The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

PART IV SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SWINE

1.  In the case of swine the inspection shall include—

(a) visual examination of the head and the throat for which purpose the submaxillary lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; visual examination of the mouth, fauces and tongue;

(b) visual examination of the trachea and lungs, for which purpose palpation of the lungs and of the bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes shall be carried out 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 and the hepatic lymph nodes; and visual examination of the pancreatic lymph nodes;

(f) visual examination of the alimentary tract, the mesentery and 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 of the udder and supramammary lymph nodes; and, in the case of sows the supramammary lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; and

(l) visual examination and palpation of the umbilical region and joints of young animals; and, where an inspector or OVS considers it necessary, the umbilical region shall be incised and the joints shall be opened.

2.  An investigation for cysticercus cellulosaeshall be carried out which shall include examination of the directly visible muscular surfaces, in particular at the level of the thigh muscles, the pillars of the diaphragm, the intercostal muscles, the heart, the tongue and the larynx; and, where an inspector or OVS considers it necessary, the abdominal wall and the psoas muscles shall be freed from fatty tissue.

3.  If an abscess is found in the carcase or in any organ of any swine, or if an inspector or OVS has reason to suspect the presence of any such abscess, he shall require the carcase to be split through the spinal column if it has not already been so split and shall examine in detail such of the following lymph nodes as he has not already so examined; superficial inguinal, supramammary, cervical, prepectoral, prescapular, presternal, sublumbar, iliac, precrural and, if he considers it necessary, the popliteal.