The Specified Risk Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Initial treatment of bovine, sheep and goat carcases in a slaughterhouse

9.—(1) When a bovine animal is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, or slaughtered elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse but brought immediately to a slaughterhouse to be dressed for human consumption, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that all specified bovine 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 in accordance with paragraph (9).

(2) When a sheep or goat is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, or slaughtered elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse but brought immediately to a slaughterhouse to be dressed for human consumption, the occupier of the slaughterhouse shall ensure that—

(a) subject to regulation 15, all specified sheep or goat 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 in accordance with paragraph (9); or

(b) in the case of a sheep or a goat with one or more permanent incisor teeth erupted, the head, spleen and tonsils are removed at the slaughterhouse as soon as is reasonably practicable after the animal is slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection in accordance with paragraph (9), and the rest of the carcase is consigned to an approved slaughterhouse or cutting premises.

(3) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation and to regulation 15, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that any specified risk material is stained blue immediately after removal from a carcase of a ruminant animal, and in any event before the carcase is frozen except that, if the tongue is to be removed from the head of the ruminant animal, this shall be done immediately after slaughter of the animal and the head stained blue immediately after the removal of the tongue.

(4) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 28, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material while in the slaughterhouse and that it is disposed of in accordance with these Regulations.

(5) Material which is not specified bovine material may be separated from intestines which have been removed from the carcase of a ruminant animal before the intestines are stained.

(6) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an inspector or a veterinary surgeon, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.

(7) In the case of scheme animals, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that, once the specified bovine material has been removed, the remainder of the carcase (excluding the hide), is immediately stained yellow.

(8) The occupier of any slaughterhouse where specified risk material is removed from the carcases of ruminant animals in accordance with this regulation shall arrange or establish, in consultation with an official veterinary surgeon, a staff training programme to train staff to comply with those requirements of these Regulations which relate to the activities they perform on those premises.

(9) 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 these Regulations have been compiled with; and

(b) mark each carcase which has been so checked and found to comply with the requirements of these Regulations,

and shall give to any such person such reasonable assistance as he may require.