The Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006

Brain stem sampling of bovine animals

3.—(1) The occupier of a slaughterhouse in which a bovine animal specified in point 2(1) or 2(2) of Part I of Chapter A of Annex III of the Community TSE Regulation is slaughtered must—

(a) take a sample of brain stem in accordance with point 1 of Chapter C of Annex X of the Community TSE Regulation; and

(b) arrange for it to be delivered to an approved testing laboratory,

and failure to do so is an offence.

(2) The Department shall notify the occupier of a slaughterhouse if an animal comes into the categories specified in point 2(1) of Part I of Chapter A to Annex III of the Community TSE Regulation (except in the case of a dead animal consigned to a slaughterhouse with a written declaration from a veterinary surgeon that it falls into one of those categories).

(3) In accordance with point 5 of Part I of Chapter A of Annex III of the Community TSE Regulation, the Department may serve a notice on the occupier of a slaughterhouse requiring him to sample any bovine animal slaughtered there and send the sample for testing in accordance with sub-paragraph (1).

(4) The Department shall approve laboratories to test samples taken under this paragraph if it is satisfied that the laboratory—

(a) will carry out the testing in accordance with Chapter C of Annex X of the Community TSE Regulation;

(b) has adequate quality control procedures; and

(c) has adequate procedures to ensure the correct identification of the samples and notification of the test results to the consigning slaughterhouse.

(5) In this Schedule “approved testing laboratory” means a laboratory approved by the Department under this paragraph or a laboratory in another part of the United Kingdom approved by the competent authority to carry out the test.