1.All animals shall be subjected to ante-mortem inspection before slaughter. However, inspection can be limited to a representative sample of birds from each flock and a representative sample of lagomorphs from each holding of provenance of lagomorphs.
2.Ante-mortem inspection shall take place within 24 hours of arrival of the animals at the slaughterhouse and less than 24 hours before slaughter. The official veterinarian may require an additional ante-mortem inspection at any other time.
3.Ante-mortem inspections shall determine whether, as regards the particular animal inspected, there is any sign:
(a)that the health and welfare of the animal has been compromised;
(b)of any condition, abnormalities or disease that make the fresh meat unfit for human consumption or that might adversely affect animal health, paying particular attention to the detection of zoonotic diseases and animal diseases for which animal health rules are laid down in Regulation (EU) 2016/429;
(c)of the use of prohibited or unauthorised substances, misuse of veterinary medicinal products or the presence of chemical residues or contaminants.
4.Ante-mortem inspection shall include verification of food business operators' compliance with their obligation to ensure that animals have a clean hide, skin or fleece, so as to avoid any unacceptable risk of contamination of the fresh meat during slaughter.
5.The official veterinarian shall carry out a clinical inspection of all animals that the food business operator or an official auxiliary may have put aside for a more thorough ante-mortem inspection.
6.Where the ante-mortem inspection is carried out at the holding of provenance in accordance with Article 5 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/624, the official veterinarian at the slaughterhouse shall carry out ante-mortem inspection only when and to the extent specified.