SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR BOVINE ANIMALS NOT LESS THAN SIX WEEKS OLD

1.  In the case of bovine animals not less than six weeks old the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head and throat for which purpose of the submaxillary, retro-pharyngeal and parotid lymph nodes shall be examined in detail, examination of the external (masseter) cheek muscles shall be carried out in which at least two deep incisions on each side shall be made and the internal (pterygoid) cheek muscles in which at least one deep incision on each side shall be made; all incisions shall be made parallel to the mandible from its upper muscular insertion, and visual examination and palpation of the tongue, having been freed to permit a detailed visual examianton of the mouth and fauces shall be carried out;

(b) visual examination of the trachea and lungs, for which purpose palpation of the lungs shall be carried out; the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes shall be examined in detail and where the lungs are intended for human consumption, the trachea and the main branches of the bronchi shall be opened lengthwise and the lungs shall be incised in their posterior third at right angles to their main axes;

(c) visual examination of the pericardium and the heart for which purpose the latter shall be incised lengthwise so as to open the ventricles and to cut through the intraventricular septum;

(d) visual examination of the diaphragm;

(e) visual examination and palpation of the liver, the hepatic and pancreatic lymph nodes for which purpose the gastric surface of the liver and the base of the caudate lobe shall be incised to examine the bile ducts;

(f) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery, the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes for which purpose the gastric and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be palpated and, where an inspector or OVS considers it necessary, examined in detail;

(g) visual examination and where an inspector or OVS considers it necessary, palpation of the spleen;

(h) visual examination of the kidneys and, where an inspector or OVS considers it necessary, incision of the kidneys and examination in detail of the renal lymph nodes;

(i) visual examination of the pleura and peritoneum;

(j) visual examination of the genital organs except the penis if it has been discarded in accordance with paragraph 1(f)(ii) of Schedule 9;

(k) visual examination and, where an inspector or OVS considers it necessary, palpation and incision of the udder of a cow and its lymph nodes for which purpose, where the udder is intended for human consumption, each half of it shall be opened by a long deep incision as far as the lactiferous sinuses and its lymph nodes shall be examined in detail and such incisions shall be carried out in such a way that they do not contaminate meat.